In every student’s life, there comes a moment when you decide that you want your financial independence, to stop asking your parents for money and become a little more self-reliant. The first thing that comes to mind in this case, is a part-time job. Undoubtedly, a part-time job is a great way to gain experience, meet interesting new people, all the while earning some income.
Finding a job is certainly important, but studying should be the main priority for every student, because it helps you develop your knowledge and personality, to become a professional in a particular field. You need to ask yourself the following questions before starting to search for a part-time job, since they will help you find the options that work best for you and your future career:
- Money or experience?
Before looking for a part-time job, you need to determine your own motives for employment. Will you be working for money, or to gain experience for a future profession? If the financial part seems more important right now, then you can basically pick any job that meets your salary expectations. For example, positions in administrative staff, which imply flexible working hours, positions in public services or work on temporary projects. If on the other hand you prefer gaining experience for career development, then you need to identify the industries and occupations that interest you the most, which brings us to the next question.
- How can a part-time job help my career?
If you want your part-time job to help you with your future profession and career, then it is advisable to consider an internship, of which there are plenty available in almost any industry. However, in this case, you need to be prepared for the fact that salaries for internships are usually rather low. On the upside, internships provide you with opportunities to acquire professional skills and experience, and perhaps even receive offers for prestigious jobs, once you graduate.
- Can I combine my work and my studies?
You need to objectively estimate whether your job will interfere with your studies. We believe that studying should always be your top priority. As a rule, during the first year of college it is rather difficult for students to combine working and studying. You should use the first year to adapt to the new reality and start a part-time job in the second year – this way, it will be much easier to evaluate your personal resources and create a viable schedule. As a freshman student, you are better off working during your summer break.
- How can a part-time job help me self-identify?
It is quite common for third- and fourth-year students to be plagued by doubts: have I chosen the right degree, am I ready to devote my whole professional life to this occupation? You cannot possibly know the answer unless you try your hand at working. Summer internships are optimal for solving this puzzle, since the need to combine work and study can affect the objectivity of your perception. After working for a couple of months, you will be ready to confirm or dispel your own doubts.
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of a part-time job?
We recommend you create a list by writing down all the disadvantages and advantages of a particular part-time job, in order to evaluate whether it is worth the effort. You need to understand, that even part-time jobs require you to use your most valuable resource – time. Same as with any allocated resource, you need to estimate your ROI (Return On Investment). Perhaps the time required for this part-time job can be better spent elsewhere. Or perhaps the perceived ROI will be so great, that it will determine you to switch to full-time employment somewhere along the way.
- Can a part-time job help me build connections?
While many students are unaware of the importance of making business connections and relationships, they can be instrumental in building and empowering your career. Take a closer look at the company and role that you are looking to apply for, and think about the kind of people that you might meet there. Pick the part-time job where you are more likely to meet people of interest and communicate with them. This way, you will be able to establish contacts that can change your life in the future.
- How can I find a job with a more flexible work schedule?
As a student, you need to devote a lot of time for studying. This means that you should be looking for part-time jobs with the most flexible schedules. In this regard, try turning your attention towards online work. There are literally tens of thousands of vacancies which will allow you to work remotely. This will enable you to allocate more time for your studies.