By Staff Writer: Alexis Klask

There is usually a feeling of responsibility upon working a first job. It can be fulfilling to say that the money received was money earned based off of hard work and motivation. For most people, especially a high-schooler, first jobs are a way to define them. As important as it is to focus on school, it’s just as important to get a join order to learn a bundle of characteristics to improve a student’s understanding of hard work.

Ms. Teri Brewer, the Co-Op teacher at HHS, feels it’s important to have a job as a student in high school.

“It’s a great learning experience and they can learn responsibility, time management, and are able to enhance their academic knowledge,” says Ms. Brewer.
With summer approaching quickly, jobs all over Livingston County are up for grabs. Whether the interest deals with food, clothes, children, or outdoor activities, there is almost always a job to match that interest.

People looking for a position where they can stay outside all day should look into a parks and recreation type of job. Jobs like these include working at the Howell Nature Center or working as a life guard at a community pool or public lake.

Some of these jobs require working with kids, like being a summer counselor at the Nature Center. Jobs like life guarding require previous experiences with swimming and registered certification however one can work at a concession stand. Working stands like that at summer games or at the lake is a simple and easy way to earn money with an outside environment.

Many people like to take off work over the summer which means an abundance of jobs can be available, however, college students who are out of school earlier apply for many of these jobs. It’s important to get out quickly and to apply wherever you can in order to ensure at least an interview. If trying to apply at a restaurant, it’s important to know when to go and what to ask.

Applying for a position such as a waiter/waitress or a host/hostess, a good time to pick up an application is either a little bit after the business opens or from 2-4 pm. Along with that, when filling out the application, supervisors look for key indicators. A big decline is when applicants say they can’t work on the weekends, so if applying to a restaurant always be sure to be available Friday through Sunday.

Also, upon receiving an application, whether it’s turned in right away or the next day, always ask to speak to a manager. This applies to any job that a student wants to get. Asking to speak to someone in charge will show that they actually want the job and will help them to be remembered.

All in all, looking for a job shouldn’t be a hassle of any sort. It should be a learning experience and should reflect the personality of the student.
“Apply for a job that might be of interest, and if it has their interests, they will be more passionate about it,” says Ms. Brewer.

Sometimes the only jobs available are fast-food jobs or working as a sales associate in a retail store and that’s fine. Use that job as a stepping stone or stay at that job if it’s ends up being likeable. Usually, staying at a job for a prolonged period of time can guarantee raises or a step up in positions.
Instead of doing the usual “go into town and apply every where” routine, check out websites online. Websites like http://internlivingston.org/ and http://michiganworks.com/ offer jobs like internships and deal with a wide variety of options.

As fun as it is to relax all day, it’s also great to have some extra cash to spend. Summer is only three months long so having a job for that long isn’t a huge amount of time and there’s a chance the job could work out really well.
“It’s never too late to start getting that work experience and to prepare their resumes,” says Ms. Brewer.