Frankly, there’s a reason why so many college students turn to the food service industry when it comes to seeking a part- or full-time job. Although campus jobs for students are plentiful, they don’t pay very well and they limit hours (for good reason). However, starving students may need more, and waiting tables often comes with bonuses like a flexible schedule to work with classes, plenty of coworkers to trade shifts with, and of course, tips to supplement an otherwise meager hourly wage. But let’s just be honest here: nobody wants to wait tables. So if you’re looking for some other opportunities that will help to pay tuition and keep you in chips and cola for the duration of your stint on campus, and perhaps even add something useful to your résumé, here are just a few great jobs that you might want to look into.
Barkeep. Okay, so pouring shots and mixing drinks is not much different from waiting tables – with one major exception. The tips are a lot better! You will likely have to go through some type of training course in order to work behind the bar, but you stand to bring in a lot more dough for potentially less work, especially if you get good enough to pick up the weekend shifts. Many a student has paved the way to a brighter future by serving libations to their peers.
Blogger. While starting your own blog could take up tons of time and deliver little in the way of returns, there are plenty of blogs out there seeking the services of educated writers such as yourself. And if you are adept at essay writing and you can master the tone, there’s no reason you shouldn’t throw your hat in the ring. You can start with sites like About.com and The Examiner, which generally require a couple of articles a week at minimum and pay on a per-article basis (somewhere in the neighborhood of $15-20 per submission). But you might also sign up for a freelance site like Textbroker to vie for higher-paying gigs.
Virtual assistance. It seems that nearly any office job can be accomplished through telecommuting these days, and clerical work appears to be no exception. If you feel relatively comfortable with the prospect of screening email and phone calls, doing data entry, arranging travel plans, and basically picking up the slack for an executive, then virtual assistance will allow you to complete these tasks remotely. Check out sites like ODesk and Elance to seek out these professional opportunities.
Tech support. Everyone uses computers, but few people have the technical know-how to keep them up and running. So if you happen to be technically inclined and handy with problem solving, you might look into campus jobs at the computer center, where they’re often looking for students to supplement their round-the-clock support network.
Tutor. This one seems pretty obvious for those in pursuit of academia, so it’s rather surprising how few students consider tutoring as a way to pay the bills. If you’re using a site like GetaRealDegree.com to earn your diploma online, you might hand out flyers at local schools offering your services within the community or apply with online companies like Tutor.com or e-Tutor.com. But if you’re on campus, you might also look into becoming a peer tutor. Often you can find such jobs through the campus, but you might also advertise to underclassmen enrolled in subjects you’re qualified to tutor in.
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