College students know all too well that succeeding in school is a job all on its own. While attending classes, studying, applying for internships and networking are time consuming steps toward a career, many students also find it necessary to work at least one part-time job in order to afford the expenses of attending school and living independently.
Students looking for employment are often discouraged by the confusion of job searching. Beyond the stress of applying and interviewing for jobs, students may also need to be more careful in researching potential employers and narrowing criteria in job prospects.
The average full-time Arizona State University undergraduate student spends an estimated $1,000 per year on books alone, according to ASU’s Standard Cost of Attendance web page. That may not seem like a horrific amount, in general, but with it being one of the several expenses that students encounter, it is an example of the need for income that many students face. Also, the benefits of working during college could be long-term for students.
According to ASU’s Student Employment web page, “Studies have shown that students who work do just as well or better academically than non-working students and grades improve as students work more hours per week (up to 20). In addition, working students are more likely to complete a degree program than non-workers.”
A 2015 report by Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, titled “Learning While Earning: The New Normal,” states: “The effects of work and learning also depend on the nature of the work. A job is more powerful as an educational tool when it provides exploratory earning that supplements or complements a student’s field of study.”
Students can heighten their chances of successful job experiences by considering factors that could affect their education of potential employers before they commit to a job.
“As far as what’s particularly important in making a job work for a student is finding an employer (ASU-affiliated or perhaps otherwise) who respects both your desires and efforts to work, but who also respects the importance of your time outside of class,” says Lori Pruitt, a full-time student in english literature at ASU.
On-campus jobs provide options for students to avoid job scams and to work for employers who will be understanding of school schedules.
Although students may bring in less monthly income due to limitations of work hours for on-campus student jobs, the downfall of working longer hours could be serious.
“I worked retail for three years, and despite having requested only 15 hours a week, I was constantly pushing 40 hours, being called in all the time when I needed to study, and being pressured to put work before school despite the agreement I made upon being hired that school would come first,” Pruitt says. “The constant pressure took a major toll on my health and my grades, and so I began looking for a student job hoping that I’d find an employer who would understand the importance of my schooling.”
She describes her current student job at the ASU Help Center as the best job she’s ever had.
“Student jobs are just like regular part-time jobs in that a lot of elements go into whether or not the job will work out for a student, and sometimes, a student job won’t work any better than something else,” Pruitt says. “However, the advantage of taking a student job is that upon going in, you and your employer have that agreement that you are a capable worker and you will give your best to the job, but that they also have the task of putting their best as well in working with your schedule and respecting you as a student just as much as an employee."
Rachel Sondgeroth, communications coordinator at Project Humanities says her on-campus job has saved her a lot of time going from work to school as a religious studies major.
“I’m based more on campus. I used to work at a daycare center about 20 minutes away, and with traffic and getting to classes, on campus is just a lot more convenient,” Sondgeroth says.
However, off-campus jobs are not necessarily more difficult to handle. Leslie Alaniz, a business major, previously worked at a swap meet off-campus and says her experience was a positive one. She would only work in five-hour shifts on the weekends, and made connections with people outside of the University.
“With my co-workers, we had like a family,” Alaniz says. “We definitely made a connection for a lifetime, not just at work.”
Alaniz added that if she did have to work more hours that it probably would have taken a toll on her schoolwork and social life.
Students who prefer to work around their own schedules may find interest in various forms of freelance work. Creative talents can be offered as a service on sites such as Fiverr.com and Upwork. Students can also offer tutoring, baby sitting and other services through Care.com or by posting a classified listing or flyer locally. Although “gig” work does not guarantee a reliable income, it can be an ideal choice for students who want to make extra money without committing to a schedule.
Students should be particularly aware when searching for freelance opportunities, as many job scams target “work-from- home” job searchers. The Federal Trade Commission’s consumer information website warns, “Many work-at- home opportunities are promoted by scam artists. If you pay in, it’s likely that you will spend more than you can earn.” It also lists envelope-stuffing scams and telemarketing resale scams as common risks to look out for.
Job scams are potentially harmful obstacles in the paths of students searching for work. Students have access to job listings from various sources, including flyers posted around campus and websites such as Craigslist. Among the many legitimate jobs that can be found through public listings, there are also falsely advertised work opportunities that may attempt to persuade applicants into giving payment or other personal information. Job listings with headlines such as “Easy Student Work” and “Work From Home” should be evaluated with caution. The Federal Trade Commission’s web page regarding job scams lists a few signs of a potential job scam:“You need to pay to get the job” and “you need to supply your credit card or bank account information.”
When in doubt of a job listing’s credibility, students should research employers and search for testimonies written by previous employees. Students can contact ASU’s Student Employment office to ask about job listings that claim to be school-affiliated.
Time demands and environment that are often overlooked by students who are hurried to find work. Most full-time students juggle heavy schedules including classes, homework and school events, as well as extracurricular activities. Job searching can be a time-consuming chore that produces less-than-worthy results. Preparation in job searching can make a major difference in identifying ideal jobs and preventing wasted time and unpleasant experiences.
