What my part time jobs have taught me
By: Camilla Binau
Tags: Part Time Jobs, Work, Lessons Learned

I got my first part time job when I was thirtheen years old. Granted, I did not exactly pay taxes or sign a contract, but I consider it to be my first job none the less. I walked the dog for a lady in my neighborhood once a week and in exchange I got a little bit of money and the opportunity to spend time with a goofy golden retriver, which for me, was the biggest selling point.

Over the years I have since worked as cleaning staff, a babysitter, a cashier, an event caterer, at a fish monger and more recently in a butchers shop. I have never been picky about my jobs and that has led me to work in a lot of different industries. As such, I feel that my personal experiences have taught me a lot.

Be kind

This first one might seem obvious and too naive, but working part time I truly learned the value in being kind. This especially applies to jobs with a lot of human contact, but even if you only have one coworker, being kind can make a big difference.

Working at supermarkets, I often ended up having to deal with customers who took their frustartions out on me, however right or wrong they might have been. In contrast, the kindness that I received from the odd customer and my coworkers, could truly make my day and in total, renew my hope for humanity. When experiencing kindess from people who are essentially strangers, I learned to pay it forward and to try and be a positive input in the lives of the people that i met. Being kind to others might make their day, as I know that kindness from others have often made mine. Speaking from personal experience, if you ever find yourself crying in the frozen isle of your low paying supermarket job, just know that the encouraging words of an elderly lady might be the only thing standing between you and a breakdown. Kindness really does make a difference, however naive that sounds.

Do more

This is something I especially learned when working in a grocery store. The store employed quite a mix of part time workers and fixed employees. Helping each other across departments was crucial in getting everyone through the work day and in getting all the tasks done. I know that it is not always possible to do more when it seems like you are already doing the most. But, when possible, helping each other and picking up where someone might be struggling, makes for a better work envoirenment where no one feels that they stand alone. I always had a great work experience with those of my coworkers whom I knew had my bag and would lend me a hand should I need it. It might be something as simple as taking out someone else’s trash or staying an extra ten minutes to close down a store. In my years of working, there have been times where I felt overwhelmed and needed the help of my coworkers. At other times I have been the one to help a stressed coworker when I had my own stuff in order. Doing more than the least, might make a big difference to someone and it could end up making a big difference to yourself one day.

Stand your ground

Now, this is very important. Not everyone will be priviliged enough to be able to stand their ground, voice their opinion and make complaints when such is necessary. But I was privileged enough and I will explain more about that later.

If you are able to, as a part time worker, standing your ground and voicing inequalities, might be of great help to yourself and others. Those part time jobs were not my career, I was not planning to stay forever and I was not relying on the money to live, in short, I had nothing to loose. As such, I felt empowered to speak up when I felt that myself or my coworkers were being mistreated or taken advantege of. If you are able to, try being the voice of those who have too much to loose and cannot speak up themselves. I have witnessed sexual harassment and less than poor leadership, and with not much to lose I felt it my duty to speak up. As the saying goes - see something, say something.

Have perspective

I really did not have to work. I know how that sounds. It makes me sound like a billionare heiress only working to gain the respect of the common people, or in order to spite my wealthy parents. The truth is, that my parents could provide for me and they still did. Sure, as I got older I paid for more of my own clothes and trips with my friends, but I never had to work in order to have a warm bed and three meals every day. And I knew that, I felt secure knowing that the money I earned could be put towards my own savings and be spent at my own volition.

However, the most valuable thing I learned from all of my part time jobs, was perspective. I am now more aware than ever, that being able to work because of my own free will and not out of necessity, was a great privilege. Many young people take up part time jobs to help pay the bills at home, to fund their education or to care for other family members. I was lucky to be able to work withouth actually relying on the money that I earned. Some of the jobs that I had were hard, physically demanding and challenging, but I always had the option of quitting if I did not want to work anymore. No one would have been disappointed in me and no one, besides myself, would feel the loss of my income.

Today, as I study in university and live comfortably off of the Danish state’s student grant, I feel very grateful. I still work part time, but as when I was younger, I have support and people who can catch me, were I no longer able to pay my bills. My experience working part time, will have been very different from those who rely on it to make ends meet. I feel grateful for the opportunity to work and I feel grateful for the opportunity to learn about my own privilege, and how it has affected an expierence I would previously have thought to be like anyone else’s.