What Was the Best Summer Job You Had As A Teen?
Hey there! I hope you are well. I really appreciate the kind and thoughtful messages in response to my previous newsletter. Thank you. I’m happy to report the worst of this depressive episode seems to be over, and I’m feeling closer to functional again. I’m sending so much love to those of you who are in the middle of your own struggles. You are not alone, and better days are ahead.
Summer jobs are on my mind today:
Five years ago Bloomberg published this article about how American teenagers aren’t working anymore. Summer jobs for teens are declining. For reference, the numbers look like this:
In July of 2016 43% of teens were working.
In July of 2006 53% of teens were working.
in July of 1988 & 1989, 70% of teens were working.
The article also goes into some of the theories about why the decline may be happening. Some people suspect they're being crowded out of the workforce by older Americans who are working past the age of 65. Some people think teens are being pushed to volunteer for the summer to impress college admission counselors. Others think teens aren't working because the earnings are low and only go a tiny way toward the costs of college.
But apparently, the data says the real cause is that the teens are studying. They're taking harder classes and more classes, and they need the summer to keep up.
I found this fascinating.
Then last summer, the whole world was shut down and seasonal jobs weren’t really an option for anyone. On that note, in early 2020, our daughter Maude spent weeks looking for a job that would work with her college schedule. And she found one! At a book store! She was so happy about it. She started March 1st and worked for two weeks before the shutdown shut everything down, at which point she was promptly let go. A story that was repeated for millions. So rough. And such a loss for so many.
This summer, it sounds like there could be a big shift. The Wall Street Journal reports that 2021 will mark the highest rate of teens with jobs in 13 years! The New York Times agrees, and offers tips for teens looking for work.
As a child, I always had some job or another to earn spending money — a paper route, babysitting, even collecting aluminum cans. But once I was turned 13 and was officially a teenager, I got a paycheck job working at the local movie theaters, and I kept that job year round, until I moved away to college. During summer breaks, I would add other jobs too — like working the counter at the frozen yogurt shop at the mall. In college I had even more jobs. I worked at Sundance resort making wildflower arrangements. I worked at a florist. I worked at Franklin Covey selling day-planners. I flipped burgers at an on-campus eatery. I worked at the Gap. I did research in the National Archives. I worked at a garden nursery. I gave out samples at a grocery store. Eventually, when I was advanced enough in my major, I was able to get graphic design positions on campus too.
I really appreciate what I got out of working teen jobs. I liked earning money, I made different kinds of friends than I had at school, and I liked learning from different kinds of bosses and managers. Most of all, I think it gave me a general confidence about what it means to earn money — I knew what it took to get a job, to fill out an application, to make a resume, to have an interview. I knew how to be a good employee and what it meant to get a regular paycheck.
What’s your take on this? Did you have a summer job as a teen? And will your teens be taking jobs this summer? If yes, what sorts of work have they found?
P.S. — When I think of job-hunting, I always picture the job board scene in Hudsucker Proxy.
Here are a few things I saved for you:
-Speaking of working, for those who have worked at home during the pandemic, are you looking forward to going back to the office once it’s safe? Not everybody is. The Washington Post reports that due to micro-aggressions: "97% of Black respondents said they wanted to keep working remotely in some form, compared to 79% of white respondents."
-Have you ever listened to the You’re Wrong About podcast? They take a pop culture topic, and then discuss how our culture got it wrong. I love it. Their most recent episode is on cancel culture. Take a listen.
-The other day I saw a discussion on Twitter about the misogyny of gay men. I think I’ve pretty much only thought of straight men when considering misogyny and was surprised to see so many people sharing their stories of gay misogyny. I’m still reading and forming my thoughts on the subject. How about you? Have you encountered this? Here’s a Vice article if you’d like to read about it.
-I know I shared lots of links about this in the previous newsletter, but here’s more excellent reading on the Tulsa Race Massacre.
-Related, I hope everyone got a chance to read Tom Hank’s oped: "[Schools] should stop the battle to whitewash curriculums to avoid discomfort for students. America’s history is messy but knowing that makes us a wiser and stronger people."
-Also related, CRT is not being taught in elementary or high school.
-This made me laugh.
-This story has me so angry. In Alabama, police officers gave a violent abuser (and former police officer) his gun back, simply because he texted and asked for it. There was an active a protective order against him. Two weeks later, he used the gun to kill his wife. Why was there an active protective order against him? Because he had already shot his wife before.
I’m angry at police officers. I’m angry at gun-fanatics. I’m angry at our culture’s acceptance that women are killed daily, because of our unwillingness to confront the violence of men, and and unwillingness to pass and implement gun safety laws.
-Sometimes I forget about 30 Rock. But I saw this tweet, and the responses are so freaking good. And now I’m thinking maybe it’s time for a series rewatch. Were you ever a 30 Rock fan?
-This NPR article talks about how the Arizona vote review is much more of a lie-propagation and misinformation tool than an “audit”.
-Hahahaha!
-The favorite tweet I read this week:
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as a college professor I’m always sad when students feel like every summer they need to do something resume worthy. The things I learned working in offices, stores, cafes, etc made me more insightful teacher and person, influencing everything from my stamina and skill set to my politics.
Like Maude, my 16 year old lost his after-school job in March 2020. He hustled for months to find something to balance out the isolation of distance learning and help him feel useful and connected. A chance to volunteer delivering meals for our local food bank for a few months gave him the idea to apply to a local retirement home as a waiter. Throughout the pandemic he delivered meals to residents isolating in their rooms. The job has been hard (resident mortality, dementia and depression; also hard work, short staffed shifts, Covid risk) but it’s been a chance to make a difference and some money for school. Also to create relationships with working people of different backgrounds and see from their point of view. His classmates meanwhile were doing college & enrichment classes online. That’s good too, but I think my son learned more.
I was shocked by the number of young adults I have met over the last decade that never worked a job of any kind until after they graduated college. My husband has fired 6 attorneys this past year for lying about their qualifications on their resumes, goofing off and not actually working from home when they should be, and poor performance (basic skills such as talking on the phone appropriately to clients). Unbelievable. Those first teen jobs teach you more than you can learn in any classroom. I am glad to hear more teens are going back to work. These early jobs will help them learn basic social skills- our workforce needs this now, more than ever.