It’s no secret that college students have very limited funds available to them. Between paying for school, groceries, rent and having a social life, keeping money around is hard to do. That’s why many college students decide to get a job. But finding and getting a job while going to school can be a scary thing. How do you find one? What about the application process? What about the interview? Yes it can be daunting, but never fear loyal readers, because here are some easy tips to finding and landing that perfect job.
Tip 1:Figure out what kind of personality you have. If you’re a really outgoing person and a social butterfly, try and find a job where you can be around people. Or, if you love kids then try and find a job that involves being around them. Doing something that you love will make it seem less like work and more like fun.
Tip 2:Apply at multiple places. You don’t want to end up all the way back at square one by putting all of your hopes into getting a certain job. While there may be a job you really want, make sure you apply at different places as backup plans. You never know, one of those backup places might just become your number one place to work.
Tip 3:Make sure you have at least one solid professional reference. While I’m sure your future employer would love for your BFF to gush on and on about how you help out with all of her fashion dilemmas, usually that gets you no closer to getting the job. If you have at least one, good professional reference it not only helps the person reviewing your application find out how hard you work, but it helps you get one step closer to getting the job.
Tip 4:Scheduling the interview during a chunk of time where you have nothing going on. This may seem like a lame tip, but you don’t want to schedule your interview 15 minutes after getting out of class. You want to make sure you A) not only have enough time to get there promptly but B) you also have enough time to get there early. You also want to make sure you factor in driving time, if you have to run home really quickly, and if you have to change your clothes. A lot of people can forget this when trying to schedule their interview.
Tip 5:Wear professional clothes for the interview. You want to make sure you still show off your style and still be confident, but you want to make sure you come off as proficient for the job. And obviously the clothes you wear totally depend on where you’re applying (you wouldn’t want to show up in a dress suit to apply at a daycare) but you want to make sure you’re covered and that there aren’t any holes in your clothes.
While some of the tips may seem simple, you wouldn’t believe how easy they are to forget or how easy they get overlooked. But making sure you take the time and follow them is sure to land you that perfect summer job you’ve always wanted.