Teens Can Succeed at Work

High school students who work contribute a lot to the workplace. As a new worker, teens and students need to build good career habits early by doing the following:

Be a Team Player and Get Along With Other People

The National Association of Colleges and Employers surveys employers annually to find out which skills employers seek from new hires. Teamwork and the ability to work well with others consistently shows up on that list. It is a skill employers expect teen job seekers to demonstrate on their resumes, in the interview and on the job.

Be Respectful

Showing respect for supervisors, co-workers and customers is a good workplace habit that high school students should master. Teens should seek advice on any issues with supervisor with a parent or a teacher at school.

Be Able to Manage Time

Teenagers need to know that the world of work is far more time sensitive than school. Unlike high school, there are not many opportunities to turn in late work or show up late. Unlike the academic record which might not show tardiness until the end of the semester, high school students may not get a second chance to make a first impression on the job.

Be Dependable and Show up as Scheduled

Employers rely on teen workers to help their businesses. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that more than 8 million teens were added to the payroll of Summer 2006. Teens and supervisors can collaborate on work schedules ahead of time and employers expect employees to show up as promised.

Be Willing to Go Above and Beyond Without Compromising Safety

To have success on the job, high school students should demonstrate a willingness to go above and beyond expectations. Teens and their supervisors should always consider safety first.

Be an Effective Communicator

Teens should develop and use their strong interpersonal and communication skills on the job. Although students exist in a "sound-bite" and text messaging world, they have to know that a different type of communication is required at work.

Be Visible

Hiding from work is not an option on the job. Supervisors do not want to search for teenage workers who are trying to avoid assignments or hanging out with friends. If customer service surveys are available, encourage your customers to fill them out.

Be Willing to Learn and Be Open to Criticism

Teen employees should keep their supervisors informed of the work they are doing and ask for feedback on their performance. Ask for clarifications of instructions and ask for help when it is needed. Employers much prefer working with students who ask for clarification rather than make costly product mistakes or, even worse, jeopardize their own personal safety or the safety of others.

Be Confident and Ask for Additional Assignments or Training

As new skills are mastered, employers are very open to changing the roles of their student employees if it will enhance overall business productivity. Teens should also be confident enough to ask for reference letters and recommendation letters at the end of a job if they have done well.

Keep in mind that every job is a chance to prepare for something more.