Career Opportunities

Today is the day that the cheerleader is hitting the pavement, resumes in hand, to try to find that elusive summer/part time job. She does a bit of babysitting but that is so sporadic and J and I have decided that she is now ready to discover how to conduct herself in the interviewing process and how to become accountable to an actual boss and work environment. If a small summer job continues into a small job for the school year, even better. It's time for the little bird to test her wings, a little more, now.

In my ever changing moods, a job all during my teen years was a must. Times were different and if you wanted a car, gas money, spending money, well, you earned it. All of it. I know that I had to. I worked many a mall job. During college, I worked at the local mall, I interned at the local hospital in some no paying PR internship, I interned for a paying internship at the local newspaper, I worked in a pub. I had many retail jobs. In my case, my parents were divorced, my mother was getting back on her feet, my father, ummmm, MIA. So, to fuel my life and quest for fashion, I worked.

The cheerleader is not in this situation. She is very involved all of the school year with cheering, National Honor Society, various organizations, student government, helping at her dance studio and getting good grades. J and I are able to provide, very nicely, for her. But, it is now time for her to learn the basics of life. All we want is for her to have the structure of a part time job, know what it feels like to actually earn a paycheck and then learn how she would like to spend this money. We want her to learn how to budget her money and to see how to decide what is really important to purchase or do with that money. We don't want her out there working 40 hours while going to school. I would like her to find at least a little 8 to 10 hour job. To develop a work ethic, to learn how to be a model employee, to communicate with customers and learn great customer service. We want our very well rounded cheerleader to come full circle and add a part time job to her well rounded list of activities.

When I was growing up, there were a few girls who never had to get a part time job. They were never given chores around their house. At my younger age, I worshipped them and thought they had it made. They never had to work during college or solve anything on their own. I did not have that luxury and usually had to take care of all things, on my own. Guess what? The girls who were never made to do anything in their teen years are still floundering in their adult years. I want the cheerleader to learn to balance fun time with work time.

So, today, she is out looking for her first career opportunity...get ready world.