Lessons From My Part-Time Jobs

Here’s what I think: having a job of some sort, at some point in your life, makes you a better person. Obviously, if outside factors are limiting this ability, then this isn’t about you. I am not entertaining the bean-soup theory in this article. 

But really, having a job only expands your perspective. It doesn’t matter if it’s retail or food service. If you are exchanging service for payment, you are working. 

It makes you more empathetic. It becomes easier to understand others as you begin to interact with different kinds of people. It makes you more patient, more experienced. 

I’ve had many part-time jobs. I worked as a swim lesson instructor, camp counselor, and swim coach all in one summer! I’ve nannied, taught preschool, and been a petsitter. I was a waitress at a retirement home. I have since moved to retail, and I work at both a consignment shop in my hometown and a souvenir shop in my college town. 

All that to say, I’ve learned many lessons. While they might seem commonplace, it was the environment in which I learned them that makes them so special. 

If you get one thing out of this article, it should be that experiences make life so much sweeter. Any lesson can be taught in writing, but it is a million times more impactful when you live it. Don’t fact-check me; I’m not a mathematician. An additional takeaway from this article: get a part-time job if you can.

People like to be seen and heard. 

Duh. But this is more than just listening. Asking questions, engaging with people, and responding well form genuine connections. This goes for all ages. From when I was teaching preschool to when I was serving seniors their breakfast (usually prunes and oatmeal, maybe they taste better with age), it makes someone’s day to know that you are listening to them. 

A positive attitude goes a long way. 

My customer service personality is a switch I can flip when I clock in. I could have had the worst day ever, but I am sunshine and rainbows when I interact with people. Fake it till you make it, or something like that. 

However, it really makes a difference. Taking out your bad day on people does no good for anyone in the interaction. The world would be a lot happier if people could treat one another with kindness, regardless of their moods.

Information is plentiful. 

As you expand your social circles, you begin to learn more about the world around you. Sometimes, the best way to learn about your community is to toss yourself headfirst. 

My college job is in a part of Boston that I probably would not have any reason to visit. Now, I am a fountain of knowledge about the area. Tourists don’t care if you just moved here; they have questions that need to be answered! It might take a lot of job training, but it’s worth it.

A source of income creates peace. 

I don’t know about you, but I get insanely stressed about spending money. I have savings, but spending money without knowing when it will come back is no fun. 

Having a part-time job gets rid of that fear. Even if I don’t get many shifts, it’s still a little extra padding in the wallet when payday rolls around.

Everyone is living different lives. 

Sometimes, when we only make friends with the people in our neighborhood or classes, we lose a sense of perspective. Jobs, part-time ones especially, pull people in from all over the place. When you find things in common despite all the variables, you stand to gain so much more. I work with high school students and people with grandchildren. It opens your eyes to how big the world really is.

And that’s just five of countless lessons I learned. Every day is a new experience. Every moment is a new lesson. 

If you haven’t learned something about life today, you’re missing out on the human experience.

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