As your child grow into a teenager, you may start to wonder if it’s the right time for them to start working. The answer is yes. A summer job can help teach your teen a lot about responsibility, accountability and finance.

Summer Jobs Teach Valuable Life Skills
Teens who work during the summer are more likely going to learn new skills that can be applied in the future. Working in a different environment and working for a boss who isn’t a close relative helps build autonomy and responsibility. Parents tend to be more lenient when tasks aren’t done on time, whereas a boss may not be as flexible. Experts have been evaluating the evolution of teen jobs and the impact they can have on teens. “Many employers have been cited as saying there's a need for employees with soft skills such as communication skills, teamwork and work ethic. Teens may learn those things the hard way or get opportunities to practice them in summer jobs, where the consequences may not be as great as in a full-time, professional job later in life,” say the experts at Phys.org.

Summer Jobs Can Prepare Teens for a Career
Whether or not a teenager needs the money is not the issue. What’s most important is that your teenager begins to build their resume while learning more about what they may or may not want in a career.

Job banks for teens are also a great place for them to explore job opportunities or internships. Many job search engines are now catering to teens, like Indeed or Emploi-Québec. Indeed also offers tips on how to build a resume with no previous job experience. For example, it suggests including babysitting jobs, extracurricular activities such as clubs and sports and any volunteer work. Not only can a summer job teach your teen how to look for a job in the future, but it will give them the opportunity to build up some work experience.

Volunteering and Fun Summer Jobs
A summer job can also create an opportunity for your child to start thinking about career planning. For example, many teens have the ability to apply as a CIT (counsellor in training) at a camp they may have attended when they were younger. As a camp counsellor, a teen can still attend camp and have fun while also getting paid. (The best time to inquire about camp counsellor job opportunities is in early spring.)
If your teen has a passion they’d like to explore, volunteering can also be an option. They can still benefit from the learning opportunity even without pay. Plus, they’ll also be giving back to the community.
Finding the right job can be difficult at any age. Summer jobs allow students to test out their skills without a full-time commitment. Summer jobs may also help students determine what career paths may be of interest to them in the future. Sometimes, discovering these things before college can help students refine their future career objectives.