Jobs for Teens:
Keeping The Job

Yes! After a successful teen job search, the job is yours! Now it's time for the next phase: keeping the job.

• Be on time or slightly early for your shift. You don't want to hang out and interfere with other people working, but you do want to be ready to go. And sometimes, teen jobs lend themselves to other workers not showing up. If you are there to pitch in when they need you, that will set a really positive impression.
• Be productive - clean, straighten, be attentive - in the time you are not waiting on customers or doing something that you were specifically tasked with. A good part of teen jobs (and most jobs, really) is to be ready and willing to pitch in for all the stuff that needs to get done - no matter who should be doing it.
• Try not to have frequent scheduling issues. Sure, everyone has conflicts. But since you considered your other responsibilities when you were doing your teen job search (and before accepting this one), you shouldn't have ongoing exceptions. At least not ones that weren't discussed with your employer when you interviewed (like you can't work on Wednesdays because you have soccer practice).
• Have a good attitude...it really is amazing how far that will get you (and how different it might be from your co-workers). Jobs for teens can sometimes be boring or monotonous. Keep yourself busy so you don't feel like you are wasting your time - and so you're not tempted to joke around too much on the job. The owners and managers do have a business to run, and they want workers who can do that with a good attitude.

Even if your teen job is seasonal and temporary in nature, it can be the start of your worklife. It could turn into a more permanent job. Or the employer might welcome you back during the summer break (and then winter break...). At the least, you can have a good work reference on your next application.

Keeping the job is not hard - even if sometimes it is hard to have a teen job and balance all your other responsibilities. And what if it does get to be too much - for whatever reason - and it's time to leave? Do it professionally. Check out this page for more advice on how to quit your job.