College Student Jobs and How to Get Them

Whether you are looking to pay for tuition or pay for pizza, you are going to need to find a job that will work with your college schedule. We’ve put together a list of jobs for students and how you can get one:

Federal Work-Study

Once you fill out your FAFSA, you’re automatically eligible for federal financial aid. Your award letter will tell you if you qualified for work-study money and how much you are able to earn.

Work-study jobs are made for college students, and they are very flexible to accommodate your college schedule.

Student jobs might include working at the library, intramural sports, community service, or assisting a professor on or near campus.

If you weren’t selected, ask your financial aid office if there is a way that you can be considered for these jobs. Read the section on federal work-study to learn more.

Paid College Internships

You might be required to complete an internship for your course of study.

If you are looking for a college internship, see if you can find one that offers compensation. It will be difficult to maintain a college internship, your class load, and another part-time job all at once.

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Even if your internship pays less than a part-time job, think of the experience value that your internship will give you. Students who obtain college internships are prime candidates for employment after graduation by the company they interned with! Read our section on college internships to learn more.

Part-time Student Jobs

If you are looking for a part-time student job that will fit your college schedule, start looking at your school.

The career center or student activities office may have a list of open positions on or around campus. They probably also have listings from local businesses that are in need of part-time help.

If you can’t find anything at your school, check the local newspaper classifieds or stop in and ask your favorite local businesses if they need any help.

Remember, as you are looking for a part-time student job, try to find something that will also help you improve your skill set for the future. An optimal situation would be if a professor in your field of study was looking for an assistant. Things aren’t usually that convenient, but use your part-time work as an opportunity to work on your communication, writing, organization or other skills that will increase your marketability with future employers after graduation.

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Once you start applying for jobs, you are going to be required to provide references. Remember your attitude and work ethic at work every day – nobody is going to recommend you if you don’t work hard and have a good attitude.

Summer Jobs For Students

Nearly every student wants a job during the summer. When you aren’t taking classes, you have plenty of time to work and save money for the upcoming school year. The problem is that these jobs can be harder to find.

  • If your permanent home is far from school, you will want to start looking for local summer jobs as soon as you arrive. Check local bulletin boards, ask family friends and apply at local businesses. If you do a good job one summer, ask you boss if they would be willing to hire you again the following summer.
  • If you are staying in your college town for the summer, there may be jobs available for you since many other students will be leaving town. Check with local businesses ahead of time to see if they will have vacant positions. You might ask your friends if their workplace is anticipating openings for the summer.
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Other summer jobs for students are those that are inherent to summer – like camp counselors, lifeguards, babysitters, etc. Try checking with your local pool, YMCA, or gym for positions. Summer camps such as sports, girl/boy scouts, and daycare also need summer counselors. Contact these organizations in the spring to see if they are taking applications for the summer.