For students, just as the admission season draws to an end and undergraduate life starts, a new bunch of quandaries pop up. Seeing batchmates working part-time at different organizations, excelling at extracurriculars, or forming their own business on top of academics may make you question whether you should try out for a part-time job or not. Read on to discover if starting a part-time job during your undergraduate is genuinely worth it. So, dear students, want a Part-time Job During Your Undergrad? You’re in the right place!
Advantages
Aside from the apparent advantages of developing your social and professional network and achieving work experience, part-time jobs also permit you to learn about different industries and understand which ones you can see yourself performing in the future. Working part-time enables your self-efficacy, enhancing your confidence in your capacities.
Moreover, it is great for learning soft skills you may not learn from your classes, such as navigating office politics and understanding workplace culture. In addition, having a part-time job while being a full-time undergraduate student compels you to learn how to prioritize when you have multiple deliverables on your plate and, thus, improves your time management skills.
Part-time jobs also allow you to polish existing skills while building new ones. A student can acknowledge the importance of practical learning and may start harboring a growth mindset. Part-time jobs also permit you to understand what you are good at and how to play according to your strengths. Since they are also usually a good income source, you can also discover how to manage your personal finances.
Furthermore, part-time jobs help students achieve better chances of landing wanted full-time jobs later on, as the resume will be more attractive to employers looking to hire people. In addition, you can connect those who will vouch for you and give you a head start over other candidates. Even if you worked at a different organization earlier, it will add extra layers to your resume and give recruiters more perspective to assist them connect your past experiences to the possibility of success in the future.
Possible Fails
As an undergraduate student, it may be challenging to juggle studying with work and other aspects of your life. Some roles are incredibly time-consuming, and the hectic work pressure may hinder your academic performance, even leading to burnout. Students’ part-time work can also be exploitative, resulting in a bad experience, inadequate learning, or poor remuneration.
It is essential for your first work experience to be good. If your first ever job experience is undesirable, it may leave you with a negative impression of work life. There’s no certainty about what your line manager may be like, so you might end up in an unprofessional environment.
Tips to choose a part-time job
Relate with your Academic background:
It is vital to pick a part-time role that aligns with your future aspirations. For example, if you want to work in communications, you may consider working as a copywriter. On the contrary, if you’re going to work in education, a part-time teaching job at a local educational institution may intrigue you. A role related to your degree can assist you in applying the theoretical knowledge you have learned from your classes and solidifying your field’s practical expertise.
Match with the time & place:
The place and time schedule of work are also crucial as you must make time for your classes, social life, and other necessary activities. Working remote jobs, like, content writing or graphic designing, may aid you in saving time and energy. On the other hand, choosing a workplace that is very distant from your home and university may result in much time wasted on commutes.
The work time should also not clash with your classes or exams and leave you some time to give time on academics at home. Also, it is better to go for paid roles than unpaid internships unless the outstanding opportunity is rare or valuable. Working in a due part may define you have to pick up a second job that pays or a tutoring gig, which indicates additional stress and pressure on your already tight timing. In addition, the work should encourage you to use your problem-solving skills, express creativity and explore.
Acknowledge the workplace environment:
Finally, if you can get to know anyone who currently works at that organization, be it a university senior or a friend, inquire regarding how the office culture is. This will assist you to understand if the work environment is one you will likely flourish in.
As an undergraduate student, it is your time to discover different opportunities and interests to identify your strengths and weaknesses and realize what you may be able to capitalize on and where you can find yourself working a few years later. No matter what industry you choose to work part-time in, what is essential is to put yourself out there and learn.
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