Art Week-- Job
Description:
For a period of three days teenage “facilitators,” host a group of children over for an “Art Camp.” Art Camp would be for a period of three consecutive days and the days would go as follows:
10:00am- Arrival and play time. Children are given a small snack consisting of fresh fruit. (Waiting period for all children to arrive.)
10:15am- Crafts Begin. – The children will have different crafts to experience each day that they will be able to take home with them. (ex. Noodle pictures, Frootloop necklaces, ect.)
12:00pm- Lunchtime. The children play in the backyard and eat lunch.
1:00pm- Arts Begin. - They’d experience different activities each day related to painting, coloring, and drawing.
2:00pm- Games Begin. The children will be able to play with the group different character building games. (ex. Jump rope, duck duck goose, ring around the rosy.)
3:00pm- Parents start arriving to pick-up their kids.
All activities are supervised by the teenage facilitators. The facilitators also advertise through different sources the camp to recruit children.
Cost of event for each participant: This can vary but a reasonable amount could be $50/a child.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I got this idea from my teenage cousin who actually carried out the camp. I called her and asked her about what the camp consisted of and how she carried did it. I’ve personally made a few changes to the events of the day but the credit is deserved by my cousin Stephanie.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
Challenges with this event are:
a) Finding teenage facilitators. Solution: After finding one brave soul that likes money, their friends will want to join part and it will be a fun experience for all involved, and they will enjoy the money rewards.
b) Children to participate. Solution: If the teenagers involved would be willing to speak with a few choice individuals in their community, women talk, and will take that message and spread it like wildfire. The event will be hopping with children in no time.
c) Materials for the event. A small investment would have to be made to initially purchase the lunches, snackes, and art and craft material for the first day. Solution: Either ask for a down payment from participating mothers or find some investors (parents are teenage facilitators) to purchase the initial days amount.
What I learned:
I learned that many teenagers want to buy items and end up getting frustrated when mom or dad says “no.” There are so many creative ideas that teenagers can do to make money and earn even more than flipping hamburgers at McDonalds. Ideas like that let teenagers become more independent, money-smart, and develop lifelong skills that they will need for the rest of their lives. For my cousin she liked the fact she was able to cultivate her talent with children. That will one day bless her future goal of being a mother.
Florist
Description:
My roommate worked as a flower arranger or florist at a flower shop during high school. Because one of the business's primary customers was a nearby resort, much of her work revolved around catering to its needs. Thus, each day she prepared 100 small floral arrangements and 8 large lobby arrangements for the hotel. In addition, the flower shop provided bouquets, table decorations for large events like weddings, as well as corsages and boutonnieres for high school proms. For some occasions, the flower shop provided more than simply flowers by offering entire decorating services for events.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
My roommate's mother worked at this flower shop and recommended the job to her daughter. Although her boss wasn't looking to hire at that point, my roommate's mother suggested that an extra hand would be helpful particularly during the busy Christmas season. My roommate was employed, and worked well enough and hard enough that she continued to work there even after the Christmas season was over. She recommends seeking a job during a period with a lot of business so that employers will want the extra help you provide.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
The biggest obstacle that my roommate had to overcome was the fact that she had no idea how to design flowers! In order to face this challenge, she watched and learned from other coworkers and really listened to the advice that they gave her. Most importantly, she had to learn to be patient with herself because the knowledge and experience does not come all at once. Another challenge she faced was the fact that some of events required working very late into the night, as late as 2 or 3 am. With an early-morning seminary class at 6 am the following day, this was a huge challenge for her. Thus, she simply talked to her boss and requested to get off work earlier until the school year was over.
What I learned:
Although at first glance it may seem like flower arranging is a skill with limited use, my roommate has found that it comes in handy on many occasions and can save a lot of money. For example, my roommate always made prom corsages and boutonnieres for herself and her date, saving money all throughout high school. At her brother's wedding, instead of paying someone else for the labor, she and her mother provided all of the flower arrangements and table decorations. In addition, her mother still works at this flower shop and was able to purchase all of the flowers at a wholesale price, knocking the cost of wedding flowers to 1/9 of the original price. Not only is flower arranging a fun job during high school, but it can be used on many occasions in the future that will both save money and beautify the areas around you!
Historical Interpreter at This is the Place Heritage Park
Description:
This was an amazing opportunity for one who loves history and wants to progress in that field. Your job is to learn the historical facts, and lives of the people of the time and show the visitors what it was like to live in the 19th century. The experience is fun and different. Being outside working in a garden or giving tours of historical houses is perfect for a history lover who doesn’t want to spend all their time indoors at a computer.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I stumbled accidentally upon the opportunity at the BYU job fair. I was skeptical at first but after an interview and the training it turned into an adventure.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
By working up there at the park I was able to see firsthand what it takes to run a living history park. There was always a scheduling problem to handle, a rattlesnake sighting, lost children, and events to be planned. It was difficult at first to understand the system but as I kept working and kept determined to learn all there was to learn about the park and the history and how the management worked, things started to fall into place. When you can understand the other sides of the issue, it’s easier to know how one should handle it to make the resolution in the best interest of everyone.
What I learned:
As I mentioned before I learned a lot of history. There was something to learn every day. In the morning staff meeting I was able to talk with my boss and see firsthand what it was like to run and manage a tourist attraction. I had no idea how strategic advertising had to be, how careful the scheduling of staff was, and how little things can make one’s day very hectic. It really was an eye opener but I know that the knowledge I obtained there will help me when I attempt to start my own kind of park.
News Paper Delivery
Description:
I started the first overseas American paper route. I had to prove that it would be a lucrative enterprise. So I organized and started a delivery route of an American newspaper in Germany.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I’d heard about how kids in America had paper routes to earn money as kids. I wondered why I couldn’t do the same thing. Problem is there were no routes organized. So I asked around to find out if there was any market for an American newspaper delivery in Germany.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
When I first tried to start the newspaper told me that they wouldn’t support my idea since they did not believe that there would be enough interest to justify the investment. So I had to spend several weeks knocking all the doors in the neighborhood to prove that enough people would pay for the service.
What I learned:
I learned that there are plenty opportunities for willing workers and creative minds to find their niche in the market to provide goods and services. Anyone with the desire and dedication can make something happen. Also that experience helped me in all my other later jobs. Taking risks is good while you can.
Primerica Insurance Agent
Description:
Primerica is an insurance company and member of Citigroup. They specialize mainly in helping people get out of debt by learning more about their own insurance policies. Then by purchasing the exact same policies from Primerica, and an incentive to come work for them, they will save on average, thousands of dollars. Zack started out as an Insurance Agent who received referrals from other clients, and taught them how and where they could save money. After his presentation, if it made sense to the client, he would offer several of their policies to the client. Among some where Life and Home Insurance, IRA’s, mutual funds, and the list goes on.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
Zack got the idea from his dad who had received an invitation from a Primerica Agent. He lived with his brother, and both were heavily in debt, but were a bit wary of following up with this Insurance guy. After several months of persistence from his dad, he and his brother finally agreed to listen to the agent. Zack says that after learning of how to get out of debt quick, he was also invited to join Primerica and make some extra cash (one of their incentives to help get out of debt). After a few short months, he had received his license to sell insurance and was out doing the same thing. He went around with another agent learning how teach their clients about the policies, and how to get out of debt. After the appointment he was in charge of retrieving more referrals and finding more appointments for them. He was able to go to school, set his own work schedule, enjoy what he was doing and make more than he ever thought he would without his college degree. Zack told me that you shouldn’t stop there. He went on and got his business degree which allowed him to start his own Primerica offices and he and his brother manage them, and several agents of their own who are starting out the same way he did. They now work for him, and he mainly goes out and trains new agents who wish to get a foothold just as he did.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
Some of the challenges that Zack told me he faced where the first couple of year trying to get out of debt. From student loans to getting married and buying a house, etc. Also as you first start, you’re the one responsible for retrieving referrals from your current clients. After a while, when you’re no longer the greenhorn, you primarily teach your clients how to save, about each insurance policy and how to get out of debt.
It’s possible to make it fine without a college degree in the business, but he knew that he needed that degree to further himself in his goal to one day manage his own offices. If you plan on doing the same, one of the toughest things to learn is that you have to work hard. In most cases, you can’t succeed well in a business unless you work hard.
What I learned:
Zack is still in business. I actually was able to go out and learn what he did. He just doesn’t sit behind a desk all day. Most of the time he’s out working with the rest of his company. He loves what he does because he can see the difference it makes in their lives. He can see how excited they get when they learn how they can get out of debt quick, and save thousands of dollars. The thing I learned most was that you can’t just sit back once you’ve achieved your goal. You have to constantly work at sustaining it, and growing even further. If you’re not progressing, you’re regressing.
Stable Manager and Cleaner
Description:
This job included cleaning all of the stalls of 14 horses along with getting them ready for their workouts. Then cooling them down and rinsing them off and back into the stall. Then I had to make sure they were all fed and watered morning and night. I also was invited to the shows where I was required to do all of these things. Otherwise I had to stay home and take care of the horses that were not taken to the shows.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I actually found this job when my Equestrian Team was looking for an area to practice in. It was only about a mile from my house. The trainers were acquiring more and more clients and could no longer do all the work that needed to be done. I had always wanted to work at a place like this so it was the perfect opportunity. I was also homeschooled at this time and so I had plenty of time for this job.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
The biggest challenge that I faced was fitting in my school work into the new schedule. I now did not have time to mess around I actually had to get right to my school work as soon as I got home from the stable. It really taught me to manage my time wisely. I was also a very shy and quite person and at the stable or at the shows there was always someone that needed my help. I had to just get in there and do my job.
What I learned:
I think that the most important thing that I learned was the value of money and how to really get things done for myself. At my job my parents or teachers were not there to tell me exactly how to do things, I actually had to figure out how to get it all done by myself. When I actually started accomplishing more and more things in one day it was really an excellent feeling.
Temporary Employee
Description:
A temporary employee works for an employment agency that hires people with basic office skills and sends them to different companies that are temporarily short-handed. For adults this is not a lucrative career; but for teens it offers certain advantages, and most teens have the basic qualifications: knowledge of word/excel, receptionist skills. This is a good opportunity for teen summer employment because it offers them an opportunity to work 40 hours a week, as opposed to a part-time fast food job. It also offers higher pay, usually close to $10/hour. This is also a good summer job because it allows flexibility to stop working for school or family vacations, as the teenager can refuse assignments or change their status to an inactive employee until they are ready to work again.
The most important advantages that this opportunity presents is that it gives teens a chance to work in a professional environment, allows them to see different fields and career opportunities, and allows future employment opportunities and networks. For example, I was able to work for an actuary for a short period of time, and he now contacts me every summer to see if I�m available to provide secretarial support. He paid me $16/hr, tax free. Not only did I develop a good business contact, I also was able to learn about actuarial science, a profession I would never have otherwise heard of. Through my experiences at various businesses, I was able to learn about the medical field, supply chain & distribution, recycling, architecture, real estate, and insurance.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
Employment at a temporary agency is fairly simple. All that a person has to do is look up a temporary employment services agency in the phone book or online. The application process includes going to the agency, filling out employment paperwork, and completing a series of short tests to measure proficiency in office skills such as word and excel. Afterwards, there may be a short interview.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
Employment at a temporary agency is fairly simple. All that a person has to do is look up a temporary employment services agency in the phone book or online. The application process includes going to the agency, filling out employment paperwork, and completing a series of short tests to measure proficiency in office skills such as word and excel. Afterwards, there may be a short interview.
What I learned:
I thought working for these agencies was good employment for me as a teen because I was able to learn about lots of different kinds of jobs and fields. I also learned how to behave in a professional environment, experience that a person will not receive working in a movie theater, restaurant, or arcade. This helped boost my confidence when I began doing internships and entering the professional world.