Is Your Teen Ready For a Summer Job?

Looking for a summer job can be a rite of passage for teens, as well as a big step in their development. Before teens look for a job, parents should discuss with them the pros and cons of what a summer job can mean.

As Chief Administrative Officer at Cook Children's, Keith Holtz knows the value of experience in the workforce.

As a father, Holtz understand the importance of that first summer job.

"The first job offers such valuable life lessons for a teen," he said. "It builds confidence, self-esteem and financial independence. It also helps teach fiscal responsibility and the value of being accountable, reliable and dependable. I'm sure we all remember our first bank account and the tremendous sense of pride we had, regardless of the amount we had to spend after that first paycheck."

As your teen, searches for a summer job, ensure he or she considers summer extracurriculur activies too, such as sports, band or dual enrollment college programs. Be sure to discuss the commitment these activities require and decide as a family on your child's summer priorities. All these important activities can impact both the hours your teen can work and the amount of rest he or she can still get.

The first job can be initimidating for a teen. And while the job may eventually help with your child's confidence, Holtz advices parents to support thier kids as they search for work and beyond.

"Your child may look to you for guidance when preparing for their job search," Holtz said. "Help them to create a resume, look for work and guide them through the interview process. But be there too for them throughout the summer too. Ask them how the job is going and ask if they have questions. Then, after the summer job, ask them what they learned and then talk about ways they could improve next time."