By Tahlia Mandie, Direction Exploring These days it is not uncommon for teenagers to want to get part-time or casual work. The idea of getting a little extra ‘pocket money’ and cash they can use to purchase new gadgets and gismos, hang out with friends and save for bigger purchases is exciting.
Parents can similarly anticipate the experience as this means their children can start to lead a more independent life and take on more responsibility. Although the idea that teenagers are entering the workforce can be exciting and rewarding for both themselves and their parents, it can also be a daunting and sometimes stressful experience.
Generally, when teenagers start casual work it can also coordinate with some of their most crucial schooling years as students are not only beginning to learn more responsibility within school, but they are also beginning to prepare for their final years of school. Similarly, students can often feel more pressures, including family and peer relationships, school, and study.
Students are also most often given more work and study commitments. So if teenagers want to get a casual job while still in school, how to they juggle both?
Before embarking within the work force, teenagers and parents need to aware of what casual work involves and employee rights. Casual work is often much more flexible than permanent employment, as employees can choose the hours they work.
However, not all causal’s choose their own hours; employers will offer availability. Although flexible, casual’s are not given the same rights as permanent employers. However, for teenagers that are studying, casual work can offer the flexibility to structure work commitments around study and school commitments. When students have exams, they can inform their employer of these busier times and ask for fewer hours.
Students need to be very aware of their school and study commitments, paying close attention to the times they need to study more. Being structured and organised is the key to managing time, especially where students have to factor in extracurricular activity time. That is, before looking for employment, students need to ask themselves ‘Do I have time to take on another commitment?’
Although the concept of earning extra money, gaining more independence, and taking on more responsibility in desirable for both students and parents, it is important that students be aware of their priorities and time availability. Students and parents should sit down together and write down a timetable of each day of the week, outlining what commitments and/or activities are on when, and the time involved, including the allowance of study time. This includes school hours, after-school activities, weekend sporting activities, social events, dinner and family time, and study time. Only once this has been down should students then decide whether they want to commit to employment.
If students are already working while studying, it is even more important they maintain a sense of organisation. That is, students need to be aware of study deadlines and have a greater sense of time availability and time management. Having good time management skills can be the key to reduce stress and exhaustion.
So the key to managing casual employment and school work is to think realistically before taking on an extra commitment. Students should ask themselves:
- “What spare time do I have?”
- “Would my employer be flexible with my school commitments?”
- “Would my employer allow me to take extra time off when I need it to study for exams?”
- “If I take on casual employment, will I still have enough time to study, see friends, do my other extracurricular activities and not feel overloaded?”
