Job opportunities slim, but about half of East students working
February 1, 2019
Getting a job, for teens in Cicero may seem close to impossible, but a survey shows that nearly half of us have a job.
In a random survey of 100 students (Sophomores, Juniors, and seniors) 40 said they had a job while 60 said they didn’t. For some teenagers, it’s a choice whether to work or not, depending on financial issues. To many, having a job is being able to earn money and show responsibility. Yet, age can be a big factor, getting in the way from being hired somewhere. The legal age to work is 16, and many students are on the search for a job, each with a different reason to obtain a position. Although every teenager has the intention to put in the hard work, not all will get accepted and will have to move on to the next job. Applying becomes stressful as there are requirements that become challenging. They may not be old enough, they might not have experience or the availability.
“A lot of sophomore/students come into room 122 and ask for help with getting a work permit and making resumes. We have someone from the school who calls stores around and, in the mall, monthly so we have an updated list of places that are hiring for students,” College and career advisor Ms. Avila said.
Applying for a job can be stressful — sometimes you have to “jump through hoops” to get that job. But, jobs are out there.
“I started applying when I was 15, I had to go and get a work permit. My first job was at the Town of Cicero in the summer,” Senior Valery Sosa said.
While some students are on the hunt for a job, others don’t stress and rely on their parent’s money.
“I don’t need a job at the moment as my parents promised to take care of any expenses, but later on I will have to get my own job,” said Junior Alexis Ayala.
Although some don’t need a job and will depend on their parents’ others want a job even though they don’t need one.
“I don’t have a job, but I want one, and the older I get I feel embarrassed to ask my dad for money. My dad has never denied me money, but he has been helping me look for a job,” Senior Lizbeth Alvarado said.
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Graciela P • Nov 29, 2021 at 10:41 am
Frankfother
I enjoyed reading this because I think it offered lots of useful information about getting a job and making some money. I feel it gets everyone’s perspective included so you can judge by yourself if you think its worth it or not.
miguel perez • Oct 8, 2019 at 11:19 pm
I started working in May of this year and I’m going to be honest it’s not easy. It’s good for students because we get experience and with us getting our own money we can start getting what we want. I got a job because I’ve been wanting to make my own money for a while and I didn’t feel right asking my parents for money for something I wanted.
Natalia Marquez • Feb 22, 2019 at 10:31 pm
Growing up my family always said a job is a very important part of life. A job shows responsiblilty, and it prepares teens for the future. I think it’s a good opportunity for students to start working while in high school, but there are some students who are stressed out as it is with their schoolwork. I think getting a job as a teen would all depend on how comfortable the student feels with adding an extra responsibility onto their plate.
Crystal Ramirez • Feb 22, 2019 at 9:42 am
I recently just got a job. I had been applying for quite a while it was not easy but i finally got a call back on the last job i had applied to. Yes at first it is not easy to get a job because not every job get backs to you. But i did start my job not to long ago and i was very nervous because it was my first job and i didn’t know what to do i had no experience what so ever. But as the days go by i learn little by little.
Jacqueline 2 • Feb 14, 2019 at 10:46 am
I have wanted to apply for a job for a while now but I don’t know where even though all of my siblings have worked at JcPenney for a couple of years and my parents would want me to work there.
Anahy Villa • Feb 13, 2019 at 5:51 pm
Being 15 years old and not being able to buy my own things yet bothers me. Whenever I ask my mom for money for something I want I feel bad because I want it but also because my mom sometimes goes out of her way to get it for me. A while back I told her that I wanted a job so she won’t have to hustle as much to buy me whatever I need/want. I think kids our age should buy whatever they want without freeloading odd their parents.
Gabriel Salas • Feb 13, 2019 at 8:18 am
For being a sophomore who’s family isn’t in the best financial stability, this really opened up a way to help my family out. I feel a sense of embarrassment and selfishness asking my mother and father for money knowing that times are ruff at the moment, and having read this article, it shows me the opportunities out there. Having a job will also allow me not to have to rely on my parents and teach me the sense of responsibility, like the job I had over the summer did. Having a job at a young age exposes you to the financial decisions you have to make, and I believe every student should experience that just so they aren’t exposed and embarrassed in the future when left to the real world.
Natalie • Feb 12, 2019 at 11:09 am
I think it’s great that Morton east provides help to their students to help them find jobs. As said above they helped students fill out permits and even make some calls to stores. This benefits their students and shows how the school helps their students out. I find it fascinating that they do this. Not many students might know where to go when they need help to figure out how to get a job and to get an opportunity like this it can benefit them in many ways.
Kailey Mojica • Feb 12, 2019 at 10:13 am
Getting my first job has been on my mind a lot lately. I notice many students already have jobs and I want to get a job too, so my parents don’t have to spend money on the things I don’t need. When I even start to think about looking for a job I get stressed, and don’t know who to ask. It’s nice to know that everyone gets stressed when they start looking for their first job too. But this article made me realize there are adults here at school that would be willing to help me.