Working and going to school isn’t completely unheard of at any university, but it’s still something that can, in many ways, separate you from your peers. Everyone can have their own reasons for working, but whatever the reason, a job puts more on your plate than with regular students.
Like many students at FSU, I’ve held down at least one job at a time while here. While working has given me the tools to graduate with as little debt as possible, there’s also a lot to consider if you’re exploring your college employment options.
Getting A Job
Even with the state of the job market right now, I’ve been very lucky when it comes to holding down a job. The semester cycle of hiring has proved to fall in my favor a couple of times, especially at smaller and more local businesses.
While I had worked before coming to FSU, my first job in Tallahassee was at a local pizza place, where I first clocked in before my first day of class. Even after I had this job, I used a ton of resources at FSU to build connections both inside and outside my major.
I got my second job at FSU’s Seminole Futures Career Fair. These events may seem really overwhelming at first, but when there are local companies looking for people, you can get in direct contact with them and start making even the tiniest connections that may lead to immediate or future employment.
Keeping Some Jobs
If there’s one thing I’ve made sure to do while working, it’s making sure to stay as employed as possible. Part of why I choose to work at smaller businesses rather than at large companies is that being formally employed by each business is much more flexible. I’m able to pick up shifts at any number of businesses if I work to maintain my relationship with my bosses. Even as my calendar has filled up and my main job has changed, I still technically have multiple sources of income as backup plans.
I’ve found that keeping jobs over time is something that’s purely based on the relationships you decide to build while at work. Presenting as skilled and reliable gives you the professional backing to stay on the payroll without being completely present. While working somewhere once a month may sound like a waste, keeping your face and skills in people’s minds multiplies the resources and sometimes discounts you have access to.
Finding the Good during difficult times
Even with all the advantages a job can afford you, part of what you have to admit is that sometimes it sucks. By 4 p.m., I’m tired, annoyed, behind schedule, and I still have any number of things I must do before the day is over. The days and nights are never-ending lists of what needs to be done and where I need to be. My Google Calendar is a color-coordinated nightmare, with overlaps and 20-minute gaps making up the majority of my days.
My decision to work has led me to miss out on get-togethers and study groups. I often can’t spend eight hours in a library studying for an exam, and I also tend to miss out on a good bit of sleep. At a certain point, I had to start turning people down, just to give myself a second to breathe or because I already have somewhere to be.
Keeping friends that I barely see is hard, especially when they don’t understand how my obligations differ from theirs. Sometimes, the random problems that have nothing to do with my career seem to drain every bit of energy I have left to give. The day starts too soon and is over before I know it.
However, with all of that being said, I’m better for it. My decision to work so hard at school and at my jobs has given me innumerable skills that’ve benefited me in ways that I never saw coming. I’ve met people of all ages and from all walks of life who have taught me skills that I could’ve never learned in a classroom.
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