How to Find a Campus Job

Getting a campus job is never a bad idea, whether you are paying your own way through school or would just like a little extra spending money. But they can be hard to come by, especially if you don’t know where to look. These tips will help you find a job before you know it!

Start your job search as early as possible. You will have a better chance of getting noticed if you are among the first to apply to a job. Figure out what interests you, so if you would like your campus job to relate to your academic interests, pay a visit to your school’s student employment office or career services center. If you are eligible, they can set you up with a work-study job, which is typically related to your academic major.

If you are more open with where you would like to work, just start asking around! Plenty of offices or places on campus should have openings for student workers. The library, dining halls, student life office, admissions office and athletic center are just some of the locations on campus that need student workers throughout the year.

Also look for jobs near campus. Some colleges partner with nearby non-profit organizations to provide part-time community service jobs for their students. The Federal Work-Study program requires that at least 7% of a college’s work-study jobs involve community service, such as reading tutors. Local businesses also like to hire college students and may even offer better pay.

No matter what kind of campus job you hope to get, be proactive! Networking is a key component in getting a job after college, but it can help you now. Talk to your upperclassmen friends, because they’ll likely know which offices will hire. Get to know other employees at the campus facilities too.

If you manage to get a campus job, make sure it does not interfere with your studies! Talk to your supervisor about a schedule that works both of you. Don’t work more than 12 hours a week during the academic year. Every hour takes away time from schoolwork, hurting your academic performance. Students who work full-time (35-40 hours a week) are half as likely to graduate as students who work 12 hours or less a week.