Whether it’s to gain work experience, build a resume for college, or just to make a quick buck, every summer dozens of our beloved Franklin students join the workforce. Primarily, these jobs are entry-level positions, which makes them perfect for high schoolers with little to no experience. Let’s take a look at some examples:
Portland Parks Lifeguard: Seasonal, $19.09 hourly, age requirement: 16+
Portland Parks and Recreation (PP&R) offers a plethora of career opportunities to teens in the Portland metro area. One such opportunity is lifeguarding at many of the various public pools our city boasts. To become a lifeguard, you first need to pass a training. Franklin senior Jonah Schwarz says the training consists of “CPR, water rescue skills, [rescue] breathing, basic First Aid,” and how to scan the pool effectively to ensure safety. Schwarz worked at Montavilla Pool, claiming, “There were so [few] people [working] at my pool that I could come in whenever I wanted to work and get paid.” PP&R is always looking for young people to be lifeguards and is almost always understaffed. Ruby Rippetoe-Crawford, a Franklin senior and lifeguard, says the job’s main challenges were busy days “when the pool is crazy, and you are in charge of people’s lives.” Some of the job’s benefits include access to community center facilities, such as gyms and pools. “But who the [heck] wants to swim at a public pool?” says Schwarz, who expresses his disinterest due to his time spent working there. When asked if he enjoyed his time lifeguarding, Schwarz says, “No, I did enjoy spending the money I got though.” Rippetoe-Crawford doesn’t share this sentiment, stating, “I like it. I think it’s fun. … It’s a rewarding job. I used the pools my whole life as a kid; it’s my turn to give back and [lifeguard].”
RecTennis/United States Tennis Association Tennis Instructor: Summer camp, $16 hourly, age requirement: 15+
Many student-athletes tend to look for career opportunities that incorporate sports they’re passionate about. For Franklin senior and varsity tennis player Hazel Allen, this meant coaching a tennis camp was perfect for her. As per the camp’s schedule, the job was Monday through Friday, with morning and afternoon shifts. Mornings are from 8:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., and afternoons are 12:45-4:15 p.m. However, this packed schedule leaves less room for flexibility. Allen says the job was fairly active: “play[ing] tennis, [teaching kids] how to play tennis and doing all the drills.” She believes working with kids is the biggest benefit of the job: “It’s what I love to do and know I want to do for the rest of my life.” She warns, “At the tennis camps it was definitely hard [to make kids listen]. … We had a lot of middle schoolers. … I liked to do it though, so it wasn’t a challenge for me.” This job may not be for those looking to only work a few days a week. Allen says, “It can definitely be exhausting working full weeks, but [you] get a lot from it.” Allen recommends the job to anyone interested in working with kids, saying the job “isn’t really a good fit” for people exclusively interested in tennis.
Rose City Futsal Coach: Summer camp, $17 hourly, age requirement: 15+
Right off the highway at 5010 NE Oregon St., you can find Rose City Futsal (RCF), an indoor soccer facility. RCF offers week-long summer camps to youth and job opportunities to teenagers. Brennan McEwan, a Franklin senior, recalls flexible schedules, saying, “Going into the summer they [send] out a form that [you] can fill out week by week [with] the days you can work. … It gives a lot of flexibility.” This job comes with a lot of activity making it perfect for student-athletes. McEwan says, “You’re always on your feet” and “engaged with the kids,” expressing the importance of bringing a familiar summer camp level of energy to the job. “There are a lot of opportunities there.”
Trader Joe’s Cashier/Stocker: $16-$26 hourly, age requirement: 16+
Trader Joe’s grocery store is an excellent job for students with no experience. William Jordan, a Franklin senior, talks about benefits such as high pay, including a $10 hourly pay bonus on Sundays. Alongside the high pay, Trader Joe’s offers shifts up to eight hours to anyone under 18. Jordan says the benefits also include “paid time off [and a] 20% discount on food [in store].” In addition, he states that he “can’t think of anything remotely challenging” about the job. Work there mainly involves stocking shelves and talking to customers, but offers competitive pay and good benefits, all requiring no experience. Jordan says he “highly recommends” the job, “though they only take up four positions [for staff] under 18.” Jordan notes that every six months employees get a 75 cent pay increase.
¿Por Qué No? Busser: $15.75 hourly + tips
Found right down Hawthorne is a Mexican restaurant called ¿Por Qué No?. Truman Rhoads, a Franklin senior, says the job offers “very flexible” hours and has a moderate activity level. The benefits include “a free meal and half off when [you] go there with [your] family.” Rhoads says the challenges of the job are “run[ning] into a lot of weirdos and sometimes cleaning up after children … can be a bit of a bore. It’s not too bad.” He recommends the job to people who are bilingual, since “most people in the back of the house don’t speak English … just Spanish speaking, so there can definitely be a bit of a language barrier.” Interestingly, they will hire people who only speak English, and “they will pay for you to learn either Spanish if you just speak English, or English if you just speak Spanish.” All in all, ¿Por Qué No? offers a good experience for teens looking for a first job, with opportunities ranging from learning a new language to experiencing the service industry. “It’s a lot of social skills,” Rhoads states, emphasizing that the experience it offers is valuable.
Burgerville Crew Member: $15.95 hourly + tips, age requirement: 16+
The universal first job: fast food service. Many people tell stories of working at various fast-food chains, including our students here at Franklin. Ezra Hedrick, a Franklin senior and Burgerville employee, says, “You need [a food handlers card] to work in a restaurant,” but no other experience is necessary to apply. The job’s benefits are primarily tips, which significantly increase the pay, averaging it to $25 hourly for Hedrick. He claims the activity level is a “4/10 … Handing food out through a window, it’s not really that hard.” The job offers flexible hours and Hedrick says, “I took a month off in August to work on my other job and go on a vacation,” but “the hours are pretty bad … they’ll schedule you for five hours and 45 minutes so you don’t get a [lunch] break.” However, the job does incentivize hard work, rewarding employees with a cash bonus for doing a superb job. Hedrick says the most challenging part of the job is “probably talking to customers because sometimes they’ll be pissed off because their fries are cold.” Nevertheless, Hedrick does recommend the job to any high schooler looking to make decent money, as long as they are willing to put up with angry customers.
High school is a precious time for self-discovery and experimentation. Using your time there properly can make all the difference when it comes to college applications and your future. Work experience on a resume or college application can signify that the person is hardworking, responsible, and good with time management. Job applications are usually fairly easy, and no one has ever complained about cash weighing down their wallet, so use your summertime wisely as a stepping stone for your future!
