Life | Career

7 Practical Pieces of Job Advice I wish I’d Known as a Teenager!

Some lessons you just need to keep repeating!

7 min readJun 5, 2022

If I could get in a time machine and go back and tell teenage me a few things about work and life, this would be it!

The actual tasks you do on a daily basis at your job definitely play their part in your levels of job satisfaction. As do the people you work with and the tools you use to do your job efficiently.

But that’s only half the story. The other half of job satisfaction is all to do with the little things in life. Getting the right shift pattern, not feeling pressured to take only half of your lunch break, confirming you’ve been paid the right amount each week/ month.

Ensuring the smooth running of the little things, ensures the smooth running of the big things!

If only younger me had known all this when I was just starting out in the working world.

Here are 7 things I wish I’d thought about as a teenager which would have impacted on how I viewed the job I was in…and my life a lot less stressful!

Same Day Off

This one has become all the more important to me the older I get.

If you work in a job like retail or hospitality, the chances are you’ll be expected to work a Saturday and then get a day off in the week.

Wherever possible ALWAYS GET THE SAME DAY OFF IN THE WEEK!

Why?

Because if you need to book the dentist, a doctor’s appointment, ring a medical professional, even book a hair cut…then you know to book it on a Wednesday (or whichever day you have off).

And make sure you get that in your contract and bring it up at interview so that it’s part of your terms of employment.

Have you ever tried to book a telephone call with a medical consultant and not know in advance what your shifts are or which days you’re free? Nightmare!