Many high school students in this day and age are interested in employment for a multitude of reasons. Whether they need to support their family, save for college, or just want to buy a new dress at the mall, one thing remains in common. It can be difficult to find jobs during high school that fit into schedules and will employ younger teens.

According to the Youth Labor guidelines, all work must be performed outside of school hours for fourteen and fifteen year old students. Students cannot work more than eight hours per day when school is in session. Furthermore, students are prohibited to work more than eighteen hours per week when school is in session, and students cannot work more than forty hours per week when school is not in session. All students are restricted to working only after seven a.m. and before seven p.m. on any day except June first and Labor Day. Although some exceptions may apply, teens must be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

These guidelines can make it extremely difficult to find time outside of school to work. However, when asked if Senior Zaida Bell would recommend other teens getting jobs, she responded with, “Yes, I think that it’s a really important step into becoming an adult and I think that having a part-time job in high school is the perfect time for you to experience what it’s like working in a professional atmosphere. If you find a happy medium where you have time to work and you time to do your extracurriculars and your homework then I think there’s absolutely no problem with getting a job.”

When searching for work, Bell says, “I looked at places that I felt would be inclusive of all people, also when doing interviews, talking to managers, and just gauging like ‘Oh are they gonna be understanding that I’m a high school student and that I have a busy schedule?’ Stuff like that.” Some jobs that could be good for high school students and include these aspects are as follows, rated in order:

Chick-fil-A
Starbucks
Little Caesars
Panera
McDonalds
Michaels
Baskin Robbins
Kroger
Movie Theaters
Dairy Queen

Just like anything else, there are advantages and disadvantages to working as a high school student. The advantages are as follows: communication skills, building a resume early on, developing a work ethic, time management, fosters confidence, meeting new people, money, time management skills, and consistent income. When speaking of skills she acquired, Bell says, “(You learn) a lot of very beneficial communication.” However, the disadvantages can be problematic, such as increased stress, distraction from academics, cutting childhood short, and less time available for other things like friends and family.

Overall, it can take a lot of thought when deciding to get a job in high school. There are some guidelines to consider, as well as what values you find most important in the workplace. Nevertheless, in many cases, the advantages outweigh the cons, and it is a big step towards independence and adulthood.