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HomeEducationStudents and TeachersHow to find a job when you are a college student

How to find a job when you are a college student

How to find a job when you are a college student
Photo by Polina Zimmerman: pexels

It can be quite challenging to get a part-time job for college students, especially if you’re just starting on campus and have no experience applying for jobs before. In fact, the challenge is twofold: on the one hand, you want to get a job while on the other you want to get a good job. So how do you find a job? Here are some tips to help you find a nice job while in college.

Be an Early Bird about it

You won’t be the only student looking for a job in college. Lots of other students will apply for the very same jobs you are targeting. That is why you should start working on the job hunting process as soon as you decide that you want a job. Try to send emails early before you apply, if that is possible. Talk to your potential employers and begin networking with them before you even get to campus for the semester.

Know how much money you want to make

This is an important step on how to find a new job. Take some time to draw up a budget, based on your needs, and find out how much money you need to make while on campus in order to finance that budget.

Once you have a budget in mind, you will be better placed to look for a job that helps you out with the right mix of time and pay. When I was in Uni, to help me make more time I got a service to help me do my assignment in the UK so I could balance work and school.

Look at the Listings

Once you know what to look for, the next step is to look at official listings. On-campus jobs have the major advantage that jobs are usually listed in a single place where everyone has access to them. It might be the financial aid office or the student employment office, depending on the school. Wherever it is, get there as soon as you can and find out what’s available before you start going from department to department checking to see if they’re hiring.

Network as much as you can

Networking can have a bad rep, depending on people’s past experience with it. When some people hear the word “network”, they immediately think of schmoozing, which is disgusting to many. However, that doesn’t have to be what networking is all about. Sometimes it’s all about talking to the people you know while socializing to find out if they know of any places where you can get a great job, such as a place they’ve worked before.

You can also network by being a generally friendly person at major events and trying to be as kind and helpful to as many people as possible. You never know when the good turn will be paid back.

Networking should be a lifestyle. I remember a friend I once had who was really good at it. People would ask “will you do my assignment?” And he would help them out and they would, in turn, help him find jobs.

Apply for Jobs

Applying for jobs on campus can be a little low-key, especially when compared to applying for jobs outside of campus. However, you still need to be as professional as you can when you make your application. Wherever you end up working on campus, you will probably, at one point or another, interact with either a high-ranking official on campus or someone from off campus. That is why it is important to maintain professionalism in order to give the school a good rep. Be on time for your interview, dress professionally, speak professionally, and write professionally.

Inquire about Time Lines

Some offices will hire you on the spot while others will require you to wait for a while before you get any feedback. There’s nothing wrong with asking how long you have to wait before you get any feedback. It shows that you’re proactive. Besides, since you’ll have applied to lots of jobs, you don’t want to let the others slip by while you wait on a specific one that wasn’t going to hire you anyway.

Conclusion

College can be quite a flurry of activity, especially at the beginning of the semester. However, by being a bit deliberate and smart with the job-hunting process, you can easily land a job that you like. That way not only do you get a little cash on the side but you also get to do something you like.

Author Bio

Elizabeth Skinner is a content writer with a focus on education and everyday life. She enjoys writing about social topics and different aspects of the human condition.

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