Should I get a job during school?

Hi Jeffrey!

I think that it's great that you want to get a job during school. To answer the question "Should I get a job?" I would recommend not having a job for your first (and maybe second) semesters so that you can get a feel for the workload of your school. Ask yourself what you do in your free time and if you could see yourself spending that time at a job instead of studying more or spending time with friends. After the first semester or two, if you feel like you can balance a job with schoolwork, then I would say go for it!

As a rising junior in college, I have been employed in several ways during my time in school:

1. I have been a resident adviser (RA - I think some schools use the term "resident assistant") for a full year now. An RA is essentially a representative of the school in student dorms, meant to foster a welcoming community while enforcing the rules of the university. The compensation for being an RA varies by school (for me, the cost of room and board were waived, which helped me out a lot financially). Being an RA can be challenging at times but I find it incredibly rewarding, especially if you enjoy getting to know people and planning events. If this sounds like something you would be interested in I would definitely recommend looking into being an RA at the school you attend.
2. In addition to being an RA, I have also been a teaching assistant (TA) for an intro-level engineering class. TAs tend to get paid fairly well for their work, which consists of holding office hours, grading papers, and maybe helping out the professor during class time. It's also a great way to solidify your knowledge base in a class that you've previously taken. If you enjoy helping students understand class material, this would be a wonderful job for you to consider.
3. If you are considering being a research assistant, some labs will pay you for the work that you do, and it can be another way to get income while getting in-depth knowledge about your field.
4. I have several friends who work retail during the school year and still manage to do very well in schoolwork! I've seen them work in coffee shops and school buildings and as tour guides. If there is an office in school that you would like to work in (e.g. the counselling office, a medical office, etc), then I encourage you to go there and inquire about student employment opportunities.
5. I've heard of other schools having co-op programs (my school sadly does not), but it is a way for you to get industry experience at a company (and get paid for it!) while taking classes at school. This definitely requires a great mastery of time management, however, as well as proximity of the job to your school. This is just something else that I hope will help you in your decision-making process.

I hope that this helps. If you decide that having a job during the school year is too much to handle, then there is always the possibility of taking on a summer job, whether in retail or in a paid internship. Don't be afraid to look for jobs that you would genuinely like to do and not just what you feel like you're most qualified for; I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how many doors will open for you if you just ask!

I wish you the best of luck!!