3 Things to Learn from a Summer Job
Your dream summer may consist of traveling and lying on a beach, but for most of us, reality probably means working. Having a summer job can help with tuition, housing, books, and other expenses, but a summer job is much more than an income source. A summer job also can teach you skills relevant to your academic and future careers.
- Managing your money
Although a summer job is a great experience and a reference for future jobs, making money is typically why most people find one. Once you have a job, managing your income can be tricky. A summer job can teach you the value of money and how to spend and save wisely.
If you aren’t one already, become a member of your local credit union. Credit unions are financial cooperatives, which means they’re owned by the people who bank there. Credit unions offer saving accounts, debit cards, and loans just like banks do, but at a credit union the money you deposit-no matter how paltry-makes you a partial owner or “member.”
To take control of your spending habits, the next time you want to buy something, think about how many hours it will take to save enough money to purchase it. Is it a “want,” like the newest pair of headphones? Or is it a “need,” such as textbooks for next semester? Decide what you can go without.
- Time management
Allowing enough time to get ready in the morning and making it to work in traffic or giving yourself enough personal time away from friends to unwind after long days to get enough sleep are great time management examples.
It’s also important to manage time wisely while on the job. Wasting time checking personal social media sites or arriving late will make you fall behind on tasks and stress you out.
Time management is one of, if not the most important skill that you learn as a college student. You can apply what you’ve learned during your summer job when you get back to school in the fall. You’ll find that everything moves smoother as your time management skills improve. Not to mention, by the time you get a full-time job you’ll be a pro.
- Team building
A summer job can teach you basic teamwork skills such as problem solving, collaborating, and sharing. All are essential for group projects in college and effectively communicating and working with colleagues in a professional career.
Make sure you listen and notice how your colleagues communicate in a team setting and mimic them. Also, let your voice be heard as a part of the team. Your co-workers will respect what you have to say even if you’re the youngest one in the office.