Between SAT prep courses, tough AP classes, sports practice, and other extracurricular activities, it’s hard for any Stone Ridge girl to find time to look for summer or year round jobs. From jobs that look great on your college resume, to ones that cheat minors out of equal pay, here is the breakdown of what we at the Here & Now believe are the best and worst jobs for Stone Ridge girls.
Babysitting:
Job Description: A babysitter takes care of and watches after children from a wide range of ages while their parents are out.
Pros:
- for the most part it pays well but salaries can differ from family to family
- does not require a lot of previous job experience
- easily accessible for it’s easy to find families who need a babysitter whether they’re in your neighborhood or through friends
- in Maryland you only have to be older than thirteen to babysit
- can get paid more if you’re CPR certified and by the end of Sophomore year all Stone Ridge girls are
- no dress code
Cons:
- long hours, sometimes you can stay at the family’s house till midnight or later waiting for the parents to get back
- can take up your weekends and free time
- you’re spending all of your time with small children as this is a major component of the job
- inconsistent hours
Hostessing:
Job Description: A hostess greets the customers of a restaurant, plans the seating arrangements, manages reservations, answers phones, and seats customers.
Pros:
- consistently pays well, about 9-10 dollars per hour
- great opportunity to meet new people, especially your coworkers
- can usually get free or discounted food depending on the restaurant
- fun work setting, restaurants usually have music playing and are buzzing with people and excitement
- helps improve one’s people skills, as it forces you to talk to and be nice to everyone
Cons:
- long hours, if you’re closing you can stay at the restaurant until 11 o’clock or midnight
- you’re on your feet the entire time
- can be difficult when dealing with angry and annoyed customers
- stressful during the rush hours and boring during the dull hours
- minors between 14-17 have to have a work permit to work in Maryland and Virginia
- dress code of some sort is commonly enforced
Camp Counselor:
Job Description: A camp counselor for a day or overnight camp spends most of their time outdoors playing with and watching after children and preteens.
Pros:
- includes a lot of fun activities, games, and sports
- great option for someone who likes to spend time outdoors and likes children and preteens
- overnight camps often have great food and snacks
- great way to meet people, easy to become friends with the other counselors your age
- easily accessible, especially since Stone Ridge has its own summer camp where Stone Ridge girls can work
Cons:
- inconsistent pay, depends on the camp itself and whether it is local or residential
- if it is an overnight, you would have to be comfortable with spending a prolonged period of time away from home
- while day camps can be more flexible with past experience, overnight camps often require counselors to have been a counselor-in-training first
- only available during the summer season
Retail Worker:
Job Description: A retail worker greets and helps customers, works the cash register, and cleans and organizes the store.
Pros:
- discount on clothes sold in the store
- consistent pay, about $9-10 dollars per hour
- chance to meet new people
- improves people skills
- can often lead to other jobs in retail
Cons:
- long hours, closing time can often be late at night
- you’re on your feet the entire time
- hard to deal with irritated customers
- dress code of some sort is commonly enforced
Internships:
Job Description: An intern helps either a company or individual with errands and receives a valuable learning experience.
Pros:
- looks great on a college application
- provides a lot of valuable work experience, especially if it’s in a field you’re interested in
- consistent and flexible hours
- can often translate into other, potentially paying job opportunities
Cons:
- not usually paid, but it depends on the company/place
- hours can be early in the morning
- commonly consists of a lot of busywork
- can be hard to get an internship without having a connection or working hard to contact an owner or worker
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