As parents we also want to help our children develop into mature, productive, responsible members of our community. Getting a holiday job can develop this as well as their budgeting skills.
Benefits of part time jobs and holiday work for students
- Money is often the main focus of finding a part-time/holiday job as a student. The stable cash flow when having a part time job helps a student pay towards study fees/ study fund, reducing the need for student loans and indebtedness.
- Budgeting When earning their own money our children tend to spend more wisely than when they are spending ours! They understand the hard work which was needed to earn that money, this also makes them more likely to save.
- Time Management and Balance When studying and working free time is scarce, students learn to be more careful on how they utilise it – which in turn helps them to become better organisers and balance their time more.
- Develop Skills Many of our children won’t aim at staying in the food industry or in the retail trade but these starting positions will help them to develop skills which can be used throughout their careers. It teaches them about commitment and not giving up but holding onto a job. They learn about teamwork and how to work with people who have different personalities to them. They learn to use initiative and how to react to the unexpected. They learn many emotional intelligence lessons including confidence, sense of responsibility and independence which help them to become better leaders in time. These are all stepping stones to adulthood. This valuable work experience is also great for their resumes!
- Preparation for their Careers Choosing a part-time/ holiday job allows a learner to use this as an introduction to a career of interest. They are able to discover things about themselves, their likes and dislikes, whether they are people orientated or not. These experiences may change or help to confirm their choice of career. When applying for their first positions they are getting experience in job application skills, resume writing skills and they are able to develop their job interview skills. This experience is vitally important in preparing them for their applications for full-time work.
- Networking Possibilities Being given the opportunity to meet and work with professionals in industries of interest may help when finding full-time employment. Students are able to add references to their resumes which give a future employer confidence in their application.
- Drawbacks of part time work and holiday jobs for students
- A student will have less time available for homework/studying during term time. If a child is not able to organise the balance between work and school then possibly a holiday job would be more suitable.
- Less time is available for school involvement during term time e.g. Saturday sport matches. It is then advisable to find a flexi-time position which is more conducive to a busy schedule.
- Most part-time and holiday jobs are not glorious, and involve hard/boring work for little pay. This may lead to a negative view of work however this is dependent on the maturity level of the learner and the type of work involved.
- Increased stress levels – trying to balance work and school. Ideal alternative for learners unable to handle the stress is to rather find work during the holidays. This allows them to use their free time more constructively.
How to find part time work and holiday jobs
- Speak to your school counsellor.
- Go onto your college/university website – there is usually a section listing part-time positions for students and full-time positions for graduates.
- Register on a database – many promotion companies have a page for you to register your information, availability and photo. Please be extremely careful about giving out your personal information – ensure the site is legitimate.
- Follow event/promotion companies on Twitter and Facebook where they advertise new job updates.
- Do job searches on employment sites eg. Indeed, PNet, Gumtree.
- Hit the ground and visit retail shops and places you would like to work at personally. Dress appropriately and take along a copy of your resume.
- Become an entrepreneur – offer your services as an au-pair, baby-sitter, dog-walker, shopper for the aged etc.
Tips for Parents
- Discuss the pros and cons of part-time/ holiday work with your child.
- Consider a trial period to see how your child’s grades are affected
- Agree on what their income is to be used for.
- Help with planning a schedule to relieve stress.
- Provide guidance for problems your child may face in the work environment and may not have the experience to know how to handle.
- Set aside FAMILY TIME, make sure there is always time to reconnect as a family as a busy life can become consuming and the small things are forgotten.
- Always be supportive.
At the end of the day you need to decide if you want your child to earn an extra income or not. As you can see there are many advantages but there are also some disadvantages.
Exposure to different fields of work can be very beneficial for children to make up their mind what they want to do one day. Granted, children need their holidays and need to be able to switch off from studying and working hard. On the other hand we often see teenagers who do not know in which direction they want to go after they have finished school. This can be a great problem and can cause huge anxiety and confusion.
Hence the greater the exposure, the easier it will be for the child to know what they are really passionate about and which direction they want to choose one day as a career.
You might want to read more about job shadowing.
