When I turned 14 I was itching to get my first job. I had grown up in a family that didn’t really do pocket money - if I asked my parents for a bit of money they usually said yes but that wasn’t very often. I couldn’t wait to earn my own money, buy myself a nice phone, go out with my friends more, buy those nice shoes I wanted and try out Netflix (finally).
So at the young age of 14 I applied to McDonalds. Now don’t get me wrong it’s not the most glamorous job nor is it healthy to eat their food. But a job is a job, plus Maccas looks pretty good on a resume and didn’t mind hiring a clueless kid. It’s been 3 and a half years now and let me tell you, having a job teaches you more about life than you realise.
Here are some of the life lessons it’s taught me.
1. You won’t get along with everyone in life and that’s okay.
When you get a job you will meet people from all walks of life, both employees and customers. You might find your coworker annoying or maybe you and your manager don’t really vibe together - that’s okay. Perhaps a customer has a go at you or is rude - sticks and stones girl. But, no matter what, you need to show everyone the same respect. I genuinely believe that everyone would benefit from having a retail or fast food job. You quickly grow a thick skin at work, you learn the importance of respect and empathy.
2. Hard work. Time to lean? Time to clean.
When you have a job, they’re paying you by the minute - so if you want money you better work for it. I had to learn that if I’m told to do something then I had to do it - there’s no ifs, buts or maybes - you’re paid to do a job so you do it (even if it’s cleaning up after disgusting strangers). Since I got my job I’ve often done 6am shifts every Saturday and Sunday. I’d rock up absolutely exhausted after a long week at school and extremely resentful that I was awake at 5am on a weekend. But I still had to work hard and that taught me a lot about maturity and independence.
3. Save your money for god's sake!
Getting my first job meant I had some financial freedom and let me tell you it went to my head for a while. My parents never controlled my money or savings - they’ve alway let me make my own mistakes and learn from it later. I’ve had a rocky relationship with money for a while and my savings didn’t grow for a long time. So take it from me - you don’t need that new dress or a cafe-made latte or Uber Eats for dinner. Really try and save your money - trust me you won’t regret it. Save for something you truly want, maybe a car, a trip, a new phone...
4. Punctuality. The early bird gets the worm
Being late isn’t cool nor will it win you any friends at work. Gone are the days of turning up to Period 1 - ten minutes late, holding a coffee in one hand and your school bag in the other with the flippant excuse of “my bus was late”. Having a job also means you learn to get ready extremely quickly. I can't begin to describe the heart attack I had when I woke up 12 minutes before the start of my shift a few weeks ago - from the moment I woke up I was ready to go in the car within 3 minutes (a new record). Getting a job means learning to be better organised and knowing where you gotta be and when.
5. Get your tax file number!
I didn’t get my tax file number till this year and I know I probably could have got back a few dollars if I had one (give or take a hundred). It’ll take you about 5 minutes to apply online, 5 minutes at the post office and only a couple days wait to get it to potentially save you hundreds of dollars later on. Trust me on this one.
6. Work friends are the best
Getting a job also means gaining a whole new social circle. You bond over all the annoying parts of work, chat about life and beg each other to take that shift you forgot to NA for. If you’re looking for a way to gain new friends a job will definitely help you.
So whatever your first job ends up being (no matter how greasy, tiring or annoying it is) it will teach you a lot about life and growing up. And you get some extra cash on the side!
Comments