Teen Jobs - Not Worth the Money & Effort

[munky99999]

I don't understand what is with the whole father figure insisting on the teenager on getting a job. To be honest. You don't make any real money. They work you to death. So these part-time jobs are essentially worthless jobs; and anyone who claims that you learn skills. Thats definitely not true. It might fine tune your skills. But they don't teach anything. I worked "part-time" at a computer store. Big name. like a 1000 stores in North America.

They called me part-time. Though I worked 45+ hours a week. They wouldn't call me full time. Thats a raise in $. I got minimum wage. When i went to the job. I just went to work, no training or anything. I just did my job. I knew how to manipulate people. Exactly what they wanted me to do basically. I was one of the best salesman. There was also another part of the job. Well the rule basically was. no women have to lift anything heavy. so the men are the ones who do the woman's work. and if you look at your average computer geek; they don't have muscles. So basically these men are moving 200lb desks around on their own. While the woman stands by and watches.

But what exactly do i get out of it? a small paycheck. which i still haven't used any of. I am not that much of a spender.

So really there isn't a good reason to really get a job like this. Unless your goal in life is to be Chief MAster Manager of mcdonalds. or your a compulsive spender. Like my sister. She works at your average superstore. She makes no money. But she keeps working because she's always spending he money before she even gets it. She has like 15 purses and she brags about things like this.

 

[moose]

Well, if you want a car, you need to pay for several things. A job takes care of those.

 

[munky99999]

some people arent lazy asses. and can walk or bike to and from anywhere u need to go.

While a car would be nice. I do have one available to me all the time. and I pay the insurance.

 

[russ_watters]

I can think of several things you learn by having a crappy high-school job:

-If you don't show up on time you can get fired.
-If you are lazy, you can get fired.
-If you have a bad attitude, you can get fired.

And the ever-so important:
-To buy things, you need money.
-Money doesn't grow in dad's wallet.

[edit] Oh, and one important thing you seem to have already learned:
-Having a job sucks, but you have to get one.

 

[Pengwuino]

-Uneducated people aren't good for much in the job market (uneducated as in no degree, not stupid)

 

[Moonbear]

While a car would be nice. I do have one available to me all the time. and I pay the insurance.

So, without a job, where would you get the money for insurance? Getting a job makes you learn the value of money...how much work goes into earning that paycheck your parents bring home.

I agree with Russ' "most important" items, that money doesn't grow in Dad's wallet or Mom's purse being a key lesson. So, you're not spending the money like your sister, that's great. Then you'll have some savings set aside when it's time to help pay for college tuition, or when you really do need that first car, or that first apartment, and since any money you make earns interest, even a small amount, the earlier you start earning it the earlier you start earning interest too.

Beyond that, you learn how to work for other people, which you're going to do for quite a long time before you have enough experience to be the one others work for. Patience in putting up with other personalities is an important thing to learn.

And, if you're able to one day make your way up in the world and find yourself in the shoes of the boss, remember how you were treated as an employee, and whether you liked it or not, and whether it inspired you to try harder or do the least you could get away with, and you'll be better able to judge how you should treat your own employees.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I can think of several things you learn by having a crappy high-school job:

-If you don't show up on time you can get fired.
-If you are lazy, you can get fired.
-If you have a bad attitude, you can get fired.

And the ever-so important:
-To buy things, you need money.
-Money doesn't grow in dad's wallet.

[edit] Oh, and one important thing you seem to have already learned:
-Having a job sucks, but you have to get one.

This says it all. It's training for when you have to have a job, support yourself, etc. The part time teen job teaches you all kinds of basic things about having a job in general.

 

[mattmns]

I recently got a job a few weeks ago as a math tutor, it is fun sometimes, but also not fun sometimes. I am also like you, I really could care less about the money, although I do make $10/hr tax-free.

Today I had some girl who did not bring her book or anything, and just wanted me to do her homework (which was some handout), it was supposed to be a 1 hour appointment, but I canceled it after about 15 minutes because I am not going to deal with people like that. I seem to get quite a few people who tell me they hate math, math sucks, math is stupid, and after that, ohh are you a math major? What is the moral? I guess russ is right, all jobs suck :grumpy:

 

[FredGarvin]

some people arent lazy asses. and can walk or bike to and from anywhere u need to go.

While a car would be nice. I do have one available to me all the time. and I pay the insurance.

Some places a car is an absolute necessity. So, if you didn't have a job, how would you pay the insurance on the car?

 

[Gale]

you don't need car insurance in new hampshire.

 

[munky99999]

-If you don't show up on time you can get fired.
-If you are lazy, you can get fired.
-If you have a bad attitude, you can get fired.

if u didnt know these beforehand that's sad.

-Uneducated people aren't good for much in the job market (uneducated as in no degree, not stupid)

know what's funny. I was working for a contractor. which we installed fibreoptics and security cameras and such. for the job that i did, they hired 2 new people. Me and a guy who has 1 phd and to master degrees. we both got paid the same. did the same job. we drove from pole to pole and sat there doing nothing.

that money doesn't grow in Dad's wallet or Mom's purse being a key lesson.

I don't get any money from my parents ever. infact on occasion they come to me to borrow some $

Patience in putting up with other personalities is an important thing to learn.

I don't know i think I've pretty much mastered this. I am very much like JLPicard. or a vulcan. Very quiet. I speak when its appropriate. The kind of worker i am is basically a. "give me a list to do" Ill go do them as soon as possible. no lazyman stuff. For example there was a guy who worked with me at the computer department. He had 5+ smoke-breaks. 2-3 lunches, many breaks, and would goto the washroom constantly. Basically he had so much senority. that if they did fire him. He'd still be getting paid years later. ontop of that unemployment insurance would be good to him.

I recently got a job a few weeks ago as a math tutor, it is fun sometimes, but also not fun sometimes. I am also like you, I really could care less about the money, although I do make $10/hr tax-free.

I was a math and chemistry tutor. i was a volunteer though. It was actually really interesting to me. How young kids were having trouble with things that people in like university don't even use. Once i was tutoring this girl and she had a problem with 27/3 which is 9. and i bet most people in university. simply know the answer. like no method of figuring the answer is used. she couldn't get it.

I guess russ is right, all jobs suck

Not true. you just need to figure out what you like. Take me. I love any job that has to with social engineering. If i can manipulate someone its great. so psychologist would definitely be fun. BUT i just can't do that job simply for the fact that it would be pretty bad morally. I'd probably end up doing something dumb like. Telling a suicidal person. "Look i don't care if you kill yourself or not." :rofl:

Some places a car is an absolute necessity.

Well I am in a small city or something. but I've been to toronto. and i walked all over the place. I think that response is a brainwashed type of answer. The only "absolute necessity" for a car is transporting heavy things, going long distances. I've worked many jobs. and people who bike to/from work everyday. When I worked for the computer store. I walked to and from work everyday for 6+ months. and I've seen pictures of even new york. and they have sidewalks even there.

 

[Pengwuino]

know what's funny. I was working for a contractor. which we installed fibreoptics and security cameras and such. for the job that i did, they hired 2 new people. Me and a guy who has 1 phd and to master degrees. we both got paid the same. did the same job. we drove from pole to pole and sat there doing nothing.

This is very much an exception to the rule... a BIIIIIIIIIIIG exception... what was he doing hauling around optics cable? Are you sure he wasn't bsing you haha.

 

[munky99999]

This is very much an exception to the rule... a BIIIIIIIIIIIG exception... what was he doing hauling around optics cable? Are you sure he wasn't bsing you haha.

well one masters was in philosophy(epistemology). and he knew the stuff that i knew. he had a really good knowledge of theologic arguements. although he agreed with me. we never really talked though. we never worked together.

I don't know why he had a job like this. but this isn't the first I've heard of it.

but its probably true these are exceptions

 

[scott1]

And the ever-so important:
-To buy things, you need money.
-Money doesn't grow in dad's wallet.

What are you talking about of corsce money doesn't grow in dad's wallet,it grows on tree's!I learned in the frist grade EccoBotanium(Our teachers says that the school doesn't enogh tree's to afford for those being seperate:uhh: ). That in oder for money to grow there must be suplizer, Demendornazier rays, stockhydroxide , capitlizer and you should have some Taxicide incase the government tries your money:grumpy: none of that is in dady's wallet.

And money to buy things with?I just use borrow things without asking.

 

[Moonbear]

I don't get any money from my parents ever. infact on occasion they come to me to borrow some $

Unless you're robbing banks in your spare time, where did this money come from if not from a job?

 

[Janus]

One advantage to having a job as a teen is that it reflects well on you when you try and go out and get a real job later.

 

[The_Professional]

I don't get any money from my parents ever. infact on occasion they come to me to borrow some $

did you sell nuclear arms to the koreans? how much was your kickback? we're all friends here we won't rat you out. promise

 

[Pengwuino]

but its probably true these are exceptions

Probably? You do not get a phd to do minimum wage work... except yah, philosphy *chuckles and runs off*.

 

[scott1]

did you sell nuclear arms to the koreans? how much was your kickback? we're all friends here we won't rat you out. promise

I sold some to cuba

 

[munky99999]

did you sell nuclear arms to the koreans? how much was your kickback? we're all friends here we won't rat you out. promise

i only asked for 13%. us silly Canadians with our candu reactors and our stockpile of nuclear material.

Unless you're robbing banks in your spare time, where did this money come from if not from a job?

nah i told you guys i don't do anything illegal.

and i have had many jobs. Retail sales, dishwasher, grass cutter, contracting, fishguy@petshop.

Probably? You do not get a phd to do minimum wage work... except yah, philosphy *chuckles and runs off*.

well he wasnt only meant for the labour. after all the labour was done he had tech work to do also. but that's trivial stuff.

 

[Moonbear]

nah i told you guys i don't do anything illegal.

and i have had many jobs. Retail sales, dishwasher, grass cutter, contracting, fishguy@petshop.

Now remind us again what your question was?

 

[scorpa]

Don't underestimate the importance of a job while your in high school. Have you seen the number of scholarship applications...ect that ask if you have had any paid or volunteer work experience? For the most part it shows responsibility, and a willingness to take control of your own finances. It also gives you valuable work experience when it comes time to apply for a real job, it may not seem like much but at least it's something to put on a resume. Think of more than just the money.

And yes for some people vehicles are unfortunately a necessity, I lived out in the middle of nowhere and it was a minimum of a half hour drive to town just to get groceries...that would sure suck to walk lol. That being said, vehicles are not the only reason people get summer/ after school jobs, lots of people need the money to save up for school. You may not think the money is worth it, but for some people it's the only way they can pay for their eduction. It all adds up.

 

[AKG]

It gives you something to put on your resume. Normally, you do crappy jobs when you're young so you have something on your resume so that not-so-bad jobs will hire you when you're a little older. And when you're even older, you'll have those not-so-bad jobs on your resume so you can be hired for good jobs. It's hard to imagine a 24 year old with no work experience whatsoever instantly landing a good job after leaving college.

There's also, of course, the money (which isn't always as bad as it was in your case), the opportunity to socialize, the responsibility and time management skills, and the fact that it would probably be a little weird if you're a teenager and you're the only one you know who has never worked.

 

[Moonbear]

Actually, the work experience to put on your resume isn't so much that you got that particular experience (if, for example, someone is one day applying for a job as a computer programmer, it doesn't matter that they had jobs stocking shelves at a grocery store in terms of job skills), but that you have worked for someone and made a good enough employee to not get fired. It's basically building your reputation saying that you can get along with others, show up on time, do your job, follow instructions, and generally have the "endorsement" of previous employers that you're a lower risk to hire than someone with no job experience or a long history of getting fired from job after job after job.

 

[munky99999]

and the fact that it would probably be a little weird if you're a teenager and you're the only one you know who has never worked.

actually I am not a teenager and I've had many jobs.

There's also, of course, the money (which isn't always as bad as it was in your case),

well i know a lot of people and nobody actually made anything reallt far above minimum. until apprenticeships started. and the "not-so-bad job" i have would be the whole contracting job. it was pretty good money. $1000 a week. a bunch of my friends are still in the minimum wage brutal job.

anyway I am still waiting on the university. but if they don't get back to me soon. i think ill just goto the airforce. they will pay for my education basically. and give me a job.

The army is basically FPS with good graphics. But no respawn points.
the airforce is the flight sims with great realism. it'd be tight.
canada doesn't have a navy.

 

[AKG]

actually I am not a teenager and I've had many jobs.

I didn't mean you specifically. Replace "you" with "one" if that removes confusion.

well i know a lot of people and nobody actually made anything reallt far above minimum. until apprenticeships started. and the "not-so-bad job" i have would be the whole contracting job. it was pretty good money. $1000 a week. a bunch of my friends are still in the minimum wage brutal job.

Most people I know made above minimum wage with their first job, and they pretty much all made above it in their second job. Also, I don't think any of these people had hard jobs, certainly not 45+ hours, and no heavy lifting. A lot of people, in their first or second jobs, made $3-4 above minimum wage, were put in positions of some sort of seniority, and some even got benefits like free gym membership.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

One hundred ways to say "I don't want to work".

 

[munky99999]

Actually, the work experience to put on your resume isn't so much that you got that particular experience (if, for example, someone is one day applying for a job as a computer programmer, it doesn't matter that they had jobs stocking shelves at a grocery store in terms of job skills), but that you have worked for someone and made a good enough employee to not get fired. It's basically building your reputation saying that you can get along with others, show up on time, do your job, follow instructions, and generally have the "endorsement" of previous employers that you're a lower risk to hire than someone with no job experience or a long history of getting fired from job after job after job.

know what's wierd. I either quit my job. or got layed off.

this one job. now hold onto ur socks. this just happened a little over a year ago. I was basically hired for quality control i guess you could say. I basically was paid $5+ above minimum wage. but all i was really doing was making sure people don't walk in drying cement. make sure people don't fall in holes. etc. it was good pay. easy going work.

So we had this huge hole. 8 feet deep. 4 foot wide, 12 feet long. the foreman is like alright stand here and make sure nobody falls in the hole. so that's exactly what i do. the bigger boss rolls up. comes right up to me. What the **** are you doing you lazy ****ing retard. Go do some work moron. I am like so abashed by this. the foreman comes over and smoothes it over saying that he told me to watch it. So the big boss is standing nearby and a black man comes walking u the sidewalk. and well seeing the big boss has no safety gear on. he figures he's the boss. so he askes him if he could get a job. the big boss plainly says straight to him.

Im sorry. But we don't hire, nig***s. sp*cs, ch**ks, etc etc. you so i just stopped going into work. i wouldn't even give him the benefit of knowing i wasnt showing up the next day.

 

[AngelShare]

I read over the entire thread and, I have to say, I'm not entirely sure what all this is about anymore. You seem to have had your fair share of jobs so what are you asking? I typed all of this up upon reading the first post, before I read the rest of the thread, but I've decided to keep it anyways.

-----------

That's a part of life, I'm afraid. There's no getting around the crappy jobs no one wants and work isn't going to kill you even if you are only making minimum wage. My Dad started out making minimum wage when he was about 18 years old and worked his ass off all year long, outdoors, through the heat and the cold. He works for the state and starting out at the bottom like he did is hard work. Despite all the asinine jokes, they're the ones who replace the signs along the roads, pave the roads, and what have you. It takes a lot of strength to do that stuff and, even now, at 54 years old, he's still going even with back problems and knee problems. He's actually holding off on getting surgery so that he can work until he decides to retire. After he does, he's getting yet another job.

He's been working at the same place for about 36 years now and he's finally gotten himself into a relatively comfortable position. He drives the gas truck that fuels all the other trucks and is paid about $20 an hour so he's come a rather long way.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is, complaining about working for minimum wage and working in general is pointless. There are people out there who have it better but there are also people out there who have it worse. No matter what, getting a job is inevitable and I think the reason fathers are the ones who push is because they realize this and, unlike mothers, they don't always baby their children.

 

[Mk]

What the **** are you doing you lazy ****ing retard. Go do some work moron. I am like so abashed by this. the foreman comes over and smoothes it over saying that he told me to watch it. So the big boss is standing nearby and a black man comes walking u the sidewalk. and well seeing the big boss has no safety gear on. he figures he's the boss. so he askes him if he could get a job. the big boss plainly says straight to him.

Im sorry. But we don't hire, nig***s. sp*cs, ch**ks, etc etc. you so i just stopped going into work. i wouldn't even give him the benefit of knowing i wasnt showing up the next day.

Maybe you should work in the bookstore, i bet people are nicer there.

Did he say "hire" or "hahr?"

 

[Reshma]

I am not a teenager and I have never worked in my life. The only job I have is being a full-time student .

 

[BobG]

anyway I am still waiting on the university. but if they don't get back to me soon. i think ill just goto the airforce. they will pay for my education basically. and give me a job.

The army is basically FPS with good graphics. But no respawn points.
the airforce is the flight sims with great realism. it'd be tight.
canada doesn't have a navy.

Teenage jobs are about a lot more than money. I know. The owner of the ice cream parlor I worked at told me - "I would have worked a job like this in high school for free just to have a great reference in my resume."

Yeah, he had a great sense of humor. One of his favorite things to say was, "Are you in my way?" At least it was more polite than just screaming at us to move. Actually, I liked him a lot. He ran a good store. Usually, the night manager was a college freshman or sophomore and the rest of the workers were in high school. The environment was so good that no one ever wanted to quit in spite of the fact that he was paying less than minimum wage. I wound up getting promoted to ice cream maker and my ice cream was named best in the county that year .

The Canadian Air Force is a pretty good service to join. The missile warning/space surveillance sites all belong to NORAD, so we always had a few Canadians working with us. They're a lot smaller, which makes them a lot tighter group than the US Air Force (you listen to these guys and you swear that their promotion test must be to name every member of the Canadian Air Force).

 

[russ_watters]

canada doesn't have a navy.

Canada most certainly does have a navy.

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/canada/current/

 

[BobG]

Some of the important lessons I learned at my high school job:

What time means. Seven minutes of freezing (plus or minus a few seconds) makes a good consistency for ice cream. Plus or minus a few seconds doesn't mean plus or minus one minute - eight minutes of freezing makes it so hard to push the paddles through the ice cream that you have to use a fire extinguisher on the belts of the motor.

What linear expansion (or contraction) means. There's nothing more frustrating on the busiest night of the week than to put the finishing touches on a couple of old fashioned ice cream sodas, place them on the counter for the waitress, and have her ask "What am I supposed to do with two empty glasses?"

No matter how bad things seem, you eventually have to face up to the mess. When you realize the two glasses are empty (and bottomless), it isn't hard to figure out what the counter behind you looks like. But what are you going to do? You can't just walk out when the spindle is full of orders.

How to use a phone. This was tougher than it sounds, since it was a two line phone and didn't work quite right (something no one bothered to tell me). The first busy Sunday night I worked, that phone gave me fits. I'd pick up and spout off, "Hello, Mary Coyle's." - no one there, I'm on the wrong the line. Push the button for the other line and "Hello, Mary Coyle's." As soon as I would say that, I would hear the click - someone calling the wrong number and too rude to even say anthing. On and on this went on all night long. Finally, I couldn't take it any more. After yet another person hanging up as soon as I've managed to punch in the correct line and welcome them to Mary Coyle's, I finally broke - "God damned bxxxxxxx" as I hung up. Turned out the click wasn't the person hanging up - it was the line finally being connected. Doh! The night manager wasn't very happy about me calling his mom a bxxxxxx.

You really can overcome first impressions. Over the years, the night manager became one of my best friends.

Decisions are tough. I wasn't the only one facing my first rush hour that Sunday. The other newby, a cute waittress, decided to cry into my apron for awhile. Nothing like being torn between sympathy for a cute coworker and the urgency of the smell of a plastic tray full of dirty dishes accidently left on the grill. "Um, let's move over this way for a second."

If you didn't have a job, you wouldn't know how much fun getting off of work is. We had great after work parties. The father of one of the waittresses used to even get us free tickets to Geauga Lake (an amusement park), so we even had a few midweek summer excursions.

 

[munky99999]

Canada most certainly does have a navy.

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/canada/current/

its a joke...
as like the Canadian navy base is in the center of the country, and not on an ocean. that the us navy has 3x more ships just in construction that we have total.