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NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- Part-time jobs and volunteerism can teach students a lot about life's essential social skills such as time management and teamwork, said Bernardo J. Carducci, director of the Shyness Research Institute at IU Southeast.
Most teenagers start working their first job at age 16 or 17. High school students, whose first jobs are usually in retail or fast-food, should work no more than 16 hours a week, while college students can work anywhere from 14 to 22 hours per week without harming their grades, sleep or personal life.
Carducci points out that part-time jobs and volunteerism are particularly good at a time when younger people tend to spend hours in front of the computer or on electronic devices, offsetting problems that result from a greater dependence on technology.
"These skills that we talk about -- communication, tolerance for diversity, time management and negotiation -- are fundamental human skills that transcend not just a job but all kinds of relationships," he said.
Unlike part-time jobs, volunteering can help students form a sense of identity. They also get to be more selective with how they spend their time doing something that interests them.
While jobs are good for learning how to budget money, Carducci emphasized the following reasons part-time jobs and volunteerism are beneficial:
*Social skills. Part-time jobs and volunteer gigs create what Carducci calls a "semi-structured social situation." A set social scenario, especially in retail and food-service jobs, forces the student to talk to a wide range of people without putting too much stress on them.
*Tolerance for diversity. Students will encounter diverse groups of people. "I think that's very important," he said. "Particularly if this is going to get you prepared to go to college where you're going to deal with all kinds of new people."
*Teamwork. Students learn the "give-and-take of negotiation." Working with others will help students navigate future complex social situations, such as serious relationships or working with colleagues in an office after college. Organized sports allow students to competitively interact with their peers but are typically mediated by an adult. With working and volunteering, teenagers learn how to deal with interpersonal difficulties on their own.
*Time management. Students are forced to negotiate their schedule and to understand the concept of time.
Carducci is a professor of psychology at IU Southeast and can be reached at bcarducc@ius.edu or 812-941-2295. For additional assistance, contact Tracy James at 812-855-0084 and traljame@iu.edu.
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Indiana University 10 Aug, 2013
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