One of the biggest things graduating high school students both look forward to and fear is getting a job. Despite how important it is, you aren’t really taught a lot about what options there are and how to actually get one. There are many options for getting your first job, but some options are better than others.

The first thing students usually think about when entering the workforce is something at a food services business like a fast food joint or a restaurant. Working somewhere like Mcdonald’s or Chick-fil-a can be a quick, and depending on what your role is, easy way to get experience working whilst also getting some money, even if the pay is not that great, coming in at $10 to $13 an hour according to Salary.com. Working at fast food establishments can also be a fast way to meet new people, which is very useful once you’re out of school.

As most know, however, fast food is not perfect and it comes with some glaring problems. Working at the front and taking orders can be very stressful, especially if there are rude customers who don’t respect you. Conditions like this may lead to a lot of fast food employees wanting to quit and find somewhere else to work, which necessarily isn’t a bad thing as you should be flexible in finding what job or starting a job that you want. Working at fast food is very efficient if you are young and looking for a quick job, but you should be looking for other options, especially when you are older.

Another good job for those who want one whilst still in high school would be babysitting. The times when you work can be very flexible, unlike other jobs where you are required to work at a specific time. Another big positive about being a babysitter is getting early experience with children, which can be very useful if you plan on having kids in the future. Taking care of children, particularly bad children can be stressful. However, it can be even more stressful working with bad parents.

Some examples of simple jobs are jobs like delivery, customer service, dog walking, being a waiter or waitress, a cashier, and there are many more. You should choose your job based on what you are interested in and what you are best at. For example, if you are antisocial, you don’t want to go into customer service.

No job is easy, especially for somebody who has never worked before but doesn’t dread having to enter the work field. Every job is an opportunity to learn, grow, and develop new skills and experiences.