School, sports and scheduling: Teenagers should consider the amount of available time they have before applying for a job

Between school, sports, homework and social activities, high schoolers have some of the busiest schedules of anyone. But even with all of those activities, most kids still want an after school job, often to help boost social skills, experience in a workplace and even chances of obtaining a future job. Because it’s difficult for teenagers to maintain a schedule before work, many quit within a few months — something that is hard on small businesses in particular.

Managers are constantly having to rearrange schedules, hire new employees and train student employees —  all for them to quit in a few months. 

Many employers in the area see teens apply and quit after a few months. Sometimes the job conflicts with sports, clubs or other activities — and high school kids tend to stay with their sport and quit their job or dramatically decrease the hours they work.

However, I encourage you to not quit your job. You can meet new friends with students from other schools or gain skills like talking to customers.

Although it’s good for students to stay busy and have multiple hobbies, it’s also important to consider those aspects of their life before applying to a job. Communicating with your boss when you know you are busy — such as during a sports season — can help take some of the stress off them.

This way scheduling can be made easier for the business as a whole and kids can continue to make money while not being overwhelmed with their workload and schedule. 

All in all, jobs are great for teenagers to have but it’s important that they make sure they have enough time to commit to them before applying.