If you went to college or you’re currently in college, you’ve experienced first-hand how much of your time and money gets poured into your education. That’s not to say college can be everyone’s whole life while they’re in school, though. For many students, getting at least a part-time job is essential in order to make ends meet. Believe me, rent in my college town has lots of students working multiple jobs on top of their schooling. Hopefully, this doesn’t have to be you– unless you’re a workaholic, then more power to you! Regardless of if you’re juggling one job or more on top of school and other activities, I’ve compiled my list of some of the best part time jobs college students should be on the lookout for!
Bartending
I do this now and I love it! If you’re old enough and your hours work with your school schedule, bartending can be one of the best (and best-paying) jobs a college student can have. If your classes are mostly in the afternoon and you’re a bit of a night owl, you might be able to make bartending several nights a week work for you! Not only are you working in a cool environment that lets you be social, but the tips can make it all SO worth it. Even though it is a fun job, there is still a lot of responsibility involved in being a bartender, so make sure it is a good fit for you. If it is, get ready for a life of classes during the day and keeping the party going at night — responsibly!
Catering
Working in the food service industry is a go-to for many college students seeking part-time jobs on top of their school schedules. Though, there are a lot of reasons why working in this industry is NOT for me, and I can see how it may not be the best fit for lots of people. However, there is a hidden gem job within food service that I think is a perfect fit for lots of college students. Catering allows you to work in a restaurant environment but in a less-traditional way. If a restaurant has catering, they likely need a team of employees to run their orders and serve food at these events. While this job requires a lot of time in one big chunk (prepping the food, cooking, plating, transporting, and serving), it also is likely that a restaurant only gets a cater maybe once a week or every two weeks. Be it weddings, business meetings, conferences, etc. catering jobs are often more exciting than what one might see just working in the restaurant. Dealing with customers can be a lot easier when the majority of them are receiving free food. On top of that, the tips for catering orders can also be pretty substantial compared to what one might get working in the restaurant.
Social Media
Are you always on social media? Well, why not turn your biggest homework distraction into your source of income during college? Whether it’s a company, a program at your school, a government program, a nonprofit, etc. nearly everything needs a social media account of some kind these days. However, a lot of the time, people running these things aren’t particularly skilled with social media engagement. That could be where you come in. Whether you offer your services to a business that seems to be struggling with a social media presence, or you see that a campus program is hiring a social media manager, there are endless possibilities for students seeking jobs in social media. This might also be a job that works well overlapping with other social media positions, as a lot of the time, you can make your own schedule for the work.
RA
While some colleges don’t pay RAs hourly wages, a HUGE benefit of having this job is free — yes, FREE — on-campus housing, and maybe even dining. If your college will also pay you hourly for being on call, or working at a hall’s desk, though, you’ve scored big time! While it definitely has its ups and downs, the pros often make it one of the best on-campus jobs a student can have. You’re literally working where you live (AND you’re on-campus, so you should be close to pretty much everything you would need), you get your housing (and maybe dining) covered, you often get enough on the clock downtime to get a substantial amount of homework completed, AND you get to establish strong relationships with other students at your school.
Instacart
If you have a car, this one’s for you! Does it seem like a sweet deal to make your own hours, work alone, and pick out groceries for your job? Then being an Instacart shopper might be for you! While I don’t have too much firsthand experience with this job, everyone I know who has worked for Instacart loves it! If it seems like a fit for you, it just might be your perfect in-college part-time job.
Hotel Desk / Night Audit
After working in a hotel for the past two years, I concur that it is one of the best places to work while in college. While I can’t vouch for other establishments, the hotel I work at is close to campus and tries to be very flexible with students’ schedules. On top of that, the travel industry tends to be relatively predictable. The hotel will tend to be busy when you won’t be in school, with things picking up over summer and winter breaks and over weekends. Though, if you work as a desk agent or night auditor, you will likely have a good portion of downtime throughout certain shifts. This can be a perfect opportunity to get some homework done, which is why it is such a great option for students. The pay tends to be above minimum wage at most hotels, and night auditors make more hourly and have longer shifts, so being a night owl can really pay off — literally — here.
Paid Intern
I think it is always a good idea for students to seek out internships throughout their college careers. It’s amazing if you’re able to score a paid internship on top of that, as oftentimes, the pay can be enough to support oneself for the time being. Not to mention, your internship should be within your field of interest or study, so on top of paying you, you will be building your professional resume along the way. A lot of times, internships can be set up in such a way that you get paid minimum wage to simply be learning skills from people in your desired profession without being such a big time commitment. Places offering internships understand that those taking the positions are usually students with lots on their plates and aim to not be such a burden on you time wise– or at least that’s what I’ve experienced thus far.
What do you think about these part time jobs college students might want to look for? Have you had any of these jobs? Tell us about it in the comments!
Leave a Reply