By; Caroline Utz
Date night at the movies- $25. Gas for your car- $40. A new iPhone to keep up with the latest technology- at least $199. Finding an enjoyable job that pays for your lifestyle- priceless.
Being a teen can be expensive, and with the national unemployment rate reaching 8.5% in December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a good job is hard to find.
“You definitely have to make an effort to go out looking; a job isn’t just going to come to you. Sometimes you may find one quickly. Other times it will take months,” senior Allie Farnsley said.
However, there is hope for the young and unemployed. Summer Jobs +, a program proposed in January by the Obama administration plans to create 250,000 “teen employment opportunities” for this summer. Many well-known companies like Bank of America, Starbucks Coffee Co., Wells Fargo, and Gap Inc. have already allotted jobs for this program reaching a total of 180,000 teen employment prospects so far.
“Many Americans aged 16 -24 are in desperate need of a job in order to pay for college,” junior Miranda Sell said. “The plain fact is, these jobs simply aren’t out there. With Obama’s program, these jobs will be created. Some of these students would probably not even consider college if they didn’t have a job in order to pay for it.”
Dress for success
Some NAHS students, however, have already taken the employment initiative without the aid of a government program.
Senior Heather Pittman, a sales associate and self-proclaimed “professional dresser-upper” at the New Albany based clothing store, Dress and Dwell, was offered the job while modeling for a local runway show called Cheers on the Catwalk.
“Amanda (the owner) asked if I was interested in holiday work, and I said ‘of course,’” Pittman said. “Who wouldn’t want to work at Dress and Dwell?”
In a job that requires strong people skills, Pittman is right on track. Her favorite aspect of the job is greeting, dressing, and complimenting the customers.
For those NAHS students not expecting to find a job on the catwalk, Pittman has a few tips for securing the perfect position.
“Dress well,” Pittman said. “No place will hire you if you show up in sweats and a hoodie with your hair piled on top of your head. Even if you’re interviewing for some place that requires a uniform, dressing well always impresses people. You also really need to be honest with people, while still making yourself out to be the best candidate.”
Scooping up the dough
With the Floyd County unemployment rate hitting 7.3 percent in November, even a seasonal trade is preferable to no work at all. Farnsley, an employee of Zesto’s, found jobs were limited for her age group while looking for work.
“A lot of places will hire if you’re 16 or older, but they also prefer to hire older age groups like 18 and up,” Farnsley said. “Sometimes it’s just because of experience and maturity. Other times it’s because it’s a hassle to deal with teens that don’t have a car for transportation or can’t work a lot of hours.”
While some teens may not want the extra responsibility of a job while still in high school, Farnsley believes working is essential for developing independence.
“I think it’s important for teens to have a job because it helps them learn how to earn, save, and spend their own money, not just their parents,” Farnsley said. “It helps teach you responsibilty. It’s especially important to me because my parents make me pay for some of my own things like gas money and insurance on my car.”
