A lot of kids my age have different opinions about having a job in high school, and many others wonder where to start. I think finding a job when you are in high school is a great way to prepare you for college and the real world. Personally, I have worked many different jobs with many different people. I wouldn’t say I have a favorite job; I just think some of them in particular will help me more when I go off to college.
I have worked as a babysitter, camp counselor, ski instructor, and a tech helper for a local business. All these jobs required different skills and taught me new things. In this article, I want to share my experience in these jobs, as well as maybe help someone out there who’s looking for a job but doesn’t know where to start.
Babysitting
Babysitting is a great job for literally anyone. I didn’t start truly babysitting until I was about 13-14 years old, which was mostly because that’s when I started to get offered babysitting jobs. Some of my mom’s friends and co-workers were looking for someone to watch their kids for a few hours and I thought, why not? I started by charging $15 per hour since I was new to this, but after I got more experience and more demand, I started charging $20 per hour. Something that helped me get new gigs was being a camp counselor, and also asking around my neighborhood and telling those families to tell their friends. This is a great job that I think anyone can do, especially if you love helping kids.
Camp Counselor
Being a camp counselor is another great job. Every summer since 2020, I have worked for a camp through the Lake Forest Rec Center called TWIGS. I absolutely love this job, hence why I keep coming back. I used to be a camper from 2016-2019 and became a C.I.T. from 2020-2022. After that, I was finally old enough to become a counselor. This camp is my all time favorite part of summer. All the parents and kids are so nice, as well as my coworkers who all collectively make the camp fun. I think being a camp counselor is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and explore new things. TWIGS is specifically an art camp but there are many others at LFRC camp opportunities that are so fun and could be the right fit for you. Being a counselor is also a great way to get contacts for babysitting.
Ski Instructor
Being a ski instructor for one of the Vail Resorts, Wilmot, was an amazing experience. I have been skiing since I was five, so I can essentially say I have been doing it my whole life. I started teaching in 2023 up at Wilmot and have had a blast. My dad has been working in the ski business for his whole life, so for me it felt like a second family. We went up every Sunday and it was always fun to meet new people. Everyone who works there is filled with joy and ready for whatever comes their way. The first year I was there I worked with 6-7 years olds, which eased me into the new setting, and as the year went on I was able to start teaching older kids and take them on the hill.
Tech Helper at The Guild
One of my more recent jobs is working at a small shop called “The Guild” (my last article was about the store, so go check it out!). For this job, I work as an intern and do loads of different things. I think this job is definitely a great way to get experience for what I am going to go to college for. In this job I am able to take photos of our new products, put them on our live site, and write descriptions for them. I also work for customer service and help with wrapping, checking out, and finding items. This job is perfect for a little side hustle because I only have to come in on Thursday, so it works perfectly with my school schedule.
I hope this guide helped lead you to the right job in the near future!
