Socioeconomic Status and Teenage Jobs

Jasmine Hunn

Professor Slobod

English 113B

9 February 2012

Socioeconomic Status and Teenage Jobs

            For many teenagers jobs are looked forward too. The money and the freedom from being treated like a child are exhilarating. However, there is one problem that stops some from having a job, and that is their socioeconomic status and gender/ethnicity. Under privileged teenagers are less likely to acquire a job compared to teenagers that are more fortunate. The differences in socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity are seen by the employment and unemployment rates. Many of the lower-class teenagers are working at minimum wage restaurants or stores such as fast-food restaurants that teach no life-long skills that can be used for the future while others cannot get work at all. In the article “Black Teens Jobless 6 Times National Rate”, says “[There is] well over a quarter of a million (278,000) African American teenagers who are actively seeking employment but are having hard times getting their foot in the door.” The upper class teens have higher probabilities of becoming employed compared to lower class, because they have been giving the proper education and have lived in a stable environment that has shown them what they need to attain to have a job. Many under privileged teens have less access to employment opportunities or are confined to working at low-wage jobs that have no benefits for the future, compared to their counterparts who are educated and have connections to jobs benefiting them.

For low class families’ jobs are not easy to get. One of the reasons why teens have trouble getting jobs is because under privileged teens are not accustomed to the same material as upper class teens. According to the article “Are Teens in Low-Income and Welfare Families Working to Much,” “teens in low-income families and families on welfare have the less access to employment opportunities.” Although teens from these families try to find work it can be difficult at times because they do not have the same educational background as their peers that are in a higher socioeconomic class. In 2010 “Poverty rates for blacks and Hispanics greatly exceed the national average, 27.4 percent of blacks and 26.6 percent of Hispanics were poor, compared to 9.9 percent of non-Hispanic whites and 12.1 percent of Asians,” states the National Poverty Center. For many of the people living in poverty the conditions are harsh and they do not have much, nor can they afford to get the right material in order to sustain a healthy life style. Additionally, “youth from welfare families with no working adults generally lack connections to jobs and employed parental role models” (Lerman). Without somebody to show these teens where to go and what to do, they become stuck and are forced to be jobless without any legal way of providing for their families. Even though some teens have trouble getting jobs, the teens that do excel end up working in fast-food restaurants or jobs that provide no initial knowledge to potential employment positions in the future.

Because many of the under privileged teens work for low-skilled jobs, they do not accurately gain experience that could help them in a better job. In Amitai Etzioni’s article “Working at McDonald’s,” he states, “[these careers] provide no career ladders, few marketable skills, and undermine school attendance and involvement.” Many minorities are left to work at these jobs because they cannot get any other types of jobs. By them working at low-skilled jobs that do not benefit them, they end up working at the same job for years still not developing skills that could help them have a better future. Etzioni also claims that “there is no room for initiative, creativity, or even elementary rearrangements,” which many skilled jobs require that people have (316). Creativity and initiative are key when getting a job because most companies want staff that are different and can provide a variety skills and thoughts to their businesses. But with the lack of educational resources one will not be able to provide the type of intelligence that companies want. In some under privileged teens cases they may not have a parent that has a job. Which in turn may affect how they will get jobs, they have lost the connections to be able to sustain a job. While lower- class teens have to struggle to get jobs or have low-skilled jobs, some teens are able get jobs faster.

It is fair to say that many under-privileged teens work for low-skilled jobs, but what about the teens that are fortunate enough to have the right education and connections? In Ashley Hall’s essay, she talks about how she goes through different summer jobs, and ends up coming to the conclusion that there is no point in having one. Though she found out that summer jobs are tedious, she was able to get employed to multiple jobs easily. She states “…I’ve had many summer jobs,” but if that were someone who was less privileged than her it might not have been that simple (102). Teens that have parents that are employed are more prone to getting employed themselves because they have the background knowledge, and resources that can help them be successful. However lower-class teenagers try and get jobs that are low paying or have no life skills, for example McDonalds, Taco Bell or even some clothing stores. Etzioni writes in his story that “some say that while these jobs are rather unsuited for college-bound, white, middle-class youngsters, they are “ideal” for low-class, “non-academic,” minority youngsters” (317). These types of jobs that are unsuited for white, middle-class, and college-bound teens because many of these teens have been properly educated to know what good jobs are out there and how they should go about pursuing them. Socioeconomic status has a lot to do with the working environment, and which people get which jobs. There jobs may not be that great but they are still getting paid.

Some critics say many “minorities are “over-represented” in these jobs (21 percent of fast-food employees). While it is true that these places provided income, work and even some training to such youngsters, they also tend to perpetuate their disadvantaged status” (317). As society may know many minorities do work in many of the fast restaurants, but in the end they are still receiving an income. The income they receive may not be much but it is enough to support them in some way.  Others may say that because underprivileged teens have more drive to try and get a job, that they have a better chance succeeded then the rest. However, there is always going to be that status that these careers are suited for the less privileged. Without the proper knowledge or help minorities are always going to be trapped in working in these jobs.

Under-privileged teens are less capable to getting well-paid jobs and are sometimes left working at low-wage and unskillful companies compared to other well-off teens.  Many of the unskilled jobs are held by less fortunate teens who are trying to survive. These teens are all most always uneducated, and do not have the right resources to be able to get a well paying job. Additionally, they are left to work at these restaurants for years because they have not learned anything that can help them get employed anywhere else. They do receive an income however; they could be getting a greater income if they could get a proficient job. Nevertheless, being a minority and working in such a job is part of societies norm and will take time and effort to help these teens to be on the right path.

Works Cited

“Black Teens Jobless 6 Times the National Rate.” New Pittsburgh Courier, 2006: B5. ProQuest. Web. 31 Jan. 2012.

Etzioni, Amitai. “Working at McDonalds.” Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric and Reader. Ed. Sarah E. Skwire and David Skwire. Lyn Uhl. 315-319. Print.

Hall, Ashley. “Student Essay: Broke and Bored: The Summer Job.” Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric and Reader. Ed. Sarah E. Skwire and David Skwire. Lyn Uhl. 315-319. Print.

Lerman, Robert. “Are Teens in Low-Income and Welfare Families Working Too Much?” The Urban Institute/Research of Records. Urban Institute, 1 Nov. 2000. Web. 31 Jan. 2012.

“Poverty in the United States.” National Poverty Center. Web. 31. Jan. 2012.