Broke College Kid

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One of the easiest ways to get out of your financial binds while going to school is finding a part-time job. It can be a drag, but there are a lot of benefits. Studies show that students who work 10 to 20 hours a week get better grades. You can meet new people and develop skills to help you in the future. And did you know that many jobs for students can pay the equivalent of 3-5 beers per hour? Read after the jump to see our tips:

5. Decide what you are looking for in a job

• • There are many different kinds of jobs you can find, and you need to decide what you are looking for in a job. There are three main kinds of jobs students get:

    • I want to do something related to my major. Look in your department and see what they have to offer, and ask around businesses that relate to your field.

    • I, don’t need the money that bad, just a little on the side. A lot of my friends would have campus jobs that we called “homework jobs”. They were desk jockeys of some type that didn’t have much to do. For example, a friend of mine was a “security guard” in a computer lab in the computer science building, where his job required 15 minutes of work when he got there, 15 minutes when he left, and 4-6 hours of sitting at a desk and making sure no one jacked a monitor. You are essentially going to get paid to do your homework, which you were going to do anyway, and it will help you focus on it.

    • I want to make mad duckets. There are two kinds of jobs in my experience that pay better than most other college jobs. The first is skilled labor, which pays more simply because no one else can do it. The other is food service jobs. Servers and bartenders make pretty good cash for what they do, and you honestly don’t do a whole lot. These jobs do require a decently high asshole – tolerance ratio though.

4. Look for opprotunities

• • Ask your friends if they know of any openings where they work. If they are a good employee, this can be a huge help in helping you get a job there. Be careful though, because if your friend isn’t well liked at his/her job, this can easily backfire.

  • Also be sure to check your local papers, and places online like the Facebook marketplace for places that are hiring.

3. Prepare for applications and Interviews

• • Most of your applications and interviews are going to have really similar questions, so take a little time and get prepared for these. Make sure you have the phone numbers and addresses of your previous employers, as well as a couple of references.

  • When it comes to interviews, most of them are pretty basic, but it’s helpful to think about some of the trickier questions potential employers may ask, such as:

    • What accomplishment in you life are you most proud of?

    • How would you handle personal problems with another co-worker?

    • Give examples of times you’ve dealt with difficult or stressful situations at work.

    • Can a light saber cut through Superman?

2. Apply, Apply, and Apply some more

• • If you are really serious about getting a job, you need to go out and put in a lot of applications at a lot of different places. Start with all the places you found in step two, and then start applying at any job that fits what you are looking for. If you put in 20 – 30 applications, you are bound to get some callbacks. Also, when applying, try to do it during business hours, but when the place isn’t that busy. Monday – Wednesday, 2:00 – 4:00pm are the absolute best times to apply. Also, try to give your application to a manager, and speak with them for a minute about the job. If you just give it to a secretary or a busboy, there is no guarantee that it will ever see the right people. It also makes you more memorable to the employer and increases your chances of getting called back.

1. Keep checking in

• • Even if you don’t hear back from an employer, all is not lost. After 3 – 4 days, if you haven’t heard back from someone, give them a call and ask about it. It help shows you are determined and that you really want the job. However, don’t overdo it, and don’t do this if they have already said “we don’t have any openings at this time”.