The main downside to working as an usher is that you aren’t always able to control your hours because when you work often depends on when events occur. At large universities, however, events happen nearly every day. So, you can typically pick and choose events that fit around your class schedule. Be prepared, though, to work weekend nights!
Best part time jobs for college students
As a college student, you need money to help pay for school, books, housing, and food. But, with a busy class schedule, it’s nearly impossible to manage a full-time job. That’s why it is crucial to find part-time work that you enjoy, pays well, and fits in conjunction with your classes and schoolwork.
Most of the time, you can apply for a dining hall job on your college or university’s website by searching “student employment” or “student jobs.” At some dining halls, you’ll be able to pick your preferred position, such as a dishwasher, pizza chef, or food prepper, for example. Most institutions also ask for students’ class schedules so that you never get booked to work a shift during class time.
Dining halls are almost always in need of more employees, and you won’t usually need any experience to be hired. Training doesn’t typically take more than a few hours, and all of the work is generally easy to do.
2. On-campus barista
If you’re a coffee lover and a people person, you might want to consider becoming a barista. Many colleges and universities hire students to work at campus cafes. Your shifts will be spent mixing fancy coffee drinks and interacting with fellow students and professors who swing by for a quick pick-me-up.
One of the best parts about becoming an on-campus barista is that you’ll learn valuable skills that may help you land service jobs in the future. Also, because the job is offered through your school, you’ll be able to work hours that fit with your class schedule.
You can find and apply for campus barista jobs on your college or university’s website. However, these jobs are often some of the most competitive on-campus positions because so many students apply for them. While you don’t typically need any prior experience to be hired, there may be a waitlist.
6 Jobs You Can Do On-Campus
If you want to start earning money quickly, getting an on-campus job can be a smart approach. Schools almost always have open positions, and you’ll have a pretty reliable schedule you can count on. If you fill out the FAFSA early, you may even qualify for work-study positions which will help offset your tuition costs. Six positions you may not have thought of include:
Campus tour guide
While colleges tend to have their own security teams and trained officers, they often hire students to do extra patrols of the ground and buildings. Or, they’ll hire students to check IDs at dorm or building entryways. Members of the student security team look for anything out of the ordinary and alert officers if there’s a problem.
Tutor
Most colleges have learning centers that offer to tutor students. If you excel in a particular subject — such as calculus or psychology — you can tutor your fellow students on your own schedule, helping them get through those courses with a passing grade.
Similarly, if you’re a skilled writer, you can help your fellow students with their papers. Many schools have writing centers that help students develop a thesis statement, build out an outline, and understand MLA, APA, or Chicago Manual styles.
Fitness instructor or lifeguard
Many college campuses have a gym or fitness center that is staffed primarily by students. If you aren’t already a certified lifeguard or yoga instructor, you could always apply to work at the front desk. One of the perks of working at a gym could be free classes!
Dining services
Nearly every campus has cafeterias on-site, and most of them rely on student workers to prepare and serve food. These jobs tend to be some of the easiest to come by, as there is a constant demand for workers.
Department assistant
One of my best school jobs was working as a building or administrative assistant. I signed out equipment to students and checked on the facilities from time to time, but most of the job was just sitting around. I was basically paid to do my homework.
Many departments will have openings for assistants or lab assistants that sign out equipment, offer help to students, or simply man the department front desk. Check with your department head to see if there are any openings.
Resident assistant
If you’re willing to make a serious time commitment, working as a resident assistant (RA) can be a great job. It’s a demanding role; you frequently have to attend weekly meetings, have set “office hours”, and be available to residents all day. As a tradeoff, you frequently get free or discounted room and board as compensation.
5 Jobs You Can Do Off-Campus
Babysitter
Being a babysitter can be a widely varied job description, from one-time events to cover date night, to reoccurring jobs after school every day, to live-in caregiver. Many parents near your school might be looking for a responsible babysitter, especially those majoring in education, pre-med, or special education. While you might be able to find babysitting gigs through campus message boards or community members, you might also want to sign up for an online job board like Care.com.
Barista
Working in a coffee shop can be done both on- or off-campus, depending on where your school is located. Working in a coffee shop is also a great experience because you can apply this skill in any city in America after graduation for income stability while searching for the right career.
Sales associate
Many high school students get their first minimum wage paycheck by working in retail, but this can also be a flexible option for college students looking to juggle classwork and bills. There can also be an opportunity to be a shift-lead or store manager if you excel in retail.
Dog walker
A great way to stay active while also making some extra cash is to sign up to be a dog worker. Generally, pets have a much more flexible schedule than children, so you will have a window of time when you need to take them out during the day while the owner is out. You could also consider signing up as a pet sitter if you have been missing your dog or cat while living in the dorm. There are studies showing that pets can help relieve stress around finals season, so you may even consider this an investment in your health and savings.
Drive for Uber or Lyft
Looking for extra cash on your own time and have a car? College campuses can be a great place to drive for a rideshare service during peak hours. You could also look for carpool organizations on campus if you have a long drive home over the holidays and could use extra gas money.
Data entry
Data entry might not be the best paying part-time job for college students, but it is the easiest gig to pull off. If you cannot think of any exceptional skills, you might have, or if you don’t want to take up any high-responsibility part-time jobs, then a part-time data entry job is the way for you.
Many companies hire data entry interns to document information from various sources like files, meetings, etc.
It’s so simple that you can just carry it out from your dorm room and submit your work online. It’s recommended that you conduct all this business on online platforms to ensure safe payments and good quality of work.
Key takeaways
- Yes, getting one of the best-paying part-time jobs will help you offset your expenses. But imagine working part-time in a field relevant to the course you are studying! That will also help you increase your prospects of getting a job after graduation. So why not go for it?
- It’s easy to believe that getting a part-time job is easy. But a good profile and some previous experience in the field will greatly improve your chances of bagging a part-time job.
- One of the key things you should focus on while working part-time is networking. Meet people, build connections, and surround yourself with people who will always help you with your career.
- If you don’t get a part-time job, don’t worry. There are many more ways of managing finances as an international student, like scholarships, graduate or teaching assistantships, loans, etc.
- Lastly, if you feel stuck or have any doubts, please reach out to us or drop a comment below. We’d be very happy to help!
Answer: As a matter of fact, many organizations look for candidates who have some experience working in the industry. It shows your passion and willingness to learn. So yes, having an experience in part-time jobs counts when applying for a full-time job.
Answer: As part-time jobs are for students, it is quintessential to consider your schedule while applying. You have to keep your college timings, assignments, and other such factors in mind while applying for part-time jobs.
Sources:
https://www.tun.com/blog/15-best-part-time-jobs-for-college-students/
https://www.earnest.com/blog/best-jobs-for-college-students/
https://ischoolconnect.com/blog/10-best-paying-part-time-jobs-for-college-students/