After-School Jobs And Side Hustles

Image credit: New York Times

An op-ed piece in the New York Times last month about the benefits of teenagers working after-school jobs made me think about what young people are not learning in school. This week's newsletter is about what after-school jobs can help young people learn, and why side hustles are to working adults what after-school jobs are to young people.

Academic Success is not immediately applicable to Real Life Success

The first thing Pamela Paul learnt is that being good at school doesn't mean being good at work. She was fired at the end of her first day at her very first job because her A in seventh-grade touch-typing didn't help her figure out how to type an address on a business envelope readable by the average postal worker.

Andre, an ex-barista I met at a bagel shop who is now head of customer success at Doyobi, exemplifies this. I hired Andre despite him not having gone to college because I saw that he is great with people (the key skill set for a customer success role). Conversely, I could hire someone with first class honours who possesses little confidence, empathy and communication skills. Who's more likely to succeed in the role? Read more about Andre in my LinkedIn post.

Back to the op-ed, Pamela also learnt what it is like to

• make minimum wage

• be paid your time (and how transactional the nature of work is)

• not get promoted (even if you performed well)

• work for bosses who behave badly

• work alongside people who have different backgrounds and values from yours (and how to get along with them)

Why after-school jobs and side hustles for young people are important

Perhaps some of the lessons above are why many people want to start their own business and be their own boss, but it takes a lot to take the plunge. Most people's risk appetite becomes smaller as they get older. This is where the after-school job / side hustle analogy comes in. Just like teenagers learn a bunch of valuable lessons working after-school jobs, working adults can also learn a lot by having side hustles outside of work. Suppose you are passionate about cooking but lack the courage (or financial wherewithal) to quit your corporate job to open a restaurant. Perhaps you can start by doing private dinners at home on weekends? You hone your skills as a chef, learn how to interact with diners, test different menus, and build a client base for your future-restaurant (assuming you don't cook like me).

Or maybe you've always fancied becoming a writer. Instead of quitting your job and worrying about being able to find a writing job that pays (unfortunately I don't get paid to write the words you're reading right this moment), why not start a weekly newsletter? Learn how to write for an audience, find your niche, and most importantly discover whether full-time writing is for you.

Pamela finished her op-ed piece with this final lesson - school skills can be acquired outside of school. She worked weekends at a French-owned boutique where she practiced her French and her arithmetic in an era of non-computerised cash registers. After-school jobs aside, it is important to help our children understand that learning is not confined to within the four walls of the classroom.

Skills from side hustles will enhance your valueCouple of weeks ago I wrote about how playful learning promotes 21st century skills. I also previously wrote about life lessons learnt while traveling and the benefits of unstructured play. There is a useful analogy here for adults. Some of the most valuable things we learn as adults are learnt outside of our day job. UX design, programming, managing people, effective communication etc are all skills we can develop through structured courses or side hustles. The best way to stay relevant and adaptable in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world is to keep upskilling. Your badly behaved boss cannot take that away from you.

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Remember, it's hard work being a great parent to your child. You're doing your best.

Till the next issue!