Photo by: greenforall.org
With rising tuition costs, book fees, and housing rates, many college students are finding themselves in need of money. And for those students who choose to go Greek, they can add membership dues, international dues, and additional fees to their growing list of expenses. While some students have parents who are willing to foot the bill, or a large trust fund set up by an aging grandparent, the rest of us choose to seek employment and get a job. Since juggling work with studying, classes, and a social life can be difficult for many to do, here are some suggested jobs that can make things just a little bit easier.
Campus Employment
While sometimes not the best jobs in the world, campus employment offers something that most other jobs can’t: flexibility. The University is aware that you are a student first and an employee second, most student employers take into account your class schedule and responsibilities. With many campus jobs, students have the flexibility of arranging their work schedule around their class schedule as well as a lighter work schedule during midterm and finals weeks. Student employees also often enjoy downtime at their campus job when they can study, catch up on their reading, or finish some homework. Additionally, campus employment is ideal as students can move easily and quickly between their workplace and classrooms.
The one downside to working on campus is the pay. Most student jobs pay minimum wage or slightly higher, and, unlike other jobs, wages and raises are usually non-negotiable. If you’re interested in a campus job, visit your university’s career center, go online to your university’s website, and keep an eye on the various job boards around campus. Also, don’t forget research work as some departments pay their research assistants and some student research positions are eligible for funding or grants.
Part-time to Full-time Employment
Seeing as your college job should prepare you for full-time employment once you graduate, having a job with full-time potential can save you time and give you valuable work experience. Part-time to full-time employment is pretty common now as many companies find it easier and more efficient to promote within than hire from outside the team. Hiring from within not only saves money and HR time, but it also saves training time as a part-time employee will already know the ins and outs of the company (or at least of their specific responsibilities).
If you’re looking for a part-time to full-time job, try looking for jobs that could easily translate to a career position. For example, waitressing has a high turnover rate (frequently hiring new employees), and, while there may be the opportunity to advance to manager, is not generally considered a part-time to full-time job. Most students who waitress in college move on to other career opportunities once they graduate. On the other hand, a student working part-time as an account or client manager will often stay on with the company after graduation or at least be offered the option of full-time employment. This is a prime example of part-time to full-time employment. If you already have a job and are not sure about your post-graduation options, speak with your boss or Human Resources department. They should be able to explain the standard company policy and what normally happens for employees who are recent graduates.
Internships
In our minds, internships are probably one of the best jobs you can find while in college. Not only do internships allow you to work in a field that you’re interested in (possibly related to your major of study) and provide a flexible schedule that works around your school schedule, but they also give you specific hands-on training. Internships are readily available in just about every industry you can think of. If you’re interested in non-profit work, consider an internship with the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, or the Alzheimer’s Association. Pre-law students should consider interning with a private law firm or their local district attorney’s office, and engineering students should look into internships with companies like Boeing and Raytheon, or government departments such as the Air Force or Army Corps. Of Engineers. Internships are also great as many companies tend to hire from their intern base, or offer a full-time position once the internship is completed.
The one downside to internships is the lack of pay. Many companies don’t provide monetary compensation for interns as the positions are generally part of an intern program who’s purpose is to provide practical experience to inexperienced individuals. Much like school, interns tend to learn knowledge and skills on the job rather than bringing these assets to the position. If you intend to look for an internship, don’t be surprised if there is no pay. However, don’t get down on yourself as there are a number of intern programs that provide pay for their interns. Internship pay tends to vary and can range from a small stipend or minimum wage to a competitive hourly rate or salary. If money is an issue for you, be sure to check if an internship is paid or not, and what the pay is. Finally, remember that internships are meant as learning experiences. Interns learn occupational demands and responsibilities first hand, and deal with real-time situations, problems, and issues. If you really want to get real-world experience, an internship is one of the best ways to go.
Traditional College Jobs
If you’re just looking to generate an income, or find a job that’ll allow you to party on Thursdays and go to the beach after class, consider one of the more traditional college jobs. Traditional college jobs generally refer to employment in the food or clothing industries. This means flipping burgers, taking orders, running a cash register, or stocking shelves. Part-time jobs such as these are great for college students as they generally allow a flexible work schedule (or at least co-workers who are willing to trade or cover shifts), have little after-hours responsibilities (once you’re done for the day, you’re usually done), and pay moderately well (some performance-based sales jobs can pay very well). So if you’re not ready for a suit-and-tie job, or you’re not sure what you want to do, try one of these part-time jobs. If anything, you’ll gain work experience, get a reference from your boss, and earn a little extra spending money.
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