Get A Job!

Lesson #2

If you are a high school senior your inner desire for independence is beginning to emerge. Your ability to move out of your parents’ shadow and be your own person is going to be tied with your financial independence.

If your folks are still buying everything for you or giving you a steady allowance, they are stunting your financial growth. It’s time to lay claim to your own financial independence.

If you don’t have a job yet — get one. You are never going to be able to manage your own money if you don’t have any of your own money to manage.

Many young people shy away from working because they or their parents feel it will hurt their marks at school. As long as you are not involved heavily in extracurricular activities you should be able to handle up to 15 hours a week. From my research and observation teaching high school students, academic performance begins to suffer around the 15 hour per week mark depending on the student.

Some students can push it, but go 20 hours or more and marks begin to fall off a cliff. If you’re still living at home our own, you don’t need to work that much — but still work. You may even find that holding a job with reasonable hours will improve your academic performance.

You know what they say, “if you want something to get done — give it to a busy person.”

If you’re too busy with other extracurricular activities then earn money working in the off-season. The point is to get a job that provides your own income so you can build your own financial wealth and independence.

Audio version…

The ideal job should be in an area of interest that you can enjoy or at least tolerate. Take your time. To employers you are a valuable commodity — cheap, student labour. Don’t waste your …