How After School Jobs Help Teens Build Self Esteem

High school can be hard on a teen. Teens struggle with trying to figure out which classes to take, which groups to hang around, and basically just trying to fit in. Self-esteem rises and falls depending on the choices a teen makes. Often times, an after school job does wonders at helping build a teen's self esteem and making them a better adult.

~Confidence & Responsibility

A job teaches a teen to be responsible for their actions. After all, a job isn't high school. An employer isn't going to accept excuses when you're late or didn't get the job done. This type of real world experience creates responsible teens. As they do better at their job, they will receive praise from co-workers, customers, and their employer. They also earn respect from the friends and family for successfully tackling school and work. This praise and respect greatly builds a teen's confidence.

~Independence

Many teens will tell you one of the biggest reasons they go to college is to gain independence. A job will teach them to be independent long before college begins. Being independent helps build self-esteem. After all, remember the first time you were able to do something completely on your own, without calling your parents for help? It felt great. This self-esteem carries over to college, which will help them focus on the more important aspects of their college career.

~Money

The main reason teens want an after school job is to earn extra money. Learning to manage money can be hard on a teen. However, successfully managing money helps create independent, confident teens with high self-esteem. They have a better understanding of the real world and the difference between want and need. The more successful a teen is at handling the looming transition into the real world, the higher their self-esteem will be.

~People Skills

The biggest cause of low self-esteem is inability to deal with people and handle criticism. When working, a teen must be able to deal with customers. Sometimes customers may not be the nicest people in the world, especially if they have a complaint. With the support of their co-workers, teens learn to deal with people respectfully and take criticism with a grain of salt. Teens can learn the difference between negative criticism and constructive criticism and how to handle both. Once they learn how to deal with people, their self-esteem is untouchable.

After school jobs don't necessarily mean they must work at a restaurant or a mall. Mowing lawns, volunteering, and handling a share of household responsibilities are all types of after school jobs that will teach teens the lessons the need to have high self-esteem now and in the future.