Jobs

Every day I get an email list of jobs. They are jobs in education that range from tutoring to administration, secretarial work to executive directors of after-school programs. Every day, I look down the list for things that I would be interested, but more importantly jobs that I might be qualified for. Although each day's list includes 15 to 20 positions, there is usually one or none that apply to me.

Over and over again in the past few years while I have been looking for work I struggle to find positions which I was experienced enough for. Although a math major (who loves to calculate figures and count money), any teller must have previous teller work, or at least retail experience. After-school tutors must have previous experience tutoring or working with children when my only experience with children was the many years of babysitting which was all off the record. Maybe through my years in college and summers when I needed a job, I used this as an excuse, but I could not figure out how to get into the jobs I desired without first volunteering. In my mind, I couldn't volunteer because I didn't have the time or the transportation--I needed the money to even travel to the locations.

So what is it that our society is doing in order to get teenagers on the right track, the experience track for their future job search? I was never encouraged to get a job neither were many of my friends. Instead our teenage years were supposed to be fun and free. I thought of getting a job, but was never pushed to do it, not even by myself, and later I felt I suffered. But isn't it logical to help each teenager to get a small part-time position in an area of interest? The San Jose Conservation Corps provides work to at-risk students which contributes to the betterment of their community. As a soccer player, I would have enjoyed and appreciated experience as a soccer referee. A friend aspired to be a computer programmer worked in a software company's office. There are many opportunities available to get teenagers on the right tracks. Why aren't every teenager encouraged to and shown how to be employed at a local organization?