Why Should You Start Working In College?

by Maria Bashi · Jan 25, 2019

Having in mind the high expenses of a college education, for many students working while attending college is a necessity. For others, it’s rather a choice on the road for financial independence. Either way, there are many reasons why working in college is the right decision, regardless of whether it’s financial aid or a useful way to spend time outside of class.

Truth to be told, working in college does have some disadvantages as well. Many students worry about their grades going down, not having enough time to study or simply reaching the point of emotional and physical burnout. Yes, working in college does at times conflict with the studying and class schedule, and for that reason, we’re are now going to look at some advantages of working in college, to balance out the pros and cons.

Avoiding Debt

In order to go through college, students need to pay for their classes, textbooks and other parts of their tuition. This can lead to college debt of several thousand dollars that most of the students need years to pay off once they’re done with college. However, by getting a job during your studies can help you lower the amount of debt you’ll have after graduation. The more money a student earns, the less they have to pay for their education, which is a great way to get a clean start after college.

Student loan debt and payments can be a challenging thing to solve, especially if students want to progress in life after college, like buying a place, a car or even starting a family with a significant other. So, the best way to avoid the initial struggles of student loan, students should definitely start working in college, at least part-time. This way they can earn extra money, avoid paying for classes and textbooks and other financial obligations in college.

Job Experience

Many students tend to forget about the fact that getting a job after graduation requires a certain level of experience regarding the job in the field that they are going into. So, during the studies, unless a student gets a part-time job, it is hard to get any kind of experience that would be valuable for the career after college. Therefore, getting a job in college can be extremely useful in providing and acquiring valuable job experience. And, since the job market is quite competitive, by having had a job in college, students can be sure to stand out from the crowd of the non-working graduates.

Another essential notion regarding getting a job at college is the fact that for example, an internship, can be paid or turned into a part-time or full-time job once you graduate. According to The Balance, students can also check for online opportunities or even with their department office to find out about possible careers. Sometimes, job experience qualifies even outside the position you want to apply to, so any type of job experience is more than welcomed.

Management Skills

A working environment is entirely different from the class environment. However, both sides demand the job to be done, whether it is a project, a paper or even a meeting you need to attend. In such situations, students are able to develop their management skills, because they need to manage time in order to complete the work for both sides. Management skills can be especially useful for employment after graduation, and the employers are far more likely to hire students who have worked their way through college because they know such a college strategy demands exceptional management skills.

Moreover, working will also help you learn how to deal with the work environment, your working colleagues at other people at the job. It will prepare you for what’s coming in the real world, after college. Not to mention the fact that you are learning to manage time efficiently, so the schedule for work and college do not interfere. This alone is a highly sought-after skill, and you may be surprised by how many employers appreciate it.

Employee Benefits

If a student works at a company more than 25 hours a week, chances are they can get the full-time benefits. These benefits usually include health insurance and tuition assistance program while in college, which is for student more than beneficiary. However, this depends on the company, but more and more companies are willing to help out students and even keep them as their employees after graduation.

There are also other ways to get benefits outside the company. For example, before graduate, a student can start their retirement savings, or qualify for benefits like vacation or call-in-sick. Just by having these options can help students deal with the stress of long working hours and can also make it much easier to manage time in regards to college obligations.

Overview of the benefits of working in college

The benefits are, according to the previous explanations, economic, social and educations. They range from:

earning money,
enhancing employability,
increasing social involvement,
gaining friendships,
enriching professional knowledge
acquiring practical skills

Tips on how to make working in college easier:

Carefully plan your class and work schedule
Learn how to choose a topic for a research paper in advance so you won’t spend too much time on one assignment
Eliminate any time that may be wasted
Cut down on commute time and prep meals ahead
Separate yourself from distractions
Make a to-do list and set agenda, or download such apps for easier access
Stay realistic about your abilities and working ethics
Look for a job that pays more than minimum wage
Look for a job in the field of your studies
Make sure to have time to relax and recharge
Be careful with the money you earn; make sure to set aside the money for tuition and other fees