From Preteen to Payroll - Preparing Your Teenager For Employment

As with any devoted parent, you were deliriously overjoyed when your toddler learned to walk on their own and you proudly rewarded them when they succeeded in pouring their own cereal (without a deluge of dairy that is). On the other hand, you were absolutely terrified when they told you that they were ready for their first "real" job and immediately tried to tactfully scare them out of it. Now it's time for you to simply take a few deep breaths, leave the chains and locks alone and consider how you can prepare your teenager (and yourself) for their first plunge into early employment.

Before you immediately reiterate the enormousness of a college education, the edge of entrepreneurship or the obstacles of the common workforce; commend them for their newly found interest in adulthood. As much as you would want them to, learning from your mistakes or just taking your "word for it" isn't an option for this age group. They are still convinced that things have drastically changed on a cataclysmic scale since you had your first job. They sincerely believe that if they get a job at Target or the Gap, they'll immediately shoot their way up the labor ladder and instantaneously succeed John Chambers or Rupert Murdoch. Despite their arguments and ambiguous debates based on what we like to call "lack of experience", they may listen to you when you suggest the following ideas:

* Test the Waters

Analyze the immediate job interest and suggest that he or she commit to volunteering in that field for a small amount of time per week for about a month (that is, depending on age and local labor laws). For them to stick to a strict schedule while keeping balanced with school and homework is a great way to practice in planning for the real deal (and can serve as your own "interview" with them-parent to child).

* "Summertime and the Livin' is Easy"

Before letting your teen dive into a regular part-time job, try to encourage them to experiment with a summertime position. Working while their buddies are playing is a huge wake-up call and shows that jobs are not a vacation. This will further help them to determine which direction to take when it comes to choosing a job avenue. The question to raise now is: Do they want to live to work or work to live?

* How will they get there?

This subject deserves some consideration and depends on their age and access to transportation. Sit down and discuss with them how much of a bite transportation can take out of a paycheck.

* Focus Points

Help them understand that if they change their mind about venturing off into the work force, they still have the option to simply work for you or your friends if a little extra spending money if that is all that they're looking for. They still have a rare opportunity to spend their school days focusing on just that...school. Try to point out that once you start working, you virtually stay working and for the time being, they must focus on their personal goals rather than just their immediate financial ones.

With today's companies more willing to hire part-time employees (partly so they do not have to arrange for benefits), the influence to get a job seems to be hovering over our teens more and more. Before you blindly throw them into a world of "money making" or completely spook them out of it, ponder over the benefits of your teenager reaching out for more responsibility. Here are just a couple of benefits gained from your teenager working:

* Jobs benefit the teen socially and verbally because it requires them to possess and maintain a certain level of professionalism and politeness.

* Working enables them to fine tune their mannerisms as well as boost their self confidence.

* They learn to adapt to their newly found schedule thus limiting their misuse of time. This promotes self discipline, will power, and determination.

* And then of course, there is more time for you. Haven't had that in a while, have you?

There are so many other issues to investigate before you allow your teen to start working and it will take time to do so. Questions to answer in advance are:

* Who will be their supervisor(s)?

* How many hours a week will your teen work?

* Will there be set consequences for when your teen can not find the balance between work and school?

Above all, don't be too apprehensive (or hasty) when your teen wants to begin pursuing a paycheck because the whole thing just might reveal a life lesson...for both of you.

Tiana Purvis
http://www.thenannysden.com

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