Your bank account is dangerously close to zero, but you’ve already called Mom and Dad for hard-wired cash. Getting an on campus job may not be glamorous, but it certainly has its advantages (besides being close to classes). Colleges often provide employment opportunities on campus, but they don’t really advertise the perks, which is what makes it all worthwhile. Here are 4 perks of working on campus:
- Free Printing: Working in an office on campus can give you access to unlimited printing and faxing, two things you may have to do more often than you think during your college years. Most professors still want hard copies of your essays and assignments and not all campuses have free printing. Working in an academic office, as a tutor, or as a professor’s assistant can give you unrestricted time at the copier. These kinds of perks save you money while you make it.
2. Free Food: If your campus has a coffee shop, it’s probably going to have longer hours than most jobs on campus. Not only do you have a wider variety of times to work (and an opportunity to fit work into your schedule somewhere next to sleep), you will probably get a few free shots of espresso and a slice of coffee cake without having to use your own dorm coffee maker. Even if you don’t like coffee, you can still slurp tea while it’s slow. If you work in the morning, you can get your morning cup of nonfat cappuccino with whip for free.
3. Free Fitness Classes: Working in athletics can have its perks. With a job in the recreation center or the athletic department, you can probably score free personal training, free workout sessions on treadmills at local gyms, free water bottles, free fitness classes, coupons for local restaurants, and free use of specialized athletic equipment. It may not be the nicest smelling place to work, but, like coffee shops, fitness centers have to stay open later to accommodate students with busy day schedules thereby giving you additional work hours.
4. Free networking and great Resume: If none of these sounds good to you, then try working a student stipend position. College campuses often need students to be resident assistants, tutors, and leaders of student activities, organizations, and clubs. These stipend positions have huge benefits besides looking great on your resume. You can land networking connections, free food, free room and board, free travel, free office supplies, free computer supplies, laptop accessories and, possibly, even your own office.
On-campus jobs can be an ideal solution to a low cash flow problem. They are not only great resume builders, they are great resources of free things, making it easier for you to grow your savings. Let me know if I missed anything that needs to be added to this list by commenting!
