Growing up is something all of us have wanted to do since we were little kids, and now that we are in that period of our lives, our opportunities are endless.

When you finally blow out the sixteen candles on your birthday cake, everything changes for you. You get to run off to the DMV and get that driver’s permit everyone around you has been getting, you can go out and get a boring minimum wage job that you’ll be excited about anyway, and many other things.

When you turn sixteen, your life becomes a series of opportunities you should start to take advantage of.

When you first realize getting a job is a smart way to go, there’s a whole new process full of paperwork, job applications, and hand-shaking that no one really ever prepared you for.

For the first time you are looked at as an adult. So much so that you are put in a room with hard working people who are primarily there to judge your character. Yeah, people can judge you professionally now.

Don’t let me fool you; there are a few daunting aspects, but once you leave that interview and find out you got the job, there is a sense of pride attached to that. Finally, you’re a part of paying the seemingly unnecessary taxes just like everyone else.

Choosing your first job often gets a bad rap. Most people say that your first job will be boring and there will be no enjoyment from it. That is not always true. Your first job can and will create so many unforgettable experiences for you to use in the future.

When it comes time to start job searching, know your strengths. Keep in mind that this isn’t a career, so don’t think of those kind of strengths but the strengths regarding your personality.

If you aren’t very good at talking to other people, maybe a customer service job isn’t the greatest option for you. At the same time, this job is an opportunity to challenge yourself and to see what you as a person can achieve by yourself.

Base your job choice off of your strengths, and there’s a good chance you might actually appreciate it. Don’t go into it thinking negative thoughts about how much you’re going to dread it. Go into your mediocre job with a positive attitude; believe me, it can make a night and day difference.

With a job comes a paycheck and with a paycheck comes a whole other world of responsibility. Budgeting for some college money, gas money, and maybe even a car. That is a whole other story for another time.

When you turn sixteen and get the job your parents have been bugging you about, that job could turn into the best chance you ever got to push yourself into the world of adulthood. Make sure you take that chance and run with it.