8 Best Jobs for High Schoolers

Thirty percent of high schoolers work a job during the school year. With so many students interested in working in addition to going to school, we explain the pros and cons of working while in high school. We also propose eight work ideas for enterprising youths.

“School is your job.” Many of us heard that from our parents the first time we floated the idea of finding a job while still in high school.?

And our parents had a point. A high school diploma is key to the realm of employment.?

But consider this: Around 30 percent of high schoolers have a job during the school year, and that number increases when including summer jobs.

Below we’ll discuss the pros and cons of working while still in high school and recommend the eight best jobs for high schoolers.??

Pros and Cons of Working in High School

LinkedIn blogger Sho Dewan had an unusually successful client that “got a six-figure managerial role in fintech with a high school degree.” He doesn’t offer more information, but we can reasonably assume that that client started resume stacking in high school.?

Pros

Save Money Early??

They say you hate your first job — until you get your first paycheck. Making your own money is a liberating feeling.

Whether you plan to attend college, having some money set aside is a good idea. A savings account can open doors, fulfill dreams, and weave a safety net.?

Gain Crucial Skills

High schoolers aren’t generally qualified for professional-level work. But can gain soft skills through other positions.?

Learning to work with the public is a skill that benefits workers in any industry .

Putting yourself at the service of others is a lion’s-den way of codifying good etiquette, an even mentality and gauging the extent to which you can tolerate working with the general public.

Resume Building??

Recruiters look for full, well-stocked resumes during the hiring process. But that doesn’t mean you need years of work experience just to attain years of work experience. There’s some art to creating a good resume . For a high schooler that may involve presenting academic and extracurricular successes in terms of transferable job skills.?

Developing a Solid Work Ethic

Exposure to a working environment can prepare young people for college, careers, family life and more.?

Sometimes early work experience points you toward a career you like. Sometimes it shows you what to avoid.?

In any case, the working world makes demands on you that require you to find it within yourself to perform tasks that you don’t necessarily like, or that are difficult.?

A good work ethic is about making a good-faith effort to do your best work every day, regardless of the task.?

Cons

Balancing Priorities

The National Center for Education Statistics claims that , after polling, “The employment rate for those with some college (78 percent) was higher than the rate for those who had completed high school (69 percent), which was higher than the employment rate for those who had not completed high school (57 percent).”

Completing high school increases your odds of employment significantly.

Furthermore, 44 percent of employers require a four-year college degree. That number has declined as degree inflation has forced recruiters to consider candidates more holistically. Nevertheless, keep this in mind: 67% of Americans do not have a four-year degree from an accredited college or university. That means that two-thirds of the population is ineligible for nearly half (44 percent) of the jobs out there.

College might not be your thing. But it’s worth considering the doors it opens — and thinking about the doors that close if you avoid them. A job may get in the way of certain important education milestones.?

Added Stress

The average high school student spends 2.7 hours each weeknight doing homework.?

Not counting mealtime, which gives you three and a half hours to work each weeknight if you hope to get your homework done and get the recommended 8 hours of sleep.?

This doesn’t account for any extra-curricular activities that many students partake in and adding a job to the to-do list may not be feasible for stress levels.?

It Takes From Personal Time??

We all have a release valve, and we need to let out some steam.

Whether dating, or intramural sports, or video games, you need to do something for yourself. And no job is relaxing, especially if it puts excessive demands on your schedule.

Missing Out on Opportunities

High school is your last chance to be a kid. You also miss out on personal, professional, academic and artistic development opportunities if you’re filling your schedule with a work itinerary.

8 Best Jobs for High Schoolers

Convinced? Either way, here’s a list of the eight best jobs high schoolers can get.?

1. Movie Theater Cashier or Usher

These are common jobs for high school students. Cashiering isn’t hard if you can perform basic addition and subtraction. Plus ticket sellers get a private box to themselves.?

Cashiers and ushers also often get to see films for free.??

?2. Yard Worker

Like to work with your hands? Then this may be for you. If not, a manual labor job pulling weeds and chopping down trees will let you know that in a hurry. Either way, you’re learning something about yourself.?

3. Babysitter or Nanny

You probably need to like kids to be a babysitter or a nanny.

But this job lets you do more than look after children. You learn to cook for them, read them books, help younger-grade kids with their homework and endure tantrums. You’re an all-in-one teacher, chef and surrogate parent.??

4. Food Delivery Driver?

The pandemic made food delivery drivers heroes.?

Many restaurants have their proprietary delivery service. Franchises — like pizza places — always had them.?

And now you have UberEATS, Grub Hub and Instacart on top of that. The requirements are minimal, the hours flexible, and there’s potential for great tips.

5. Lifeguard??

You’ll need to be certified to perform CPR and spend hours drilling life-saving techniques. A stint as a lifeguard may spark an interest in being an EMT, or maybe doing something with the Navy.?

6. Barista??

Baristas are the most bourgeois of food service workers: Starbucks offers a minimum of $17 an hour . That’s more than double the national $7.25/hour minimum wage .??

7. Dog Walker or Pet Sitter??

Dog walkers provide a great service to owners who are on vacation or at work.?

Pet sitting, too, can be an easy, enjoyable way to earn some extra cash. You have to like animals, and you should be comfortable hanging out in other peoples’ houses.?

8. Tutor?

Can’t get enough homework? Help someone else with theirs.

You can make money tutoring others in things you learn for free in school.?

Which is the Right Job??

You don’t have to have your future mapped out by the end of high school, but there’s plenty you can do for a jump on things.?

But don’t think that all roads need to lead to college. LinkedIn recruiter Jenn Tardy stresses that her colleagues should “not use pedigree as a way to limit [their] candidate pool.”?She means that highly qualified high school graduates shouldn’t be swept aside in favor of college-educated peers.

Whatever you choose, make sure it doesn’t interfere with your schoolwork.?

Key Takeaways:?

• Many high schoolers are interested in working while they’re in school
• There are many jobs high schoolers can get, and many things to consider when choosing one. Manual labor, food service, peer-to-peer babysitting or dog walking are among the more popular choices.?
• A high school diploma opens up so many doors. High schoolers looking for work may want to keep that in mind.

(Reporting by NPD)