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Finding a Job While in College

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From books to football games, a little extra cash will help you sustain your college career. The reality is that working through college has become increasingly difficult as the demands of being a student increase. Approximately 78% of college students work an average of 30 hours a week while enrolled in school. An amazing 25% of students also attend full-time while holding full-time jobs. We know that this is not a reality for a lot of students, but part-time jobs are also available.

The combination of scholarships, student loans, and a part-time job will help most students get through their 4 years (or more). A part-time job will not only help you earn some money, but it could also help boost your resume. You want to be building good relationships with different people you might approach as references in the future.

For example, you may hold a retail job that may not initially seem relevant to your major. But your manager will see you develop and use skills of communication, team building skills, and customer service. All of these traits are universal in whatever career path you choose. And your future manager will rely heavily on a previous manager’s assessment of these skills. A job is never just a job, so always give it your best whether you’re working full or part-time!

There may be other benefits as well.  Many jobs, depending on your hours, will help you with insurance. Student insurance can get tricky sometimes so having a job that provides that can help.

Tips to Finding a Job in College

The hard part about finding a job in college is actually finding a job. At this point you probably don’t have much experience nor can you work for too many hours. Companies love flexible employees, but there are ways to find a job that can work with your schedule.

  1. Check Your School’s Website: Most colleges and universities have tons of resources to help students find employment. Usually, the section on the website is titled something like “Career Services” or “Career Center.”
  2. Network, network, network!: Talk to your friends who are working. Ask if their company is hiring. Ask your parents if they have any friends in the city where you are going to school that can help you find a job. Post your job interests on social media and see if any friends can help you connect with a job. You have a larger network than you think! Here is a great resource on networking.
  3. Work a Seasonal Shift: Many companies, especially sales, will hire seasonally. Know you’ll be around for the holidays? Without school in the picture, you can work more hours and just for the seasonal period while school is out. This is a good way to save some money before cutting work hours for school.
  4. Consider an Internship: If your shallow resume is causing you to have a difficult time finding a job, consider an internship. Most internships don’t pay as well as a job (if at all) but it is the perfect way to build your resume. Find a company or program that matches your career path and ask them about internship opportunities.
  5. Check Online Resources: There are tons of website resources like indeed.com or livecareer.com that will filter out jobs that match what you’re looking for. They even have tools that will help you build your resume! Most companies are posting their job vacancies on these sites so keep refreshing that tab or have the website alert you!

Ready to start your journey?

Ready to start your journey?