I have worked various part-time jobs while juggling school and extracurricular activities since my freshman year of high school. Over the years I noticed more and more of my coworkers constantly texting throughout their shifts or just not showing up.

Why is it that people blow off their part-time jobs?

Sure, I do not aspire to work two minimum wage retail jobs for the rest of my life. Getting paid $8 an hour isn’t ideal, but the fact that I am getting paid to fold clothes is enough inspiration for me to work hard.

Some of the most popular jobs for students are those in retail and customer service, according to Daily Finance. The thought of working with people 24/7 may seem scary and irrelevant to your future career path, but these skills can be much more useful than you think.

I interviewed for a few public relations internships this semester and I expected the interviewers would mainly focus on what I could bring to the table as an intern. Instead, many commented on the fact that I have worked at both of my part-time jobs for years.

Something I was asked during my internship interviews was to tell a success story for each of my jobs. These stories did not exactly relate to things I would be doing as a public relations intern, but they still demonstrated hard work – and that is useful no matter where you aspire to work someday.

Before these interviews, I was proud of my accomplishments at both of my jobs, but never thought they would matter to someone in my future career field.

Maintaining a part-time job as a student shows employers strong work ethic and time management skills, according to Indiana University’s website.

Working diligently at a part-time job for 15 hours a week will not only impress current and future employers, but will also equip you with many skills you may not have gained otherwise.

Working a part-time job while keeping up with schoolwork allows students to prepare themselves for busy full-time jobs, according to Saddleback College’s website.

Last semester, I chose to transfer job locations to the Westfield Connecticut Post Mall so I could continue to make money while at school. Since I worked two or three shifts per week at Abercrombie & Fitch, I had to lay out every detail of my schedule to get my homework done on time.

Even though I was stressed when I first transferred stores, I found that I got my work done much more efficiently.

My academic schedule is much busier this semester, so I did not transfer back to the local mall. I thought this would allow me more time to commit to my schoolwork, but it has really just encouraged me to procrastinate more since I don’t have to work around my shifts.

That being said, it may be difficult for many students to juggle part-time jobs. Some students may not have cars or may value their sleep more than I do.

Working part-time during the academic year is not for everyone. However, if you have a summer job, don’t just stand around texting during your five hour shift.

Folding clothes and scooping ice cream are not the most thrilling of jobs, but they are tools to build strong work ethic and responsibility. Even if you think there’s no use in maintaining a part-time job, someone will recognize your hard work when it matters most.