My son has his first job this summer. He is a dishwasher at a sleep away camp. It is a tough job and it came with a tough boss.
For the first couple of weeks, he was lonely and tired and frankly, ready to quit.
I am happy (and relieved) to report that he is, in his own words, going to stick it out.
Here is what he has figured out so far:
- Having a cute teller deposit your first pay cheque is cool
- Being able to buy stuff that your parents won’t is nice
- Dishes don’t get homesick or wet the bed
- You can use your non-working time to do stuff with your friends.
- A tough boss is only tough when you are at work. It is possible to have fun in the other parts of your life.
- A good night’s sleep always makes you feel better.
That’s quite a bit to learn at 17. Many of these things did not gel for me until I was in my thirties and forties so kudos to him for getting through it.
I don’t know whether this experience will give him a leg up on having a successful career but I am pretty sure he will never be a dishwasher again.
Recruiter's Couch 
Congratulations to your son, for sticking it out. And congratulations to his parents for pointing out the advantages of sticking with a tough job. All excellent experience for this game of life.