Now that college students are gone and the holiday season is approaching, many businesses are looking to hire high schoolers. There are plenty of opportunities for students in search of job experience in Westfield. Here is the inside scoop on what to know when job hunting. It can be difficult to know businesses are looking for, in fact, Hi’s Eye reached out to several businesses to get their input on the job search; however, we did not receive any responses.

According to Town Book Store employee and lifeguard, Victoria Breza, a senior at WHS, working in high school is important. By providing a new perspective to life outside of high school, it makes people think twice before you spend money because it’s money that you earned.

Breza added, “It helps you interact with a large variety of people that you would not necessarily be involved with.”

One thing to bear in mind is that you never know when a position will open up, so always be on the look out. Keep your eyes and ears open if opportunities come knocking.

Additionally, when looking for a job, keep in mind how much you are taking on. Make sure you are able to balance your school work with other responsibilities; you don’t want to be in over your head. Before applying, ask about the hours and what’s expected of you to ensure you can make the commitment.

Maintaining a job in high school will also prepare you for the future. Said senior Lauren Echausse, who works at Just Bead Yourself: “Any [job] is helpful in building leadership and responsibility skills and that is so important to have as you grow older. The earlier you learn the better [off] you will be after college.” Echausse portrays the Frozen character Elsa for children’s parties.

Said senior Andrew Frantz, an employee at Robert Treat Delicatessen, “I’ve learned how to better multitask and manage time, as well as how to make a great sandwich.”

While there are many benefits to having a job, it’s important to know the background of the company before applying. Research what the company’s goals are and what values are important to them. Remember, if you’re hired it will be your responsibility to carry out those values.

According to teenforce.org, “Taking the time to know the company you are interviewing with will benefit both you and the employer. It can help you determine if this is the right job for you.”