May 19
Young Generation Alert: You Can’t Just Work Where You Want To
On the front page of the Denver Post this morning is an article titled, “In falling economy, teen jobs get scarce.” In it, the writer reports on teens in the local area who are finding that they cannot waltz into any establisment and pick their schedule. The fact is, this has never been true. But we have led them to believe that employers are dying for applicants. At least that’s what many in the media would have them believe. The examples the writer used were all from teens who had applied to retail establishments. With a slowing economy, it is understandable that Abercrombie & Fitch might not be looking for summer hires. But outside of retail, especially mall stores, the picture is considerably different. The article concludes with a sub shop owner who posted an advertisement and received one application for his troubles.
Without putting too fine a point on it, there are tens of thousands of employers across the US looking for reliable young people willing to get their hands dirty and make some money. I know, because my colleagues and I communicate with them daily. Have we, as a society, taught an entire generation of young people that work can be defined on their terms? One would think so when parents complain endlessly that they can’t even get their son or daughter to mow the lawn. But here’s the thing — Teens have resisted putting in a good day’s work since the beginning of time. It’s in their genes. When, however, did society stop compelling them to do so anyway. I spent my high school years delivering newspapers seven days a week, mowing lawns and sweeping floors. During college summers I worked for a trucking firm in New York moving office equipment and doing whatever else was required. My friends shared the same fate.
Message to teens — persevere! If the mall store won’t hire you, ask the landscapers, the warehouses, the machine shops, the contractors, and anyone else in your local community. Be prepared to sweat, get dirty and break the occasional fingernail. You’ll be richer for the experience — in more ways than one!