By Sophia Aurang
Many teens nowadays are eager to get employed and make money, but it seems employers are not as thrilled about hiring teens. Teens have complained that there is a lack of available jobs and discrimination in the workplace. Whether it be due to a lack of responsibility, availability, or experience, teenagers are being turned away from even the most entry level jobs. This says a lot about how employers view young workers and why this needs to change. Many teenagers struggle because we simply don’t know what’s expected of us yet. We can’t perform well in interviews or on the job if we never get the opportunity to try. A first job is supposed to teach responsibility, not require it from the start. When businesses expect perfection from inexperienced applicants, they set impossible standards that discourage young people from even trying. It’s frustrating trying to understand why we need experience to get a job yet we can only get experience by having a job in the first place. Some of us volunteer, lead school clubs, or babysit, but many workplaces only value experience that’s specific to their field, like retail or food service. Employers often overlook that these other forms of responsibility and leadership show strong work ethic and initiative. One massive problem with hiring teens is availability. There is inconsistency in many students’ schedules considering sports, extracurriculars, and social lives. It’s difficult for us to balance work and other responsibilities, which should be expected by employers. Many high schoolers are skilled at managing their time, and plenty are willing to work weekends, evenings, or during school breaks. Instead of skipping over teen applicants completely, employers should offer flexible scheduling that benefits both sides. When teenagers don’t get hired, everyone loses. Teens miss out on learning real world skills like time management, teamwork, and customer service. Most of these skills can’t be taught in a classroom. Giving teens a chance to work not only helps us grow personally, but also builds a stronger and more prepared future workforce. Teenagers are not asking for special treatment, just a fair chance. When workplaces assume the worst about us, they limit both our potential and their own. If employers truly want dependable and capable future workers, they’ll need to start by hiring teens.
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