Olivia Long

Laura Bornhoevd, a Carlmont sophomore working at Waterdog Tavern, runs a Brownie a la Mode to a table downstairs. She said, “I love the atmosphere and the people who work at Waterdog. Everyone is super helpful and supportive.”

Getting and maintaining a job as a high school student is no easy task, but many Carlmont students are braving this territory.

It’s great to develop work experience and earn money. Still, it can be tricky to manage time wisely, especially with the responsibility that comes with holding a job. However, employed Carlmont students have a routine to juggle schoolwork and professional work successfully.

“Make a schedule, and plan out when you’re going to do your homework,” Carlmont junior Amanda Fraser said.

Fraser started working at the Starbucks in Carlmont Shopping Center two months ago. She was driven to apply after a friend working at the Burlingame Starbucks told her that it was a great job. Fraser commented that her application process was pretty simple—she applied for the job online, attended a Zoom interview, was given three days of training, and then started work.  Fraser loves whipping together drinks for customers at Starbucks.

Lanie Mann’s application experience was similar to Fraser’s. Mann, a sophomore at Carlmont, works at Waterdog Tavern as a food runner and table busser. 

“[Getting the job] was actually really easy. I applied, I had a short interview, then I started training,” Mann said.

Mann has also had many challenges while working.

“I like seeing the different people, but sometimes they’re really difficult to please,” she explained. “This one lady changed her order seven times on some shrimp ceviche. It was terrible, and [Chef] Nick was very angry.”

However, Mann is grateful to have her job.

One of the great things about having a job as a student is having financial freedom,” Mann added. “I shop a lot, and shopping is motivation. It makes my job seem fun because I can look forward to that reward.”

Mann’s motivation is similar to Victoria Yazykova’s, whose favorite thing about her job is “getting paid.” Yazykova, a Carlmont sophomore, works at Kumon, where she grades kids’ math homework.

To students looking for jobs, she suggests making a great first impression.

“You have to be really overly nice. And don’t dress like a hooker; wear something appropriate. Maybe a tuxedo,” Yazykova jokingly said.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Carlmont sophomore Laura Bornhoevd and senior Carolyn Schnitz drop off food for customers at table 21 at Waterdog Tavern.