Whether this is your first experience entering the oh-so-great world of the workforce or you’ve already dipped your toes in, I can guarantee you’re probably feeling a mix of the high of a paycheck and the simultaneous dread about the fact that your summer might not just mean sleep-ins and endless beach days.
Beginning the working journey is hard work, filled with a healthy dose of embarrassing scenarios and ‘why on earth did I do this’ moments. The ‘humble’ (see disclaimer*) part-time hospo job is guaranteed to have even the 'chillest of the chill' questioning their will to live, when faced with a particularly challenging customer. However, work comes with its perks. I’ve met amazing friends and made valuable connections through part-time jobs. Also, the feeling of independence and pride you get by making your own money (and having it to spend as you wish!) is truly unparalleled.
Read along for my best tips (as a self-proclaimed veteran of the part-time job) for surviving and thriving in a summer job.
Patience: People will try you. Whether that will be customers, your over-controlling boss (we’ve all had one of those), or your co-workers, getting a part-time job will truly make sense of the phrase ‘patience is a virtue’. In order to thrive, learning how to be patient with others and become a resolution-based person is crucial. If you can learn to do this now, you will be in an excellent position for future career opportunities. What makes a great worker shine is knowing how to pick your battles.
Stand up for yourself: Knowing how to pick your battles and demonstrating a level of patience and maturity, however, does not mean you have to be placid. If something does not feel right, or you don’t like the way you’re being treated, speak up. The customer is not always right, and it’s okay to stand up for yourself.
Make friends with your co-workers: This will make or break your job experience. You will be spending a lot of time in your co-workers’ presence, and it will make your job a heck of a lot more enjoyable if you get along with the people around you.
Show interest in your customers: Continuing from the last point, it pays to strike up that convo with customers! You never know what connections are out there. Speaking from experience, if you can form a connection with a friendly customer, it will make your day go so much faster, and be so much more fun. The benefit of stepping outside your comfort zone to strike up a convo will always outweigh the cost of potential embarrassment or anxiety. People value connection and friendliness.
Keep the momentum going: At the risk of sounding like a mum, it does really pay to keep that daily routine going. Even though it’s summer and school is no longer on the radar, try to keep yourself in a rhythm if you are getting into work this summer. Not going to bed too late, staying hydrated and well-fed etc, will save you during a long shift. Also, don’t forget to congratulate yourself! Getting into work isn’t easy, and you deserve to celebrate your wins (even if it is just a 'Hell yeah, I turned up for my shift today!')
Get that KiwiSaver started early: Ahem… free money! Sure, you can’t touch it for a long time yet, but I would definitely recommend starting up with Kiwisaver from the get-go. There is no obligation to contribute a huge part of your earnings at all, but even 3% will go a long way and set you up quite nicely for the future. Look into it!
*Disclaimer: Never hate on or diminish the 'humble hospo worker' until you’ve experienced it. Hospo, although often classified as the 'lowly' summer job, is an extremely valid but also challenging line of work! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Channel Mag's youth contributors, Ellie Brown and Fantasia Nair bring a fresh monthly feature to our pages to inspire and advise our younger North Shore readers. If there are any topics you'd like to read about, contact Liz at liz@channelmag.co.nz and our fledgling writers will research and write engaging articles specifically for our younger (at heart) readers.
