A significant number of students at Ballard work a part time job, picking up shifts either after school or on weekends. While it can be difficult to balance school and work, working as a high school student can have many benefits. For example, many find that their time management and communication skills improve from working. Additionally, working allows students to begin saving money for their future education or housing. It makes sense why someone at Ballard would want to pick up a job, but it can often be tricky to find a job that aligns with your schedule, skills, and preferred environment. So, a couple Ballard students are sharing their experiences working at different places around the community.
Outback Steakhouse
Senior Katey Buzkiewicz shares her experience working at Outback Stakehouse.
As a hostess at Outback, Katey is always on her feet. “The best part is definitely the fast-paced environment. I love fast-paced environments because it keeps me on my toes and helps me get my steps in.” She also describes Outback as an enjoyable place to work because “everyone there is really nice. Literally everyone is so nice and so supportive and it’s a fun place to work.” She would most definitely recommend the job to other students.
The application and hiring process of Outback consists of an online application and multiple interviews. “I had to get together a resume and then I had to fill out this thing online. We had the first interview and then a secondary interview, like with the main manager who owns the whole establishment.”
You can apply through Outback’s application portal here.
Five Below
Senior Ava Armstrong works at Five Below.
Five Below can be a good job for students looking to ease into the world of working. Ava assesses it as a short-term job. “I would recommend it as a starting job, but not something you stay in for more than a year” However, Ava has been working at Five Below since November of last year. Like any job, there are both good parts and bad. Despite some trouble with managers, Ava still enjoys “seeing the little kids that love to come to our store.”
If you’re looking to be hired quickly, Five Below is definitely the place to go. Ava remembers how “I applied online, I got an interview almost immediately, and I started the next week.”
You can apply through Five Below’s application portal here.
Hobby Lobby
Senior Safi Fofana has been working at Hobby Lobby for over a year now.
Safi is a regular cashier at Hobby Lobby and has had an overall positive experience working there. “I feel like it’s a good first job, you know to cashier it’s pretty chill. I feel like I would recommend it.” Safi describes that the job “isn’t that hard to do”, and may be a good choice for those without previous experience. However, working at Hobby Lobby is a time commitment and does require endurance. “The worst part is probably that the shifts sometimes start to feel long and sometimes people can be a lot. Like the customers.”
Hobby Lobby’s application process includes an online component and an interview. “I chose to apply online and created a resume and also a cover letter and I attached that to the online application. After about a week I called in and got an interview and I was hired.”
You can apply through Hobby Lobby’s application portal here.
