Jobs in high school are often a controversial topic. Though there are many positives to having a job while in high school, there are also a lot of drawbacks.

One of the upsides of having a job in high school is that you get spending money. This is necessary for students in high school because, let’s be honest, we buy a lot of things (whether we actually need them or not). Another upside to having a job is that you get experience for the “real world” after high school, and you get references for future jobs you may apply for.

Although there are upsides to having a job in high school, there are also drawbacks. Balancing school, homework, after school activities, and a job is hard. I would know. I work at a very demanding job that requires a minimum of 15 hours a week for part time work. This makes balancing school, after school activities, and homework hard, but it is possible for a student to balance their life while having a job.

In order to balance high school, work, and after school activities, I recommend making yourself a schedule. Schedules help most people balance their lives by bringing organization and routine into their lives, which you will need if you’re busy, because it helps you remember what you have to do and plan ahead.

Even though I usually work 20+ hours during the week, that’s definitely not the norm for most students. When applying for a job always write in the amount of hours you can work. Usually the application has you fill in a minimum amount of hours and a maximum amount of hours. When applying for a job you also have the option of writing down the days you are available. So, if you can only work weekends or during certain days, you can make that clear on the application.

Hour wise, I would recommend that high school students work at least 15 hours a week, but no more than 18.  If you work too much, you can get burned out and  have to stay awake, alert, on top of school work, and aware of what’s going on around you when you’re at school.

Personally, I believe that having a job in high school is a good idea. If you feel like you can persevere through the week and are committed to doing your school work, your grades will stay up and you won’t be overwhelmed. But, I wouldn’t recommend getting a job if you procrastinate on homework and have a hard time working under pressure.