Anina
Best job to take during college to help pay for school?
Hi! My name is Anina and I'm a high school senior interning at CareerVillage. I've started thinking about paying for college, and I am (like most people my age), Very Worried. Are there certain jobs that are flexible enough to allow for a college student to go to class while still paying more than the average job? If training is required for said job, would it take under a few months? #college #finance #money
6 answers
Yilun D
Yilun’s Answer
When I was in high school, I stumbled into web design. I ended up making a portfolio that helped in every aspect of life - acceptance into college, making friends, getting job offers, and making money. If you are a good artist, programmer, or combination of both, you can make a portfolio to get you work that you can do in your spare time. Computer programming is a great skill to learn, and if you find that you have the aptitude for it, you can easily find work while studying. The other option is shift work - waiting tables, working at the library, tutoring, etc.
Margaret Piltz
Margaret’s Answer
There are plenty of great opportunities both on campus and off. Working on campus always has the most flexibility schedule wise and can help cut costs. With some campus jobs, they will pay for your books rather than receiving an actual paycheck (books are incredibly expensive and this would be a huge help). After your freshman year, there are also opportunities to be in RA in a dorm. This helps would help to cover the cost of living which is also a huge expense.
For work outside of campus, I personally worked in restaurants. The pay was higher and they were always willing to work with my schedule. If you are looking for an office job, just make it very clear what you schedule is. If it is around the campus area, they tend to be more understanding.
In contrast to the previous commenter, I have found that most internships do not pay much, if anything at all. For jobs, most training is done within a week. I have never worked somewhere where it takes longer than that.
Hope this helps!
Thank you for the honest and helpful advice. I'll definitely be looking at campus jobs once I start college.
Deana
Thomas Wilkins, CISSP, HCISPP
Thomas’s Answer
Hi,
You should look for an internship in the field you want to work in. This will give you real world experience and also get paid to learn your career. I would look as early as possible for internships because they fill up quickly. This will give you an advantage over everyone else that is in the same career field as you. Good luck.
James Constantine Frangos
James Constantine’s Answer
Dear Anina,
Finding a job that fits a college student's schedule and pays well can be tough, but it's certainly not impossible. Here's a list of some excellent job options that might just be the perfect fit for you:
Freelancing: Freelancing offers you the flexibility to choose your working hours and tasks. As a student, you can provide services like graphic design, content writing, social media management, or tutoring. Platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com can help you connect with clients. Freelancing often has the potential to earn more than typical part-time jobs.
Virtual Assistant: Working as a virtual assistant means offering administrative support to businesses or entrepreneurs from a distance. Tasks could include managing emails, scheduling appointments, data entry, and more. These roles often provide flexible working hours and competitive pay.
Tutoring: If you're particularly good at a subject or have strong academic skills, tutoring can be a profitable choice. You can tutor high school students or even your college peers. Tutoring can be done face-to-face or online via platforms like Chegg Tutors or Wyzant.
Retail Jobs: Some retail positions offer flexible schedules that can work around your classes. Look for stores that are open late or on weekends to find shifts that suit your availability.
Internships: While some internships might not pay, there are also paid internships available. These not only give you valuable work experience but also help cover your educational costs.
Delivery Driver: Being a delivery driver for services like UberEats, Postmates, or DoorDash allows you to choose your own hours. You earn based on the number of deliveries you make.
Research Assistant: If you're good at research, consider becoming a research assistant for professors or academic departments at your college. These positions often pay well and provide valuable experience for your future career.
Customer Service Representative: Many companies hire remote customer service representatives who can work from home. These roles often provide flexible hours and competitive pay.
Remember, the perfect job for you will depend on your skills, interests, and availability. It's crucial to balance your work and academic commitments to succeed in both areas.
Top 3 Credible Sources Used:
Forbes
The Balance Careers
U.S News & World Report
Stay blessed, Anina!
JC.
Brian Downey
Brian’s Answer
In todays society, the majority of people have to work part time while going to college to help pay for the costs. Therefore, I would not worry about that as it is natural to incur some debt while trying to get a college degree. Many colleges offer a variety of different times that you can take classes and some offer night classes so that you can work during the day and either take classes at night or get your degree online.
My suggestion would be to try to find an internship at some point while you are in college so you can determine if you like the line of work you get into plus it would give you experience to put on a resume which will help give you a chance to land a job when you get your degree. Retail work is always flexible with your schedule as well and you can find part time jobs that allow weekend work or work at night at restaurants and retail stores. This will enable you to be able to go to college and still work while helping pay for some of it. The more people you work with the more likely you are to make a better network and find someone that knows someone who might be able to help you.
As far as training goes most companies will not give you a lot of training. Be prepared to have to pick things up quickly. I would suggest if you know what your job is going to be to read up on what the job responsibilities are. If you are interviewing for job and have been offered it, ask could the manager walk you around to see the atmosphere and if you could ask questions of other employees to get feel for what they do. This will prepare you better mentally at least on what to expect. A common saying I have heard is Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Always go into something prepared!
Good luck!
Kimberly Mcgeever
Kimberly’s Answer
I wanted to echo Margaret's suggestion to think about becoming a RA after your Freshman year. Having my room and board paid for was a huge help, plus it wasn't too time consuming so I was also able to work as a Nanny during college. If you like kids, a regular babysitting gig is great since you are paid in cash and generally you can choose your hours. I worked for a writer so she was flexible about my hours each semester as my class schedule changed. She was more concerned that I would commit to certain number of hours each week. Bonus was when the baby napped, I could study!