By April Pickens, Student Intern
In addition to taking eighteen credit hours (six classes), I work three jobs and have an internship. Some may say I’m crazy, and to that, I tend to agree. But I also just like to be busy. At Purdue University, I work as the Co-Director and tour guide for the Group Visits team, I am an Office Assistant for the Introductory Composition program, and I also am working on an organization project for the Rhetorical Composition program as well.
One of the most frequently asked questions I get on my tours is about Student Employment. Where do you find it? How does it work into my school schedule? How is the pay? Will I have to work on weekends?
Let’s break down some of the most frequently asked questions.
- Do I have to have a job on campus? No, you don’t! If you would rather have a job at a department store, shop, restaurant or salon, you can definitely do that! There are no limits when finding a job. However, I will say to keep in mind that the jobs on campus will work with your school schedule and are understanding about the need to change your schedule each semester. That might be a little different for an off-campus job.
- If I want an on-campus job, does that mean that I can only work in the Dining Courts? No again! There are many, many different jobs on campus- as I said, I work as a tour guide and an office assistant. Most schools will have an online site where you can search for job openings, and some will even send out emails looking for recruits. It’s also always a good idea to keep your ears open; I found out about the Office Assistant position by word of mouth, and in a few days I was in for an interview!
- Will working impact my time to study? Perhaps. Like with any job, you have a certain number of hours to work. Most jobs are usually pretty flexible with your schedule, as long as you work the hours you are responsible for and do the work they need you to do. Ultimately, it falls upon you to schedule and spend your time wisely.
- Do I have to have a job while I’m in college? You definitely don’t have to; however, you can get a lot of great experience and make some great connections while working in college. Most students do choose to work, though. A 2015 study done at Georgetown University reports that over the past 25 years, 70% of students choose to work while they take college classes. This number has increased as the years have gone on, and as enrollment has expanded.
- What are some benefits of working while in college? Of course, the money is nice. Building your network can help you in your job searches in the future, either as references or by sending job descriptions and applications your way. These jobs are also a great way to earn experience to put on your resume; a ton of jobs want their applicants to have experience working in service jobs or working around people. Some examples of using these on your resume would be “teamwork”, “management skills”, or “developed leadership skills”.
Additional resources:
Understanding and Calculating the Total Cost of College – Guide (free download)