These are lean times, and while in the past it was not entirely uncommon for a few students to take part-time jobs to cover the cost of books or the cost of keeping up with their hard partying friends, now-a-days it seems like student jobs are all the rage. The downturn in the economy and the introduction of new fees has even forced students who previously never needed to work into work full time. Students who take their studies seriously effectively already have a job as they will be focusing nearly 100% of their time on studying, so the thought of adding another job on top of this can seem like a nightmare.
Before you even begin looking for a job, you should assess whether or not you need one. Your studies are important and taking a job you don’t need on top of a heap of coursework or reading can be detrimental to your education. Look at your finances and balance your books – if your outgoings exceed your income and you’re not able to meet the cost through student loans, income support from relatives or other means, then it may be time to look at finding a job.
Your first priority should be finding a job that’s going to be flexible – you might need time off for exams or to meet coursework deadlines and, if you become trapped in a job where you can’t have this time away, then your education may suffer. In university cities you might find jobs advertised that are tailored as being suitable for students, so keep an eye out for these. If you’re lucky enough to be offered a job where you can set your own hours, ask for fewer hours to begin with and ramp this up later if time allows or if you feel you need the extra income.
Be aware of the kinds of demands the jobs you are looking at will put on you. If the jobs you’re going for are mentally challenging you may find they tire you out and your studying becomes less effective. Although these jobs normally pay more, the damage they can do your studying is very rarely worth it, so shop smart!
Working part-time while studying doesn’t need to be taxing as long as you remember that your studies come first!
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This post was written by...
Robert – who has written 317 posts on The College Investor.
Robert is the founder and editor of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to young adult and college student finances. You can learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter or Facebook.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Make sure to look for on campus jobs, too. I worked for the basketball coach all four years I was in college and most of the time I basically got paid to sit there and study. Don’t underestimate the on-campus job search.
I worked full time all through college for my undergraduate degree and it didn’t impact my studies. However, it did mean that I didn’t really get to know any of the other students that well outside of class, which I kind of regret. Of course, I was pretty shy then and so might not have gotten to know them in any case.
I always worked full time when in school. It’s not that big of a deal. It’s all about balance. Going out on the weekends kept me motivated to study hard during the week. I always organized my schedule so that I could work evenings.
I’d definitely agree with The $60K Project- I think the job search should start on campus. Campus jobs tend to be decently paid and (most importantly) flexible, meaning that students aren’t necessarily slave to their jobs or risk putting their studies in jeopardy.
I think starting a blog is a great way for students to patch up their finances in this economic recession.