Being a tutor may not be for everyone

After years of relying on their parents, kids will reach a certain age where they're expected to start earning for themselves. The exact age differs based on their personal situations, but it's usually during their late teens. This is especially true if they're a student and have just begun university, as it supposedly marks their entrance into adulthood. So, they're encouraged to learn the importance of financial independence.

During this time, most people tend to gravitate towards tutoring. The reason for this is simple: it's a high-demand job, since parents for elementary to middle school students are always looking for tutors for their children, and it's also relatively easy to get into with decent grades.

But with almost every single student going into this, it begs the question of whether they are all equipped for it.

There is this preconceived notion that as long as someone is a good student, they're automatically going to be a good teacher as well, but that isn't always the case. To become a teacher, one needs to have a certain degree of empathy, patience, and be understanding of how a student's mind works.

This is not something they consider before venturing into the world of tutoring. So, when they actually get into it, they might find themselves becoming irritable, and wondering why they thought this was a good idea. If the pay is the only thing on their minds, then they end up staying back in this unhappy situation since they have a hard time letting go of this source of income.

Most people are not bestowed with the qualities needed to be a good tutor and usually have to learn to develop them with months, or even years, of practice. While these may be good skills to have, they might not be the best ones for their future career plan. If someone plans on joining the professional job market, or starting their own business, nurturing other abilities will help them more in the long run. They're better off investing their time and money into taking courses, or attending events that can develop the relevant skills further.

Even if someone is passionate about teaching, tutoring still might not be the best job for them. It's a very demanding profession, and they have to dedicate at least a few hours per week for their students. This isn't generally a problem if they're decent at managing their time, but it starts becoming an issue when exam week is creeping up on them, especially if it coincides with their students' exams. Parents will expect tutors to be available during then, which adds more pressure to an already stressful situation.

Compared to other available jobs for that age group — which are usually underpaid internships or volunteer work — the pay for tutoring jobs is on the higher end. While it can be argued that more students should aim for those instead since it helps build their resume, it might not be the most economic option for them at the moment. If their financial condition is dire, unpaid work isn't an option. Instead, more organisations should have better job opportunities for young adults, so that they can stop relying on tutoring as their only option.