Summer jobs are a right of passage for many American teens and as this school year comes to an end, a crowd of West students are looking to get hired. Popular locations for teens to find summer employment include businesses downtown, cafés, and ice cream shops. Several also find work through companies that set up tables at lunch looking for new employees, like the Great Wolf Lodge. Sophomore Landon Ballard is a lifeguard who works at the popular hotel and waterpark.
“There was an interview process, it was about half-an-hour long. It’s not a big thing, it’s just questions about what you would do in certain situations. After hire you become a water park attendant and then you go through a five-day training class to get CPR certified and different training practices to help people out in the water,” Ballard said.
Through this job, Ballard believes that he has learned many valuable life skills that he will be able to apply throughout various areas of his life.
“[This job has taught me] money spending and management. I didn’t really have a surrounding sense of how much money would really mean in the long term. After earning my paychecks I realized I should not spend it all willy-nilly and I should really manage my budget better. I think it is a good idea for teenagers to get jobs and understand that as well, because that is really something everyone should understand,” Ballard said.
For some, busy summer schedules make flexibility a priority—and rule out jobs that have strict hours and schedules. Junior Liddie Walski has spent the past two summers babysitting, which she appreciates because she doesn’t have to work weekends and can adjust her schedule based on her availability.
“I just kind of do whatever works for [my client], it’s very flexible. It works really well when I’m gone certain weekends over the summer,” Walski said.
One of the most important aspects in being hired for any job is being mature, responsible, and trustworthy. In a job like Ballard’s or Walski’s, people’s safety is at stake.
“I think it’s definitely a lot of responsibility to care for two kids, especially when they’re so young and they try to eat everything around them. You have to be very observant and you have the responsibility of caring for another person’s life when they are unable to really communicate with you,” Walski said.
Patrick Milne, a junior who works at the Interlochen Public Library, believes that presenting himself as positive and responsible in his interview was a major factor in him getting hired. Most importantly, he believes, is authenticity.
“My job that I currently have is that I work at the Interlochen Public Library. Some interview tips that I would give would be to just be honest, give the best possible answers that you can give, and be yourself. Don’t change your answer to what you think they want to hear just say what’s best for you,” Milne said.
