As summer comes to a close, teens everywhere are having to say goodbye to their summer jobs and steady income. It can be difficult to find a job, especially for teenagers.
Jobs available for teens can often be sorted into three categories: retail, food service and odd, miscellaneous jobs. Each person has their own opinion of why they love clocking in or clocking out at the end of the day.
Senior Kersee Currier works at Amelia’s Boutique (14142 W. 119th Street).
“My favorite thing about working there is seeing all the new styles for the upcoming season and helping customers find an outfit or jewelry,” Currier said.
There are two ends of the job spectrum —  retail and social services are at one end and jobs involving work in the kitchen are at the other. Somewhere in the middle are jobs like serving at a nicer restaurant, working in an auto service shop, or cleaning and walking dogs.
PetRanch is one of the jobs that falls in the middle of that line. Not specifically retail and not fast food.
“I really like how we’re moving all the time,” sophomore Alyssa Hemphill, who has worked at PetRanch (12700 West 151st Street) since the middle of July, said. “I get bored sitting or staying in the same place too long.”
Duties at PetRanch include feeding, walking and cleaning up after the furry residents.  It also gives workers a chance to learn about animals and get used to handling them.  If workers are interested in a career such as a veterinarian or other related job, these are the kinds of jobs to take.
“I’m learning a lot of things about dogs I never knew before,” Hemphill said. “Things such as behavior, meds for them, and obedience skills — better ways to handle them.”
One lesson that a job can teach is money management.
“I’ve learned not to ever bring in money with me to work or I’ll spend my entire paycheck there,” Currier said.
All jobs are good experiences and can teach teens important lessons about commitment.
“Like any other job, the most difficult thing is showing up and working for hours when you know you could be doing other things,” junior Macie Bentley, who worked at Twister’s Frozen Custard, (8675 West 135th Street) said. “It was also hard because there wasn’t always something to do. If you get a 7 o’clock shift, it usually begins with everybody slowly walking to various parts of the room in attempt to find something that hasn’t been cleaned 20 times.”
One common theme through all jobs is stress. Some jobs can be more stressful than others, but any job can put various levels of  pressure on workers.
“When people get really stressed easily it affects their attitude,” Bentley said. “One mistake can slow down the whole restaurant.  There’s a lot of pressure and no room for mistakes.”
All jobs get stressful, and customers often contribute to that raised level of pressure.
“Work can get stressful when the store is crazy with a lot of customers,” Currier said. “Customers are wanting our help to find something and we are helping someone else.”
While every job is different, they all provide two things all teens need and want — money and experience. Whether serving frozen custard, walking dogs, or helping customers find the perfect necklace, every job has its ups and downs. It’s just a matter of showing up, doing what’s expected, and keeping a happy face.