Doesn’t coasting through college with no worry about money for books, drinks downtown, dinner out, and gas for your car sound amazing? Yeah, I think so too. Too bad that’s not us. Getting a job while going to school is necessary, not only for the money, but also for a regular schedule, a sense of responsibility, and experience for when you have a full time career. The people you meet and have to work with in your partime job will help build a network of friends and contacts for later on in life, but the key is to find a job you enjoy so you can be happy and present while working. Finding that key is finding a job that doesn’t suck, fits your personality, and is near to you. So, how about jobs on campus? Let me just tell you, they rock. Seriously. You can work for work-study, with your favorite professor, or for a coffee shop even! There are so many opporutnities to look through, you’re bound to find something you like! The place to look is MustangJobs on your portal; it’s always a good place to look and is always up to date on job listings.
As a current student assistant for access services and circulation (aka the front desk) at the Robert E Kennedy Library, I can proudly say it is one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. Low key, casual, flexible around schedules and shift coverages, the circulation desk is a relaxing place to work. You can even do your homework and study while working if no one is coming up to the front desk! Come in and talk to the head manager of students for job opportunities this fall quarter; returning staff obviously gets priority with scheduling, but if you have a flexible schedule and are willing to stay up till 2 am, this might be the perfect campus job for you!
The Librats is another relaxing, low key library job, only instead of checking books out to patrons, you’re helping students research and access data via the library website and online databases. The desk is located on the 2nd floor near the computer labs, and your main training would consist of database researching, effective online searching, and customer service. If you think you’re a pro at research, this might be perfect for you (plus, who wouldn’t want to get insider tips on researching – every paper could get better…)! Stop by their desk to see if they are hiring for Fall Quarter.
Office jobs aren’t completely awful, trust me! Every Cal Poly college has internship opportunities and many departments have administration jobs hat really hone in our “Learn by Doing” motto; the chemistry department offers paid research internships and the Computer Science department offers programming internships for example. These internships are 100% real, 100% convenient, and 100% resume builders. The best way to check out your options is to go into your department office and ask for more information; not only does it look good for department heads and faculty to put a face to a name, you’ll have a perfect opportunity to squeeze in a casual interview and perhaps finagle your way to other job opportunities.
If you’ve found a professor you get along well with, mesh with their teaching and your learning style, and want to spend more time with, becoming a TA or grader might be the job for you. This is a good opportunity for sophomores, juniors, and seniors (sorry freshman). If you feel like you’ve connected with a professor or have a passion in a specific field of study, ask the professor who teaches or specializes in that field if they need any help in their lower division classes! It doesn’t hurt to offer your assistance, and much of the work is photocopying, researching, or grading scantrons. It may sound like busy work, but as you get paid, you’re also building a relationship with that professor that may help in finding other job opportunities or internship opportunities.
If you can speak a different language fluently, why not use it to help others by working as a notetaker or translater! Cal Poly has a large international program where students from around the world, including Italy, China, Indonesia, France, and Norway, come to study in all majors. They may have passed English proficiency tests, but being in the classroom is a completely different story in which they find harder than expected, and your help in translating may make the difference in their success! Likewise, the Cal Poly Disability Resource Center will pay you to take notes for those who have a difficult time in class. From $25-$75 a quarter, you could be paid to do what you would already be doing! Not only will it force you to go to class, it will force you to be a better note taker and a better student. Win-Win.
Which ever job you end up finding, locking down a partime job will reap so many benefits: money (obvs), sense of responsibility and accountability, friends, great contacts for networking, and future oppotunities. If you’re looking for more job ideas and listings, make sure to check out MustangJobs via your portal and apply! Having a partime job while you study may also help you gain a sense of balance while the hectic craziness of the school year unfolds, you never know.