According to the Los Angeles Times, retailers such as Kohls and J.C. Penny are already posting help-wanted ads for their busy holiday season, weeks or even months earlier than usual.
With the new businesses opening right before the holiday season, businesses are taking the initiative and hiring high school students, and in return, students are gaining work experience while in high school.
More new businesses are opening up around Homewood and Flossmoor, leaving the town bustling with tons of travelers. Stores like Old Navy, Five Below and Freddy’s are some of many businesses that are employing high school students.
“I would say that half of our staff is high school students, we’re very flexible with our schedules,” manager of Old Navy Ariana Williams said.
Williams said when employing high school students, it is very important to remember managing school, after school activities and work can be a daunting task. So it is very important to make sure you base your schedule on hours that seem to fit you best.
“We usually do scheduling about two weeks in advance so we can help with any problems that arise,” Williams said.
Senior Zoe Weaver, who works at Old Navy, said gaining work experience while in high school helps with also acquiring responsibility out of school.
“I feel like this is preparing me for the future because it gives me a glimpse of adulthood. However, this job forced me to become more confident in talking to customers.” Weaver said.
When looking for a job it is very important to know what managers are looking for in a worker. Every job’s qualifications are different but one thing that really stands out when looking for a worker is having good communication skills.
“Having strong communications skills does help with getting jobs especially at a young age. Being comfortable with speaking one on one with someone and having confidence with customers helps,” Williams said.
Senior Jaylin Beal works at Freddy’s and H-F Racquet and Fitness, she is also involved in Mock Trial. Balancing work and school could be difficult but not impossible, so Jaylin gave some advice on how to effectively balance work and school.
¨Remember to make sure you tell them you are a high school student and/or involved in other school activities because you want to make sure you don’t become too overwhelmed,¨ Beal said.
So when looking for a new job or maybe even your first job, it is important to know most businesses hire more students during the holiday season or when they just open because that is when they are in need of the most help.
When going into an interview it is key to remember to apply somewhere you see yourself working for a long period of time. You want to let them know that you will be an efficient and respectable worker. Also, let them know about your schedule and time you are available and lastly be confident in yourself.