Tom Lopez- Employment Specialist

Summer is a great time to get that first job. The teenage years are a time of transition and many see that last chance to reclaim childhood experiences. its never your last, in fact many would argue that a strong vocational foundation provides more opportunities in the future for summer fun in the summer sun. teenagers and young adults are still accustomed to the structured stimuli of a full school week. Where many adults might balk at the idea of waking up before the sun, and heading off for the day with only a backpack to carry everything you need, its still a way of life for young adults. By mid June many teenagers find the prospect of weeks upon weeks of unstructured time… daunting. They miss their friends, they miss their purpose they miss the easy availability of interactions and challenges to overcome.

This is a great time to pursue a part time job. Summer jobs can be structured as temporary, with the promise of a seasonal return or an adjusted role for the school year, this reduces the social stakes of trying something new, while incentivizing the developement of a work history and a future resume. Searching for employment over the summer gives young job seekers a lower stakes introduction to the exercise, and an opportunity to learn skills and best practices in the relatively sheltered setting of young adulthood, versus later experiences that might be driven by necessity. Summer is a time for self paced exploration, and that can include learning to find and evaluate job interviews, complete job applications, practice interview skills and even, likely, professional presentation and practice. Summer is a great time to find that first job, or to build on that emerging experience!