For many teenagers, including myself, a job is a way to earn a little extra money. Most of us don’t have bills to pay or a family to support, so we can spend the money from a job on whatever we decide. As soon as I turned 16, I started thinking about where to apply for my first job. I looked online for several months, but never found anything I really wanted to do. One day in March, however, I decided to apply to a cute clothing store I had been in once. I filled out the application online, got called in for an interview, and two days later, was offered my very first job. Working has taught me to be more outgoing and patient, that the toil is what you make of it, and that saving hard-earned money is important.
It excites me, knowing that every time someone walks through the door of the store, I might be able to change their day. Whether it be a friendly “hello” or an offer of help finding something, going up to strangers and talking to them is something I do every couple minutes at my job. Working at the store has made me more outgoing and open with strangers both at work and in general. I offer them advice, make suggestions, and ask questions. Making customers happy and helping them is satisfying. Also, since the store is so small and unique – the only one of its kind in Missouri – I’ve gotten to know many regular customers.

Another thing I’ve learned from my job is how to be more patient – a skill I’ve always lacked. The first time I had to fold a whole platform of clothes, I got so irritated with myself because it took about ten tries to get them folded perfectly. It was my first day, and my manager was training me. I began to second guess my decision to get a job. The work seemed overwhelming, and everything had to be done in a precise way. It felt like I couldn’t do anything right.

That first day, my manager showed me how to organize the platforms of clothes. I learned how to fold jeans, beginning with a “hot dog” style fold with the right pocket facing you. Next, grab the bottom and fold it behind the jeans about a third of the way, and then fold the top down again, making a nice jean fold into thirds. It took me thirty minutes to figure out how to get them all looking uniform. The shirts and sweaters were a different story. “Make sure you put the sleeves across the chest,” or, “fold the sleeves behind and lay it flat, folding the bottom underneath,” my manager instructed.

When I was trained on the cash register, I couldn’t get it right the first couple times, which was hard considering my perfectionist and impatient personality. Through all these experiences at the store (though frustrating at times), I’ve learned patience. I’ve learned it through these responsibilities, and also by dealing with customers (and even certain coworkers). Now, I fold and hang clothes, work the cash register, and perform many other tasks without a second thought. They’ve become easy over time, and I’m able to do them well.

Work is what you make it. I’ve learned this from my job, and it has helped me in other aspects of my life as well. Every job has its share of frustrations and challenges; to do well you must learn to deal with them. Dreading work will only make my shift go by slower and make me unhappy. Making the best out of it has helped me when I didn’t want to go, and it made me realize how much I actually enjoy my job.

Meeting people and establishing connections with customers every day is one of the things I love most about my job. About two months ago, I helped a woman who was looking for a dress. She told me exactly what she was picturing – a blue dress with long sleeves and a lace neck. We didn’t have any such dress, and when I explained that to her, she wasn’t very happy. Instead of getting annoyed, I tried getting to know her a bit better and asked what the dress was for, so I could find other items in her size that could work. We bonded over our love of the Netflix show “Orange Is the New Black,” and she ended up buying $200 worth of new clothes, having found other items she liked.

But not all customer encounters go so smoothly; there have been several unpleasant situations as well. For example, we used to have a policy in the store that required people to leave their purse with an employee while they were in the fitting room. I remember one customer yelling that she didn’t trust us with her purse. My coworkers and I explained that we wouldn’t touch her things, and that she could leave her purse right outside the fitting room if she felt more comfortable. She was rude and disruptive, but with patience and kindness, we solved the problem, and in the end laughed about it. It’s up to you to make your job fun and turn around unpleasant situations.

My coworkers also contribute to my positive work experience. There are about 12 girls who work at the store, and we have so much fun together. They have made me feel really comfortable, and we’ve grown pretty close. Whether we’re talking with each other, helping customers, or cleaning up after we close, it’s a fun and positive environment to be in. Work is a huge part of life, and often, you get to choose the type of work you want. It’s up to you to make your working time as pleasant as possible.

The biggest take-away and skill I’ve learned from my first job is the importance of saving money. While its easy and fun to spend the money you earn working, it’s crucial to learn how to save it. I’m definitely not the best at this – most of the time I end up spending half my paycheck on clothes at the store. However, I am getting better. I know that down the road I’ll want to buy something more expensive than clothing – like a car – so I should start saving now. Also, having some money saved will help when I’m in college and may not have time for a job. For now, I’ll continue spending some of my money on fun activities, food, and clothes, but I’ll save a majority of it.