College and University Blog
Student Jobs: 7 Benefits of Part-Time Jobs During College
Working during college is a necessity for many students but a voluntary decision for others. If you’re one of the fortunate few who doesn’t have to get a job in order to survive, you might want to anyway. Why? There are actually multiple benefits of part-time jobs during your college years, even if they aren’t glamorous or high paying. Read on to learn 7 advantages of student jobs…
1. Earn spending money.
Money is the obvious reason that people go to work, but earning your own spending money during college will definitely come in handy. A part-time job won’t pay enough to live on once you graduate and enter the real world, but for now it can help you pay for books, food, gas and occasional splurges. You can also start to build an after-college savings fund.
2. Learn how to budget your money.
It’s a lot tougher for most people to part with money that they worked to earn than it is to spend money that arrived in the mail courtesy of Mom and Dad or Grandma. When you have to wait tables on Saturday night to get that hundred bucks, you’ll ask yourself “Do I really need another pair of jeans, or are my other 12 pairs good enough for now?”
3. Improve your time management skills.
Going to classes, studying, and working makes for a busy schedule. Many part-time jobs are flexible, especially student jobs, but it’s still up to you to inform your manager when you can and cannot work. It will take a bit of effort to finish all of your projects and term papers in between shifts at the fast food restaurant and hanging out with your friends, but doing so will certainly help you improve your time management skills.
4. Receive paid training and have new experiences.
Although you’re paying to learn at school, you will get paid to learn at work! Once on-the-job training is over and you are a master at whatever it is you’re doing, you will still learn from all of your experiences—like teamwork and learning to deal with angry customers.
5. See how things run and watch management.
You won’t be allowed to run out and write a tell-all book about company policies and practices, but working somewhere gives you a first-hand look at how things run. You will also be able to observe different managers and their actions / reactions to employees and customers. You may even be able to practice your own leadership skills if you train other employees.
6. A job shows dedication and responsibility.
Having a job while you are a student will be a boost to your resume even if it’s not in your field of study. Working shows prospective employers that you’re dedicated and responsible. Students who have part-time jobs during college often tend to be more organized than their counterparts who do not work because they must learn how to manage their time.
7. Opportunities for networking.
Even if you don’t gain work experience in the career field you plan on entering after graduation, you never know who you might meet. There are opportunities for networking at any company.
There are other advantages to working part-time during college in addition to those listed above, but keep things in perspective. College should still remain one of your top priorities. If you find that you are so busy your grades start falling or you begin getting sick because you don’t have time to eat healthy or exercise, it might be a good idea to cut back on work hours until the semester ends.
Did you know? StateUniversity.com is home to hundreds of unique career profiles that contain job descriptions, job duties, salary information, employment outlook and education/training requirements. Just visit careers.stateuniversity.com.
Melissa Rhone+
Melissa Rhone earned her Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of Tampa. She resides in the Tampa Bay area and enjoys writing about college, pop culture, and epilepsy awareness.