First jobs could hold big payoffs later in life

If you flipped burgers or waited tables during your teens, you may be more successful at work now because of it.

That’s the conclusion of a study by a University of Minnesota sociologist who found that high school students who work are better off in many ways than students who don’t have jobs. "Some of what young people learn on the job–such as responsibility and confidence–give them an advantage in later work life," said Jeylan Mortimer, who surveyed about 750 students over 12 years, from 9th grade through their mid-20s.

Carol Monaghan Chicago Tribune

The study, presented in the new book "Working and Growing Up in America" ($45, Harvard University Press), is unusual not only because it tracked teens over more than a decade but because it also examined teens’ and their parents’ attitudes about their work.

Earlier studies of teens have suggested that part-time jobs might lead to lower grades and behavior problems. But Mortimer found that moderate work–20 hours or less over a consistent time period–can help teens manage their time and money and cope with future work challenges. She also found that teens with a moderate workload invested more hours in higher education than the teens who didn’t work at all or worked 20 hours or more.

"It’s easy to see a fast-food job as just a way to get extra spending money," Mortimer said. "But teens and their parents reported that their jobs helped them be more independent, deal with supervisors, manage money and develop interpersonal skills. These are valuable things that could be transferred to other situations."

The study found that teens who experiences stress on the job felt less control over their lives than kids doing stress-free work. But by their early 20s, workers who had to cope with job stress as teens were better at handling adult work stress.

A cure for the overworked resident?

Here’s some Rx for overworked doctors-in-training: No more marathon shifts and 120-hour workweeks. Under new rules approved last week by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, medical residents must get one day off out of seven and a 10-hour rest between being on call and working a shift. The rules, which schools must follow to be certified, take effect July 1.

Some medical residents wonder if the rules are strong enough medicine. The Committee on Interns and Residents, a union representing 12,000 U.S. residents, says the council lacks the teeth to enforce them and favors federal legislation.

Don’t wake me till April

Winter months are the ideal time to hunker down and get real work done, before beach vacations and other warm-weather distractions cut into productivity, right?

Maybe not. According a survey by Chicago-based ComPsych Corp., a provider of employee assistance programs, 46 percent of workers say they feel less productive during winter months. Another 33 percent reported decreased levels of energy due to less daylight, while 18 percent reported feeling the same year round. Only 3 percent of those polled said they work harder during winter months.

Less daylight can lead to the winter blues, which can be a serious demotivator in the workplace, said Richard Chaifetz, ComPysch chairman and CEO. To combat it, take lunch breaks outside the office to increase your exposure to sunlight or exercise to raise energy levels.

Dress-for-success stress

Business casual is nothing new in the workplace, but most workers still don’t feel comfortable defining what the term means.

According to a study completed by California State University-Sacramento, more than two-thirds of workers are uncertain about the differences between business attire and business casual in the workplace.

"People don’t know what [business casual] is," said CSU marketing professor Dennis Tootlian.

For men, Tootelian said, business attire usually translates into a suit and tie with shined shoes. But he found that younger workers have a more casual idea of what business attire is.

"For them, the concept of a coat and tie isn’t even on the radar screen," he said.

Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune

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