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Was your weekend job when you were young the best job you ever had?

Paul Carter

Hello everyone,

I am Paul Carter, a CIPD member and HR professional. I love to write and record podcasts about the world of work. My next blog and podcast are taking a nostalgic look at how the weekend jobs we had when we were younger shaped us and our attitude to work. We were care free, earning just enough money to have fun, buy clothes and run a car. We developed our interpersonal skills through meeting new people, being part of a team, being managed for the first time and dealing with tricky customers. A small taste of financial independence and what work would be like when we left higher education. We were dazed and confused, loving and hating it but always going back for the next shift. It may have only lasted for a couple of years but you will always remember your favourite weekend job. 

Was your favourite weekend job the best job you ever had? What did you learn from it? Do you still see people you worked with all those years ago?

Does your company employ weekend workers? A 2020 report by the Resolution Foundation indicated that the employment rate of 16- to 17-year-olds with weekend jobs had halved in a two-decade period. Should a weekend job be a rite of passage as a teenager? What are teenagers missing if they do not get this experience?

Please share your views and complete my short survey https://forms.office.com/r/VgPnf1mYLF?origin=lprLink 

If you would like to contribute to my blog and podcast, let me know.

Thank you

Paul

Parents
  • As a parent of 3 teenagers with current weekend jobs I am proud of their work ethic.

    What I am not proud of is the way employers treat these young workers - with 2 notable exceptions all 3 of my children have been employed illegally in the Saturday/evening/holiday jobs that they have had. All have had minimum wage but (apart from those exceptions mentioned) all have been without contracts, on 'zero' hours, had last minute shift cancellations, penalties for not being available at 10 minutes notice (one child was 'sacked' for not attending work on a Sunday after missing the email sent at 2230hrs calling her in at 0800hrs the following morning after not being needed for 2 weeks) , no holiday pay, no tips paid, no safety training, no food hygiene training, no breaks etc etc.

    All 3 of my children now know what a good employer 'looks like'.
  • in reply to Tania
    Hi Tania, thank you for this response which casts a light on the less fun aspects of casual work. I would be very grateful if you could contribute to my blog and podcast. It would be anonymised feedback (not naming the employers). Please let me know.
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