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Top 5 Lessons of a Part-Time Job

Top 5 Lessons of a Part-Time Job
6/24/2015
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Emily Rabinowitz

The summer before my senior year, most of my peers interned at prestigious companies, traveled the world, or spent hours writing college essays and studying for the SAT. I, on the other hand, got a part time position earning $8.25 an hour at Old Navy.

As I prepare for college this year, I can safely say that my job experience is one of my biggest assets. Here's what I learned:

  • Responsibility. One of my first shifts was the infamous One Dollar Flip Flop Day. With constant lines and eight-hour shifts, I learned responsibility. When on the sales floor, I could not lapse into rudeness even when I had a difficult customer, check my phone even when my friends texted me, and I most definitely could not disobey my superiors.
  • Social Issues. Over the course of the past year, I worked every major holiday from Black Friday to New Year’s Eve, allowing me to understand that the world does not stop because school went on vacation. I started to realize how many parents might have to sacrifice Christmas morning with their children in order to put dinner on the table.
  • Spending. My favorite meal at Chipotle costs about $12 - that is over an hour of work! This came as a shock to me and triggered me to begin tracking my spending and even opening a savings account to lock away future funds.
  • Experience. Having a year in retail, let alone employment, made me marketable. I was able to secure a second job within a month of applying. My job will also transfer with me to college.
  • Respect. In a workplace environment, everyone is your equal. In learning to respect my colleagues, I have gained insight from people in dozens of walks of life.
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