Everyone under the age of 20 should at least work one job, amirite?

I'd be interested to know the stats on this. I have been fortunate to have a pretty wide variety of friends, acquaintances, etc and I can't think of a single one who never had some kind of job before turning 20. It's anecdotal of course, but that's why I'm curious if this actually unpopular or just an imagined thing.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

If you dont have to work parents will often feel that time could be better used for school or activities. I know people who parents wouldnt let them work in college for that reason. Also people who are athletes especially college athletes couldntt work when I was in school.

by Character_Square7211 1 day ago

Also people who are athletes especially college athletes cant work. I mean, I was a high school and college athlete and I worked. I worked less during the respective seasons, but I still worked.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

When I was in college students athletes werent allowed to work and those in high school usually didt have time to

by Character_Square7211 1 day ago

I never had a job until I was 24. My parents and I all wanted me to focus on studies. I finished college when I was 21. So I had three years thanks to Covid before I was even able to get accepted into a career. I don't really think a job before 20 is good as it put unnecessary stress on people. The only good thing I can think of is that they'd have money to put in their bank but that's about it. I'm really happy I waited until I was ready to get a career rather than just a job that I would likely quit whenever I got stressed out.

by AggressivePlace 1 day ago

You learn a lot about how a job operates and how work culture will affect your after college. Probably shouldn't be something you do 40 hours a week but a couple shift a week could be beneficial.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

What career field did you get into that it took 3 years after graduation to find a job? What'd you do in the mean time for money? The only good thing I can think of... just a job that I would likely quit whenever I got stressed out. A benefit is you grow out of this trait. Work is stressful sometimes. It's why you get paid to do it. Learning how to manage that when the stakes are low makes it a lot easier to deal with it later when your ability to eat depends on it.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I'm in my mid-40s and have the same experience. But I bet its far less common among today's 20 year-olds since they've been taught to be afraid of everything, especially other people (in real life).

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I know a guy who NEVER had a job until his last summer of college. His college counselor told his father that he HAD to get a job. No one would hire him at that point. He had no work experience on his resume, no skills except "lacrosse" and he refused to apply for basic entry level jobs (like Mcdonald's or Target). His dad got him an interview at a camp his friend worked at and apparently his interview went so poorly, they said they just couldn't hire him. His dad finally got him a job working at an elite, very upper class boarding school/camp for international students. He graduated from college with a specific and uncommon degree and was hire right away. He has a very high paying job that he likes.

by UnderstandingTop 1 day ago

Thats the thing, the people I met when I started school who never worked a day in their life were also the most useless when it came to life skills. I think before I turned 20, I worked at an amusement park, cleaned houses, pressure washed businesses, did some data entry, worked at a gym, interned at a couple companies and did some under the table work at more illegal places.

by Juvenalrath 1 day ago

Ngl I think before 16 a kid should have at least one part time job they've done. Official or unofficial, like mowing lawns or picking up garbage or things like that. Something that has the work extremely connected to the outcome to the point where they can visually see the change they've made and get paid for it

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Yeah. Seems weird to me that people would rather keep kids home playing video games than let them mow a few lawns for cash when they've got nothing better to do. Us kids used to take turns mowing/weeding for our great grandparents during the spring/summer. Then we'd make sure to shovel/spread salt in the winter. They'd pay us a few bucks, and neighbors would see us working and give us more work from time to time. By the time we were in high school, we all had our own contacts around town from these odd jobs. I've never had to look for work. People talking about how they can't get a job in their 20's is just sad.

by Key_Set4711 1 day ago

Some people want to focus on their education and a job can be a distraction, especially if your time is limited.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Work-study jobs exist for exactly this scenario. They basically pay you to study.

by botsfordmyrl 1 day ago

Oh excellent example, I did work study too

by Juvenalrath 1 day ago

I think my grades improved when I got a work-study job. I tried not to work first semester, second semester I got a job midway through and honestly made me focus more on school. Helps that work-study is also legally limited to 20 hours, usually functionally way lower.

by jreichel 1 day ago

This was me. I finally got a job when I was 24 though.

by AggressivePlace 1 day ago

How do you pay for anything then? Even in college it's not like everything is free

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Nobody hires teenagers anymore in canada, government imported a caste system so all those part time jobs are filled 👍

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Dude... we can't even find jobs past the age of 20, what makes you think anywhere would want to hire us when we are young and dumb.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

lol I remember applying to every business for a minimum wage job when I had just graduated high school during the 2010s… It took me 2 months to get an interview at which point I was denied the job because I was starting school in 8 weeks.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

It was actually easier to find work when I was a teenager because they could legally pay me less which made it more appealing

by lula08 1 day ago

Lots of places look for teens during seasonal surges since they are only employed for a couple months and are part time.

by Juvenalrath 1 day ago

ok don't pretend it's hard to find at least a summer job as a teen. most high schools have plenty of businesses nearby that love to hire students. some summer businesses literally open near high schools just to hire teens over the summer. and there isn't a single fast food place that won't hire young people.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

maybe if you had previous work experience when you were 20, employers would be more inclined to hire you

by Anonymous 1 day ago

$15/hr at McDonalds is more than enough to pay your own way through college.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

You think McDonalds is paying anyone under 21 $15/hr?

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Yes. They start at $18 in my city.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

In the UK it's law to be in some form of education, employment or training until you're 18. So almost to your deadline

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Education

by Anonymous 1 day ago

"Sincerely: Burger King"

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Agreed anyone under 10 yrs old needs to work in the mines or a similar labor intensive job

by AdPotential308 1 day ago

I mean I very clearly said within labor laws and even 2 years after being a legal adult but sure

by Juvenalrath 1 day ago

like actually lmao i was working the race track at 7 picking up trash and i was 14 mowing lawns, before that i'd resell things, got my first actual job at 16 and yeah i've taken months off here and there in between jobs but people definitely need to learn a work ethic. i know of too many people who just get things handed to them and don't know the value of a dollar or the struggle the average joe goes through to make it through to the next month

by MulberryNatural 1 day ago

Learn how to be a indentured servant early, I agree. Get a good head start.

by mcclurebranson 1 day ago

"I had to deal with it so everyone else should too."? At 14 you should be being a kid. Going to sleepovers, playing outside, binging video games for hours.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Where did I say that? I even acknowledge my situation was different. I said 20 because by then youve been an adult for 2 years, and in the next few years should have started a career or something similar.

by Juvenalrath 1 day ago

I'm not sure this is unpopular at all

by botsfordmyrl 1 day ago

I worked construction weekends and summers when I was 15, so did my friends. Everyone of us had a job while we were in high school

by Anonymous 1 day ago

What?

by Juvenalrath 1 day ago

Jobs can teach responsibility, sure. But so can surviving three AP classes, sports, and a college essay deadline while running on iced coffee and anxiety. Responsibility has many forms.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Eh. My first real job was the military. Turned 20 in basic training. I'm glad I took time after high school to live without responsibilities.

by Ok-Freedom 1 day ago

I'm not sure this is all that unpopular. But I would take it a step farther. Community Service and mowing lawns doesn't count. They need to feel a sense of responsibility, but they also need to be accountable to someone. They need a job with a boss.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I also started work when I was 14, I picked melons. I worked the entire time I was in college too. It definitely builds life skills.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

I retired at 58. That was the first day since I was 12 that I did not have a job. Working early teaches you great lessons in time and money management. It allows a kid to work for what they want—it gives those "wants" a value. It doesn't have to be "working to support the home", but having a commitment beyond school is important.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

lol i worked 3 jobs from 14 until like 20

by Anonymous 1 day ago

nah internships and/or extracurricular activities > any job you can apply for at 20

by alexie66 1 day ago

Maybe many including myself would if this job market would actually allow for it and wasn't so horrific in the first place

by Anonymous 1 day ago

If you would have said under 18, I would have vehemently disagreed with you. I still slightly disagree with you, but not to the level that I would have. I do not think children should have jobs, and you working at 14, and thus getting ahead of your peers highlights several problems with capitalism. At 18 and 19, yeah, working is fine, but I don't really think it's necessary, though I would say if you can afford to not have a job ever, do it. Working sucks, we should strive to do less of it, not more.

by Several_Country_2377 1 day ago

I mean i agree, work sucks but in this world we don't really have a choice but to eventually find a job. I would love to never work and do what I like. Theres only a few ways you can learn the skills to prepare you for that working environment, and im not pushing for them to work all the time or heavily, I even gave a once a week example, its just about picking up that discipline.

by Juvenalrath 1 day ago

Working young is important. I think anyone who doesn't have a job before graduating highschool is doing themselves a disservice. It helps ground you and teaches you how to keep a schedule + budget before becoming an adult and having no choice but to already know these things. It doesn't have to be some full time job as a slave by 12, but working during the summer or weekends at 15+ is great. My friends and I all started very young doing fun jobs together, every winter we would work as parking lot attendants at the local ski resort. Gave us free seasons passes and forced us up early on weekends. The job was 6am-1pm Saturday+Sunday all winter, then after 1pm we would all ski together until the day ended. Jobs are great for kids.

by Salma56 1 day ago

I worked at 14. I reffed a couple U5 soccer games/week. Zero pressure (I didn't even keep score), and I learned responsibility and a work ethic.

by botsfordmyrl 1 day ago

At 18 and 19, yeah, working is fine, but I don't really think it's necessary, though I would say if you can afford to not have a job ever, do it. Working sucks, we should strive to do less of it, not more. The goal is to be a productive member of society. When you reach adulthood, it's time to start contributing to the system you'll be benefiting from all your life. BuT tAxAtIoN iS tHeFt… no it's not, it pays for the service we all collectively use as a society, roads, education, water supplies, law enforcement, and social assistance for people who CANNOT work, not those that don't WANT to work.

by Anonymous 1 day ago

Last paragraph is a straw man, never claimed taxation is theft. I agree we should strive to be productive members of society, but working is not the only way to do that. I do however, not believe in capital and think the current system takes advantage of it's people, not the other way around.

by Several_Country_2377 23 hours ago

I agree time for the 4-5 year old's to get back to the factory and the mines.

by Ludie05 23 hours ago

Yeah, get to creating those jobs then so we can all have them

by oberbrunnerrich 22 hours ago

plenty of jobs out there, a lot are low paying or people don't want to do the jobs that are higher paying, but amazon will hire about anyone at a competitive starting rate. i think the average is like over 20+ an hour. walmart will also hire about anyone but they tend to pay less

by MulberryNatural 22 hours ago

If you don't work once you get a license then you are either in a wealthy family or are supremely lazy and a mooch

by Anonymous 21 hours ago

Change work with community service and I'd agree. I think most high schools have some type of community service requirement to graduate anyway.

by Anonymous 21 hours ago

Community service as applies to this concept, I just think the concept of "work"

by Juvenalrath 21 hours ago

I disagree. High school and college is already stressful as it is. They don't need unnecessary stress on them trying to juggle work and school. It is better to just focus on one thing at a time and wait until getting a career rather than a job. Sure you'll have extra money in your pocket but it just isn't worth it. When you're done with college or whatever you're majoring in you could go for what you really want, a career that you would stay in for a long time. I didn't get a career until I was 24 and honestly I'm really happy I waited until I was ready to get into the workforce rather than being pushed to get a job and juggle school and work at the same time. I even went for the thing I majored in. In my eyes if I did get a job it would just be a waste of my time that I could did gaming or drawing or doing something I love.

by AggressivePlace 20 hours ago

I don't care what you want.

by Anonymous 20 hours ago

Juvenile

by botsfordmyrl 20 hours ago

Then don't go on a forum of opinions?

by Juvenalrath 20 hours ago

I just told you my opinion. So don't go to an opinion forum, I could answer now.

by Anonymous 20 hours ago

my opinion is i don't care too greatly for your opinion nor do i agree with it

by MulberryNatural 20 hours ago