One of the many benefits of turning 16 is the ability to be employed. During the summer of 2021, about 20.3 million teenagers worked part time jobs across the U.S., almost half of America’s teenage population.

As school begins again, many will leave the workforce to focus on grades. For many, the new school year marks an opportunity to explore work options, however, the choice of part time choice can be a difficult one to make.

“Get a job where you’ll like the environment and the workplace,” junior Nicole Park said. “Otherwise you’ll just be miserable.”

Miserable or not, many may worry about balancing work, school, and social life. As school picks up, homework can pile up and become overwhelming. With the responsibilities that come with a job, working can sometimes be a lot to handle.

“If you’re doing well in all your classes and you have the time I think it’s great,” CHS school counselor Katherine Dendy said. “But your grades are the most important thing.”

While colleges do not specifically look for employment in applications, having a part time job as an extracurricular can set you apart from other applicants. The art of balancing workloads can be difficult. However, many students have advice for how to handle the stress. Park, who works as a junior coach teaching lessons at Ice Town, has some advice for how to manage school, work, and social life.

“I try to make my schedule consistent each week,” Park said. “I have a consistent work schedule so I try to base it around that.”

Students also recommend finding a job that compliments your skill set and to look outside the conventional jobs of grocery bagging or waiting tables. Senior Alyssa Sutherland previously worked as a video editor for a small company.

“I benefited because it was very flexible,” Sutherland said. “I got to work on my own time, make my own hours.”

Video editing, babysitting, and tutoring are all flexible part time jobs that students can schedule themselves without becoming overwhelmed. However, if starting a business sounds like too much, regular part time jobs are easy to find as well.

“We have a bulletin board in the counseling office where if we learn of any places hiring we’ll post it there,” Dendy said.

In addition to the counseling office, sites like Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and even just Google are all helpful in the hunt for not only finding but applying to jobs. Work permits can be found online at the Carlsbad High School website and can be turned in to reception in the administration building. Whatever there is, the benefits of the part time job are countless and continuous through life.

“It shows kids a sense of responsibility,” Dendy said. “Whether you work in a store or at a restaurant or a grocery store it just teaches you life skills.”