Aspen Herman is a sophomore at West High and has been working at Coldstone for about four months. As a member of band and an attentive student, he puts effort into balancing his schoolwork, extracurriculars and work. Money can be a complicated code for teens, but Herman’s solved it.
Why did you get a job in the first place as a high schooler?
“So there’s nothing too big. I just wanted money, and I felt bad for leeching off of my parents. So I decided to try at least to get a job. Another big thing was starting to drive, I wanted to be able to afford gas and to eat fast food if I wanted it. And if I want to seem like I know what I’m doing, I say I’m saving up for college, but that was more of an afterthought.”
Do you have any tips on getting and keeping a job?
“The thing I can say is to try and find adult references; my mom used a family friend who happens to be a dentist, and it looks really good if you have teachers that you’re close with because they know how you work. And that’s kind of a big thing in job interviews. To keep a job, just show up and do what they ask. “
What advice would you give on how to communicate with bosses?
“With my boss, and I know that it probably doesn’t apply in a lot of other places, but a consensus is that if a boss employs high schoolers, they’re gonna know that stuff comes up. When I first applied and got hired, we had to set up my schedule, and with labor laws and whatever, like, you’re not allowed to work over 24 hours a week when school is in session. So that is taken into account, and it’s helpful to try at least somewhat to know your schedule, like concerts or sports. I’m in band, so as soon as I have access to the band schedule for that year, I try to send it in, just so there aren’t any surprises.”
How do you balance all of your extracurriculars, school, and work?
“I kind of combine it, I guess. Like if I’m drowning and stuff, I just do it at work or, fortunately, my job doesn’t require doing anything at my house, so I can just go home and lay there and not need to think about it until I am actually at work. It’s pretty easy to find a balance since you don’t work that much overall. Iowa does kind of suck saying that it is 24 hours, and that contradicts federal law because I usually work until nine on days that I’m working, but federal law states that minors are only allowed to work until seven, but it is what it is. On those nights, I just try and get stuff done before I go to work because afterward, I just go to bed.”
What age do you think you should get a job?
“That really depends on home life; I guess if you’re able to, I’d try and get one sooner [rather] than later, just because it feels like, since COVID, there are a lot of layoffs and a lot of people just not working in service industries.
So a lot of companies are pretty willing to just hire whoever they see, [and] just fill in those spots that they’re missing. Following that, my dad kind of told me to try [to] get sources for references as early on, and it does kind of suck being a corporate wage slave at a young age, but that does happen to be the way to get jobs in the future; to get an actual career, you need working experience. So when you’re a teenager and able to get your first job, you want to try and do that so people are more likely to hire you in the future because if they look at your resume and you’ve already had a couple of jobs, opposed to someone who has not worked before, it’s just more likely to be you.”
Would you consider any of your co-workers’ friends?
“I’d say it’s a pretty even split between actual adults and high school students just wanting money. A couple of them go here. It’s interesting how you build relationships with your co-workers based on their age. Like, I am a lot more likely to consider myself friends with the other high school students working there just because they’re in my same age bracket, as opposed to one of my 24-year-old co-workers, who are at the opposite end of the generation than me. Everyone there is friendly with each other, we have jokes. It’s a very light-hearted environment, but I feel like I’m able to get closer with the co-workers who are closer to age. It’s a lot easier to feel comfortable in a work environment when you have people you can talk to.”
Jessie Li is a senior at West High and has been working at Panera for two months. Li is also involved in extracurriculars and is currently completing college apps; Li keeps a packed schedule but finds time for weekend work. An academic weapon, Li puts effort into making sure that school comes first.
Do you have any tips on getting a job and keeping a job?
“When you’re getting a job, look into someplace that you can commute to. You don’t want to apply for a job that’s like two cities away. Or, when you apply, make sure to put in your actual availability. Or if you’re not sure, just don’t put it because you never know when they’ll schedule you. I quit my previous job because I didn’t like the environment there, and also some of the managers. But if you want to keep your job, just do your work and keep good relationships.”
What are the aspects of a good job?
“So at Panera, I love this job much more because everyone there is so nice, and the managers are nice too. And they treat you the same, no matter if you’re a high school student or a senior citizen, [and] regardless of your race. It makes me feel comfortable.”
Are there any notable customer interactions you want to talk about?
“Just this last Saturday, there was a customer, and I don’t think her native language was English. I might have been talking a little fast because we were in the middle of the football rush with a lot of people in line, so I don’t think she understood me when I tried to explain to her that something was out because of so many people coming in. And I think she got frustrated, but when I tried to talk slower, she started just cussing me out in her native language to her son. But I guess what the customers say and how they react isn’t in your control. You just have to deal with it.”
What is it like during rush hour?
“At restaurants, especially places like Panera, which is in the mall, it gets really busy. So everyone goes there on the weekends, and especially during football and dinner rush or lunch rush, it gets really busy, and you have everyone waiting in line. And sometimes, when we don’t have that many people working or making the food, it takes 10 to 20 minutes for their order to come out. And it just gets really stressful. And it’s also loud, and I can’t hear what they’re saying. Sometimes I might accidentally give them a whole sandwich when they wanted a half, or mess up processing the refunds and it’s really hectic.”
How do you balance school and a job?
“I do a lot of extracurriculars, so I only work on the weekends and Fridays after school. During the weekend my shift is usually two or three to nine, which is closing. On Fridays, it’s four to eight or four to nine. So I usually don’t have that many conflicts because I don’t put my availability during the week. I know I don’t have time to do my homework, and practice violin and do college apps and everything. So prioritize school first.”
What did you put on your resume?
“I didn’t have my finalized resume, so it was a draft, and it was a list of all my extracurriculars, classes, awards and leadership. So just showing that you’re responsible and that you get good grades. Because if you’re a straight-D student or something, I don’t think anyone’s gonna hire you.”
What age do you think you should get a job?
“It’s different for many companies, but I feel like you should just apply as early as possible. I know some places where you can work, like freshman year of high school, but at some, you have to be 16, like Panera. And maybe later, if you’re a junior or senior, look into more jobs that might relate to what you want to do in the future, like if you could have a university lab job or a job where you work for the community for experience.”
