Whether it’s your first year on campus or your last, you may have noticed that various on and off campus jobs have different benefits. Maybe your friend is slaving away on the Hill just for the experience, but another one is cruising through life as a student guard. You can find a list of on campus and off campus employment opportunities on the student employment website, HoyaWorks. Read on for our take on different ways to fund your college lifestyle at Georgetown.
1. The Unpaid Hilltern
One of the most popular Georgetown experiences is to have a “Hillternship,” which is an internship on Capitol Hill. Many Hoyas intern for their congressmen and have the opportunity to experience Washington politics firsthand. While you’ll have lots of administrative tasks, you may also get to sit in on interesting meetings and meet interesting people. Most of these internships are unpaid, but you earn a rewarding experience and add an interesting boost to your resume. If you have a similar unpaid internship over the summer, make sure to speak with your academic dean to see if Georgetown offers any stipends to compensate you. You can check out ways that other students funded their internships here.
2. The Student Guard
Photo credits: The Hoya
There is high demand for the student guard position at Georgetown. All you have to do is sit at the front desk of various residence halls and swipe students’ GO cards to check them into buildings. In the meantime, you can do your homework. This position is the perfect work study job because you’ll earn money and have nothing else to do but your homework while you’re on your shift.
3. The Teacher’s Assistant / Tutor
Serving as a teacher’s assistant or tutor is a great job opportunity, especially if you’re studying a major that builds on basic concepts, such as economics or accounting. Tutoring other students is a way to keep the material fresh in your mind and help you develop your expertise. These positions are also some of the highest paid jobs on campus.
4. The Resident Assistant
The RA has arguably one of the best jobs on campus. As an RA, you can shape your residents’ college experience, but the position is what you make of it. Pros include that you get to work with a budget to put on fun events for your residents, bond with your RA team, have free housing, and a discounted meal plan. Cons include: you’ll have to endure a two week training, get to school early in the fall and meet minimum event requirements. You’ll also have some nights and even holidays where you’re on duty and you’re tied to your building. While you’ll get to live in a single, you also won’t get to live with your friends, unless you’re an RA for an apartment complex.
5. The Babysitter
There are some pretty sweet babysitting gigs listed on the student website that offer some of the highest-paying jobs for college students. Some listings go up to $25 per hour, and many are for families right in the Georgetown area. A babysitting job is ideal for someone with lots of experience in this area. There are a variety of needs for babysitting, some for a few hours a week, while others are looking for part-time nannies. The tradeoff of being a babysitter is that you’ll have a ton of responsibility and less flexibility with your schedule. For instance, it would be really hard to find a replacement for your babysitting shift if you needed to do a group project.
6. The Odd Job Seeker
Odd Job Seekers do not have time to commit to a steady job. Instead, they look for interesting opportunities to earn money when those opportunities conveniently present themselves. Flyers around campus often offer small cash prizes for participating in on campus research, such as studies conducted in the philosophy department. Professors in language departments are also usually looking for qualified participants to partake in their specialized research. Odd Job Seekers take part in surveys that offer gift card rewards and are always on the lookout for free giveaways on campus. For more ideas for easy ways to earn cash, check out this article.
7. The Librarian
The Bioethics librarians get to do their homework while at work. Similar to student guards, sometimes Lau will have student workers at the front desk checking IDs. This is perfect for someone looking for a lowkey job on campus. However, there are not always job openings, so keep an eye out on the student employment website.
8. The Techie
Students who work at the MSB Tech Center or University Information Services (UIS) enjoy the best pay on campus. Wages usually increase with experience and time as well as additional training. Techies also get to develop some real life skills that they can use in job interviews or in the real world, whether that’s customer service or technical computer knowledge. Techies are usually computer science-related majors or have a knack for problem solving.
9. The M Street Employee
Georgetown itself is filled with plenty of restaurants and shops, so some students work as food service professionals or in retail. You’ll get employee discounts and perks if you work at any of the shops on M Street. As a waiter or a barista, you’ll be able to earn extra tips as well. Both types of jobs will teach you valuable customer service skills as well as time management, since you’ll have at least a fifteen minute walk to get to your job (which is a long commute for Georgetown students who are spoiled by our campus size).
10. The Work Study Warrior
There are plenty of job opportunities on the student employment site, so keep your eye out if you’re looking for a specific department or place to work. Most work study jobs are front desk jobs at various departments on campus, such as the Davis Performing Arts Center (DPAC), Campus Ministry, or Financial Aid. You’ll most likely answer phone calls, manage the e-mail account, assist staff in the department, and help direct patrons. These jobs are usually pretty easy and you may even have some downtime to work on your homework on the side.
So what job is best for you? That all depends on how much time you have in your schedule and what kind of experience you’re looking for. Whatever you end up doing, having extra spending money will definitely help cover extra expenses you’ll have while you’re at Georgetown.