Part-time jobs are a great way to make ends meet as a student or even just to earn a little bit of pocket money (for weekend splurges), but they can also be good for gaining relevant work experience and maybe even winding down from school-related stress.
Obviously at this time in the job market it’s easier said than done to find said employment, but one option that should definitely be explored by students is on-campus work. At McGill, there are a number of opportunities for on-campus part-time employment and I’ve checked in with some current students for some advice on how to determine whether or not an on-campus job might be right for you.
Emma, a U2 student at McGill, started an on-campus job as a cashier this fall, and is currently balancing it with a full-time student courseload. She’s honest about the fact that, when seeking a job, she “took what was offered” (rather than targeting only on-campus work), which says something about the current job climate for us students. However, she admits that she was crossing her fingers for something on campus, because she hoped “to avoid constantly travelling between home, school and work”; this is in my opinion absolutely the top benefit of working on campus.
When we’re all so busy managing school and, you know, taking care of ourselves, as well as any other commitments we might have during the school year, it’s hard to imagine adding the extra time it could take to reach a job in another location. Let’s face it: that extra time would come out of time that would otherwise be used for sleep or homework, which is not ideal if it can be avoided.
On-campus jobs can thus be convenient for those students strapped for cash and extra time. Graduate students, for instance, who are notoriously stressed and crunched for time, could do far worse than looking to their school for part-time employment as anything from a TA to a cafeteria server (I have friends who’ve done both).
Despite the time constraints, Linda, currently in her first year of graduate school at McGill, says she would “recommend on-campus jobs to other graduate students if they like working with the public.” In this way, she uses her part-time cashiering employment at McGill to gain an experience different to her recent office-based work, and relishes the interaction it brings her with fellow-students, who can “relate to [her] struggles of trying to balance work and study.”
For international students, there’s the benefit of French not being an absolute requirement to work on campus at McGill… though obviously, where possible, expressing an interest in practicing less-than-perfect French is a pretty respectable quality to share with potential on-campus employers, especially as competitive demand for jobs increases! Another perk is that to work on-campus, a work permit is not required; just a study permit and full-time student status. However, this brings up the crucial question of how each individual student might be able to handle a part-time job alongside a hectic schedule of classes.
While part-time jobs on campus are about as convenient as they come, it is important to be able to gauge when even a conveniently located job is too much for you to handle. Rachel, a second year Science student, has been working on campus for over a year, and this term added a position as a course tutor (a sort of less-formal, apprentice TA) to her CV. However, upon reaching midterms and finding that she “couldn’t keep up with with homework/labs/midterms” (understandable, given that she’s in five courses and two labs!), she cut back a little, opting to keep the class assistant job.
Given her own experience of being honest with herself about time and commitments, Rachel advises that juggling school and a job is entirely “doable”, with good time management. “Everyone is busy; it basically comes down to how many other extra-curricular activities a person has, [because] having a job is a comparable time commitment to [being on] a sports team, lab work, volunteering…”
Probably the best draw for students to seek on-campus employment is the fact that they hire students. Anthony, a second year Management student explains that benefit to on-campus work: “shifts are generally short and spaced well in between classes, because [campus employers] take into account your class schedule.” Emma agrees, and notes that “though Montreal employers are often accommodating to a student, it’s not necessarily true that they would allow, for example, leaves of absence to study or write an essay.” Not that on-campus employees can skip work whenever they have a paper due, but the point is that McGill employers seeking students as part-time employees know, recognize, and encourage the fact that we’re all students. Accordingly, by scheduling work around our class schedules, they acknowledge that for most of us, schoolwork comes first.
Consensus: Part-time jobs of any kind are handy, as long as you know your limits and thus can stop them from impeding your schoolwork. They come highly recommended by every McGill student employee I talked to, but obviously represent an ideal in this employment climate, where any job seems like a luxury (not to seem pessimistic…)
On-campus vs. Elsewhere in Montreal: On-campus is a convenient option because it gives you experience of something other than school, without adding a lengthy commute to your already hectic day. Also, bilingualism isn’t strictly a requirement.
Benefits of on-campus work you might not have thought of, as expressed by current student employees:
School Spirit: “It helps to form a community by having students participating in the commercial facades of McGill.” –Emma, U2 Arts
Socializing: “[on-campus jobs are] convenient, and a great way to meet other students!” –Anthony, second year Management
Better Homework Habits?: “Engaging in activities [like a part-time job] that allow me to disconnect from my studies, even for a few hours each week, is important in order to be able to return to my school work with a fresh perspective.” – Linda, grad student
Top Tip: Work Those Connections! Friends who are in the loop, friends who already work on campus, or even professors who might need research assistants or TAs… “[Many] on-campus jobs aren’t advertised at all, so you need to find out about them in other ways,” says Julia*, a U3 Arts student. “[It can be helpful] if you know a friend is quitting, [but some people just] get lucky.” In that sense, it can come down to timing; your contacts might not be able to offer you a job, but they might have some insight on when a position will become available in a certain department or organization, so ask around!
Photos retrieved from: Evan Shay on Flickr (found at http://oncampus.macleans.ca/ed…) and http://memeguy.com/photo/48544….