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Should you take a part time job while attending College?
I'm planning to take a part-time job in the summer but I'm wondering if I should continue to work during the first semester of collge. #first-job #employment
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13 answers
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Jim’s Answer
Of course it's nice to have a little extra money to spend while in college, so with that I'd say getting a part-time job might be a good idea. It also allows you to meet people. That being said, school/grades come first. If you are not able to be consistent with keeping up with your grades, better to focus on school, and not worry about the part-time job.
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Doc’s Answer
Chris it might seem difficult, but if you approach the job-hunting (and job-having) process intelligently, you'll be able to succeed in both roles without going too crazy. The main challenge will be scheduling - making sure you can do what you need to do for both work and school without driving yourself crazy. I suggest your priorty should be school, both since you're paying for it and since poor performance in your class can have serious impact down the line. That choice means taking classes that might overlap with your work schedule because you need those specific credits to graduate. It means not picking up a double shift the weekend before midterms.
Being up-front about your schedule and student status is a good policy. If it's going to be a problem for your employer, it's better they know before you come to rely on the job. It's just not worth the effort of trying to hide something as major as the fact that you're a student. Having an employer who is understanding, or even sympathetic, of this fact is going to be useful if, say, you need to take a week off for midterms or if you'd like more hours during a break. Getting caught doing homework at work can be a one-way ticket to a firing. Unless you get spectacularly lucky and find a job and employer that permit you to do other work while you're on the clock, you should make sure you aren't bringing your school life into your work life. That break from education might be welcome, anyway. And of course, we don't need to tell you that working on stuff for your job during a lecture or class isn't a very smart use of your time.
Sure, any job can occasionally be tedious and unpleasant. However, if you land a job that brings you at least some sort of fun and also stimulates you most of the time, your hours at work will fly by without even noticing it. Plus, you’ll boost your overall levels of energy and happiness. Even more important, if you can find employment in the industry that you’d like to enter after graduation, you could make lasting professional connections. With that in mind, it makes sense to search the Internet for exciting opportunities near your campus and to get assistance from your school’s office of career counseling. Take your time, and cast a wide net so that you won’t have to settle for a job that’s less than satisfying.
Hope this is helpful Chris
Being up-front about your schedule and student status is a good policy. If it's going to be a problem for your employer, it's better they know before you come to rely on the job. It's just not worth the effort of trying to hide something as major as the fact that you're a student. Having an employer who is understanding, or even sympathetic, of this fact is going to be useful if, say, you need to take a week off for midterms or if you'd like more hours during a break. Getting caught doing homework at work can be a one-way ticket to a firing. Unless you get spectacularly lucky and find a job and employer that permit you to do other work while you're on the clock, you should make sure you aren't bringing your school life into your work life. That break from education might be welcome, anyway. And of course, we don't need to tell you that working on stuff for your job during a lecture or class isn't a very smart use of your time.
Sure, any job can occasionally be tedious and unpleasant. However, if you land a job that brings you at least some sort of fun and also stimulates you most of the time, your hours at work will fly by without even noticing it. Plus, you’ll boost your overall levels of energy and happiness. Even more important, if you can find employment in the industry that you’d like to enter after graduation, you could make lasting professional connections. With that in mind, it makes sense to search the Internet for exciting opportunities near your campus and to get assistance from your school’s office of career counseling. Take your time, and cast a wide net so that you won’t have to settle for a job that’s less than satisfying.
Hope this is helpful Chris
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Haven’s Answer
Students often face this question of "should I pick up a part-time when I'm in college?" It comes to whether students just want to focus on school alone, and not have to worry about work where it can feed into losing study time. College is tough, and from my experience, high school did not prepare for the rigorous academic work of college. That said, I worked 12 hours a week when I entered college. I worked during the evenings when I was done with classes, and it was manageable. When considering working a part-time job, consider whether you want an on-campus job or an off-campus job. For an on-campus job, they will work around you schedule and understand that as a student, you will have priorities for school. Furthermore, once you have a routine of your schedule like when to study, hang out friends, have time to yourself, etc., then you can see if you have extra time for work. My best advice is this: take your first semester slow, and see how your schedule works out. As a first-year, a lot of things will be thrown at you and you may be overwhelm. As a result, you shouldn't take up work as an added stressor. Once you have grasp of everything, whether it is halfway into the semester, or the next semester, then you can look into getting a job.
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John’s Answer
I worked part time during going to college. Was nice to have a few dollars for expenses. Takes up time so priority has to be on school and the job and minimize any other activities. If too much home work then you may have to cut the job, or if the boss increases your hours too much but you should have time to do both unless you're spending too much time on other activities. It also provides some working experience as well.
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Michelle’s Answer
If you are able to balance your work and school while maintaining a strong GPA, then absolutely. I was able to work a part time job while in college, and the experience helped to shape my future career. You learn so many great skills while working that will help you as you begin your career once you graduate . Ideally find a part time job that relates somewhat to your field of study as most job opportunities once you graduate will ask for "experience". If you can strategically balance your work and your studies, make the extra money and maximize on that opportunity.
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Sam’s Answer
I worked part-time in our computer labs. It was a great experience and it was always good to have a little extra money in my pocket for odds and ends. I would highly recommend it if you are good with your time management and prioritizing. I would not recommend taking too many hours as the main thing is your education. It's also good depending on your major finding a part-time job in that field for exposure.
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Vivek’s Answer
If you really need the extra money, yes try to balance both part time job and college. But in most scenarios, you will be working for a good 30 yrs of your life. and once you graduate and start working, you often find very little time for other activities. I would encourage spending any additional time you have in college on other activities like learning new skills, pursuing your interests, travelling to see new places. College time might be one of the best phases of life and there are so many options on what to do with your time.
Of course lot of this depends on your specific situation in life. Hope this helps provide some perspective.
Of course lot of this depends on your specific situation in life. Hope this helps provide some perspective.
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Hanouff’s Answer
This of course depends on the college you are planning to attend, how much time you need to study, do assignment and so on. You can keep the job for the first month and try to see if you can handle both without risking your grades. One thing to consider is that you will probably have less time to do any other activities. I used to work while in college for 2 years and it helped me a lot to develop as a person and learn more skills for work afterwards. You just need to have the discipline and you will be able to manage both. Good Luck!
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Eric’s Answer
Chris, I suggest that you lean on summer work for paying your way through college. But, having a part-time job while in school is certainly manageable, especially if you limit your credits to 12-14 per semester. If you know what you plan to major in then I suggest looking for opportunities to work for a company related to your desired profession. That experience will benefit you greatly.
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Yasemin’s Answer
Hi Chris! I actually worked during college, and I don't think it's too bad! It really matters about being responsible and making sure you have that work-college balance. I think finding campus jobs make it easier, if you still want extra income but don't want to commute too much. However, if you like your job then stick with it; having extra income is great during college! Just be sure to discuss with your employer about your school schedule and take time off when needed for exams!
Best of luck!
Best of luck!
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Austin’s Answer
Like many others here, I also held a part time job while I was studying in college. I actually found it beneficial since it forced me to manage my time better while also making a bit of money on the side. It's even more of a bonus if you find a job with some "downtime" where you may be able to study or work on homework.
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Cameron’s Answer
While in college, I think it would be best to prioritize your academics. However, if you believe you can balance working part-time while taking classes, then I think you should!
Of course, this depends on what kind of job you are working: do you have flexible hours? Will you need to commute from school to work? How easy would it be for you to find someone to cover your shift if you need to take some time to study for an exam?
You should also consider the types and rigor of the classes you will be taking: are they heavy in homework, projects, and exams? Will you be able to schedule your classes around your work?
Of course, this depends on what kind of job you are working: do you have flexible hours? Will you need to commute from school to work? How easy would it be for you to find someone to cover your shift if you need to take some time to study for an exam?
You should also consider the types and rigor of the classes you will be taking: are they heavy in homework, projects, and exams? Will you be able to schedule your classes around your work?
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Quinci’s Answer
Unless you need extra money I would just focus on school or instead of work try to find a internship that’s fits into your major so you can gain experience to apply for careers after you graduate from college.