As college students, many of us depend on an income from a summer job for the upcoming school year. This job could be an internship, babysitting, or anything that pays minimum wage. No matter what job you had this summer, it taught you something whether you realized it or not. Real world experience does not come only from internships anymore, and there is a lot that a summer job can teach you about yourself.
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Something that I have learned over my jobs this summer is the value of my college education. I worked in retail and even the managers of the store, who had the same tasks as the sales representatives, had to have a college degree simply to hold a leadership position. Most of the managers did not want to move up in the company. There is nothing wrong with loving where you are, but they were working the same hours at the same store every day. It taught me that I did not want to be in a job that limited my growth and did not show me new experiences every day. In order to be able to grow, I must take my college education very seriously these next few years. Even when I’d rather go out for Slice Night, I should study for that exam because doing well on it will take me further than a slice of pizza will in the long run. It has even showed me that going to graduate school or gaining higher education would be very beneficial. In the workforce today, a college degree can get people far, but it can also be a requirement for a full time job almost anywhere.
Another thing summer jobs may teach is that loyalty is rare and appreciated. For those of you who have been at the same job for years, you have probably learned that there are perks. A letter of recommendation can be written from almost anyone you have worked for. I have learned that employers are great references if you have worked under them for some time. Another perk that comes from working at the same place summer after summer is that you become loyal to the bosses. Loyalty is something that is hard to come by for summer employers. If they get to know you and see your loyalty, employers will often help you out in the professional field once you have graduated.
Even though education should be taken seriously, college does not teach you half of the things the real world expects from you. Sure, the five canons of rhetoric are important to remember, but your boss is going to ask you to merge and exile documents to an email contact list. College courses are designed to make us think clearly. Even in a summer job or internship, the things that you learned in class may have to be thrown out the window in order to make a quick decision that could impact the company.
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Something that I did not expect to learn from my summer job was how to stand up for myself. When going into the workforce, most of us will begin at the bottom of the totem pole. That is not shocking because of our age and lack of experience. What that does not mean is that we are treated like we are not important or able to contribute. There is only so long that you can be considered new. If there is something you do not understand, simply ask. Then, your boss and more experienced staff will notice your abilities. When you are new, it is easy to be the one everyone is dumping their work onto. This could be doing the dishes, being asked to stay later, or being asked to pick up shifts. At one point or another, you have to be the one to make that stop. You have to start saying no. I found this to be a lot harder than I expected. A summer job is the perfect place to start. My boss was not angry with me when I asked to leave early one day. It is easier to ask bosses for more when in a lower risk job. I have found out how to give a little and get what I need back.
Before you shrug off the importance of your summer job, think about all of the skills and lessons it taught you.
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