Is a part-time job feasible in the academic environment we live in? Attending college isn’t what we used to think it was when we were younger. It’s not just classes and living with your friends, but rather it’s joining extracurricular activities to build your resume, navigating the world of internships, and trying to figure out what career path you want to take. There are a lot of unknowns in this period of our lives and, on top of that, many of us want part-time jobs.
Part-time jobs could be wanted for several different reasons, whether it’s to pay tuition, get a break from academics, or just to get some extra spending money. Whatever the reason is, it can be tricky to achieve this goal. This often isn’t because of the lack of jobs available, although that could be the case at certain times of the year. But even though this may happen, there are usually jobs available somewhere in the desired vicinity, so then what is the problem?
It is possible that it could be due to being particular about your job preference. Students may look for a specific niche of a job, but those are not always available. But if a student is really in need of a part-time job and the reason that they do not want to take a job is because of being just picky and not having logical reasons, such as allergies or other restricting concerns, they should at least try to keep an open mind about it.
But one should not fret if they do not prefer to work in certain industries, such as the food industry, because often there are other jobs available, such as in the retail industry. Many basic-level jobs at retail stores do not require much, if any, prior work experience, which could relieve some struggles on the job search. When it comes to the hiring process for part-time jobs, students do not need to worry about not having enough work experience in that specific sector. Even if you are applying to work at a clothing store but only have past experience working as a teacher’s assistant, hiring managers will likely take that into consideration.
It is also important to consider distance from work, your residence, and your classes. Since it is very likely that you have a schedule set for your classes and are potentially already in the swing of attending them, you do not want a job that would interfere. So, it is important to factor in how much time your classes, as well as your extracurricular activities, studying, and leisure time, will take. Then you can know when exactly you can and cannot work.
So next time you’re on the job hunt, keep these factors in mind. There is a lot more than just working that goes into a part-time job, so make sure to consider them!
