Part-Time Work for Students

By Chase Pattison on December 27, 2010

Kelly
University of Oregon

 

The post comes from our partners at USA Today College. Read more great posts in their blog.

While roaming campuses across the country, thousands of college students carry more than just a five-pound bag of textbooks. In addition to their daily luggage and stress, they walk to and from class bearing the burden of financial pressure. Last time I checked, I don’t have a classmate who has a tree leafing hundred dollar bills in their back yard labeled “college savings.”

In 2006, USA Today and the National Endowment for Financial Education learned 60 percent of college students experience financial pressures that are greater than the financial pressures of previous generations. With these numbers rising, the struggle of finding a way to avoid debilitating debt continues.

The quick option most students take to handle their money woes is to work. And work. And work. The problem with this is that time serving tables, making coffee, or sitting behind a reception desk takes away from the time students should spend on their degree. As a current student myself, I never thought working part time to cover most of my expenses would cause a problem for me.

I was wrong.

I have dedicated myself daily to both school and work. This choice has left me barely above average in all my classes. So, what’s the solution for hardworking students like me?

Students who have done their best to pay the bills, take out as few loans as possible, and keep grades up need an alternative way of setting their resumes apart from their 4.0 classmates.
The answer I’ve come up with uses three essential things: create a personal brand, do your best to network and—if you have to have job while in school—choose the right one.

1. Creating a personal brand:

It is important to develop a professional identity that makes you marketable and stand out against your competition. How do you do this? Embrace social media– networking or blogging sites such as Twitter, Tumblr, and WordPress. Facebook does not count. (It just doesn’t.)

Find a niche. Find something that speaks for you, and hopefully it will be something you love discussing that others will find interesting. It can be related to your major, a thought of the day, or even related to something as simple as a hobby. No ranting, please. After you have found your place in the web realm, post and post a lot. But do not over share, you twitter-ers. You know who you are.

Including your personality in this form of media is crucial! Creating a personal brand through social networking is the way you can demonstrate your passion, personality, and potential.

2. Network:

Introduce yourself to everyone. By everyone, I mean everyone. This means the businessman sitting next you on the way home from spring break in Mexico, or the professional you make small talk with while waiting for your coffee at Starbucks.

3. A job that fits:

If you have to work through school it’s important to find a workplace that provides you with room for growth. Internships are fantastic, but unless they’re paid, they financially may not be an option
The right job on your resume can be just as beneficial.

If you’re studying advertising or marketing, find a job in sales, for example. Once you’ve found a job that fits, create your own growth and opportunity. Ask your superiors how you can help. If they don’t offer anything, pitch them ideas that can give you more experience. Not only will this add to experience, but it’s a great way to makeshift your own growth in a struggling economy.

With a little creative thinking it is possible to turn the financial challenges of college into opportunity by building new experiences, networking, and your potential will boundless.


Kelly is a contributing writer for USA TODAY Education. She attends the University of Oregon.

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