Teens should have a sense of what life is like in the work force. Responsibility, accountability, and self-reliance are all important lessons I learn at my minimum wage job when I was in high school. And let's face it, the extra cash helps take the pressure off our parents as well as gives us the freedom to spend it as we wish (along with the responsibility of spending it).
Just to warn the teens looking for jobs, it doesn't get much better anywhere you go. I have worked in countless professions, from waiting tables to a desk job. The people never change. They still gossip. There are still conflicts in the work place. You may make more money, but you will always be surrounded by slackers and gossips where ever you go.
My suggestion is for the teen looking for a job is to find something you enjoy doing. Don't waste your time doing something you hate in the prime of your life (save that for desperate times). Take heed of the lessons learned. Treat everyone with the utmost respect. Be a good employee, but don't let it interfere with the most primary objective of your teenage years-your education (and having fun, of course). Leave time to do as much as you can while you are young and free.
Maybe working on the weekends is all you might be able to do so you may sample whatever you can from sports to clubs. Be involved. Make yourself well rounded and capable. Remember, you are full of promise and potential. The only person who can make your dreams come true is you.
