Zoe Newcomb
News Editor

Competing with adults to find jobs and internships during the current economic downturn can be difficult, however working even a part-time job for just a short amount of time can look good on college applications and resumes, and teach skills important life skills.

Many students are finding summer jobs and internships to make money, boost their resumes or gain work experience. Junior Charlotte Coover, who has an internship in Sen. Diane Feinstein’s (D-CA) office over the summer, says the work experience will benefit her in the future when she is trying to get jobs as well as provide her with the opportunity to learn about Feinstein’s political policies.

“Interning with a politician will be a very unique experience and at the same time will teach me important skills I need to know,” said Coover. “I first started getting interested in Sen. Feinstein because of her environmental policies, which are very close to my heart.”

Coover, co-head of 350, a club promoting environmentally-friendly policies to keep greenhouse gases at a safe level, says Feinstein’s policies inspired her interest in the environment, and working in her office will provide further experience in things she is interested in.

“Not only is it a job, but it is something that I really love,” said Coover. “I genuinely have an interest in this job, so I think that’s more important that working just for the sake of working.

Teenagers are restricted to working certain hours and must obtain a work permit before starting any job. Some employers may not want to hire minors because it can be more complicated hiring process. Junior Chloe Look approached the Bank of East Asia for a job, but the bank is still evaluating whether hiring her is a possibility due to age restrictions.

“The bank was kind of vague on the details which makes it difficult for me to really understand what is going on,” said Look. “I really want to work at a bank but I don’t really know if any bank will hire me into a paid position as a teenager.”

College counselor Rebecca Wandro suggests seeking out unpaid internships and jobs as opposed to paid positions to avoid competition from adults with more experience and flexibility. Wandro says the most important part of a job is finding something enjoyable, not just something that looks good on a college application.

“Colleges do find it impressive to have students with work experience and who are committed to hard work,” said Wandro. “However, students should pursue their interests when they take a job.”

While having a job does add another layer to a college resume, it does not ensure a student will be accepted to a particular college, says Wandro.

Online search engines that generate job listings based on specific criteria, such as JobStar or Enterprise, can aid high school students in locating a job.

Students who are interning or working unpaid jobs sometimes have a tendency to slack off or act as if it is not a real job — a crucial mistake — says Wandro.

“Students should work hard in any job they have because that employer can provide future references and important connections,” said Wandro.

Coover says the most important part of her internship will be continuing to work as hard as she did in the job as she did to get it.
“I’m very excited to have gotten this opportunity, but I haven’t even started yet,” said Coover. “I’m going to work hard because I never know where this opportunity will take me or what doors it will open.”