Part Time Jobs for the Discerning College Student

Part-time jobs are a large part of a college student’s life.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ There are twoÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½commodities most college students are short on, time and money. So how does a college student juggle their precious study time with the all-important need for money? Easy, choose a part-time job that gives you more than money. In this day of multi-tasking, why not make your job multi-task for you? Take it from a college student who worked at least one job at all times during her college career, make your part-time job work for you!

To help choose the most beneficial part-time job for your situation, you must ask yourself what do you need from your job time? Most students need more time to study. During college I worked part-time as a nanny for a 12-year-old girl. My responsibilities included picking her up everyday after school, which fit into my class schedule, and making sure she completed her homework and studied for upcoming tests. She was expected to complete these tasks before her parents arrived home from work. This not only gave me ample quiet time to study myself, but also encouraged me to study more.

Often we are completely independent from our parents while in college and lack that reminding parental force to study. My grades were never better than during this time and my stress levels were never lower. I made the deans list every semester I nannied and I never felt like I had to cram the night before an exam, because I was using my time wisely. One additional perk is the Christmas Bonus. Most parents will give their nannies a Christmas present of cash right before the holidays. This can help with your holiday shopping or that time where you may be at home with no part-time job during your winter break. It is also important to consider the age of the child and the expectations of the parents when undertaking a nanny job. Not all parents will encourage you to use the free time for yourself and not all children are so obedient to their parent’s wishes!

Choosing a part-time job that provides you with something you want, but can’t afford while you are a poor college student is another route to take. Often retail jobs come with some free perks or at least discounts on the items they sell. Most tanning bed salons allow employees to tan for free. So, that all-important tan before you go on spring break can be achieved without taking your last dime. Addicted to gourmet coffee drinks, but can’t afford $3.50 for your favorite latte everyday? Most coffee shop employees are given one free drink per shift. Get one on the way out the door from your shift and study away all night on your caffeine buzz! Got to have those pair of designer ripped jeans that average $150 a pair? Most retail clothing stores give employees a discount of anywhere from 10% to 30%, substantially cutting your costs. Most retail stores readily employ college students, so getting a part-time job even though you may not have any experience should not be a problem. It is a good way to build up your reputation as an employee and you might even have a boss who would serve as a good reference for you later in life.

If you don’t have a car and you are attending a college in a town with a severe lack of public transportation there are still options for you. Most colleges offer on campus part-time jobs to full time students. While the pay maybe less there are benefits. Location is the most obvious benefit. No driving across town and trying to find a parking space. Working in a field related to your interests is a major bonus. Consult your Dean of Student Life to find out what jobs are available to students. These jobs can vary from the Athletic Department to the English Department. Many of the jobs are involve working directly for a professor, which gives you a chance to begin networking, a skill that will be necessary through out the rest of your working life.

If you can’t find a part-time job in your specific area of interest try approaching a professor from that department. Often professors appreciate seeing the interest of students in their own choice of career and are willing to help establish a job or point students in a not so obvious direction that can lead to the same goal. While in college I was an art student. I was disappointed to learn there were no student jobs in the art department. With the help of generous professors I was pointed to the Athletic Department. They were looking for an artistic student to help with some of the many projects in their department. I received the opportunity to step out my box and meet new people. My network of people grew and I was treated royally because I was unique in their box.

Internships are also available on campus. An Internship, more often than not, is for providing growth and experience to a student in a certain field, rather than a chance to earn money. Students can check with their school about paying Internships. Some schools provide Internships that require a student to work a certain amount of hours a week and in return provide tuition relief. Working ten hours a week in the campus library during your college career can cut thousands of dollars off the tuition bill. Although these part-time jobs may not provide you with immediate money, they will make your purse strings less tight when it comes time to pay those student loans.

For those of you who need money and lots of it, there is one tried and true college part-time job: waiting tables. Yes, you can make money and sometimes lots of it. The key here is to not get sucked into the chance to make more and more money by working more and more hours. Stand firm with you schedule when the manager asks you if you can help out by working just one more shift. It us important to sit down and realistically ask yourself what your work schedule can be while still accommodating the hours of work you must put in being a student. There will be no chance to slip in a little reading in this job and you will come home with tired feet. Don’t forget your goal is school. After all of those factors are considered, waiting tables can be a lucrative opportunity for students. Choose a restaurant that fits your schedule. If you are a morning person, try a restaurant that is open for breakfast. If you must be in bed by midnight, why not try a family style restaurant that closes early. At the very least you can choose the restaurant based on what you like to eat. Most restaurants provide either a free meal per shift or a 50% discount to employees.

There are many opportunities out there for college students in the work force. Everyone remembers their college days in a blur of great memories. Use this to your advantage while you are out there part-time job searching. It never hurts to play up the starving and broke college student bit!