Complete Guide to Finding a Job While Studying in College

Studying and working at the same time can be quite challenging, especially if you have never done this before. But just like with anything else, you will eventually get used to it. Moreover, the benefits of studying while working far outweigh the downsides. Hence, here’s the complete guide to finding a job while studying in college.

Decide What Kind of Job You Want

First of all, you need to decide what kind of job you want. Is it an internship or a student job? Is it a temporary position or a permanent one? Will experience from this job benefit your resume in the future? Are you looking for a job to earn some extra money for personal needs or do you want to become completely financially independent?

By asking yourself such questions, you will understand where you should be looking for a job and how you should be doing it. You need to determine what your priorities are first and foremost – and only then you can start looking for a job that will fit the requirements you set for it beforehand.

In addition to that, you need to understand what your own abilities are. For instance, if you are the best paper writer in your class, you could start offering your own writing services and become a freelance writer. On the other hand, you might be in the last year of your chosen program, so you might get an internship in your field.

Here are the key points you need to think about:

• Your current education, experience, skills, and abilities.
• Your passions and interests in case you want a job in a field not related to your academic degree.
• Your network (i.e. your connections, both personal and professional).
• Your aspirations, goals, needs, and expectations.
• Your priorities and plans for the future.

Prepare Before You Start Looking for a Job

Once you have determined how you will be looking for a job and what kind of job you want, you can start preparing. You can’t look for a job just yet simply because you don’t have a resume or CV which is crucial for you to be able to apply to different jobs and get screened by a potential employer.

Of course, in some cases, you don’t actually need a resume or CV. This is true for entry-level, part-time jobs students get to earn an extra buck or two. These usually include different customer service jobs, work in retail, and so on. In other words, if you want to work at McDonald’s for a few hours every day, you don’t need a resume.

If you do want to apply for jobs that require a resume or CV, you don’t necessarily need to write it yourself. Find a custom dissertations writing agency and hire a writer to help you write your resume or CV. Moreover, you might also need help writing your cover letter and compiling your portfolio.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a cover letter. Just a CV won’t be enough to persuade an employer to hire you (or rather their HR manager screening the applications). While your resume or CV should showcase your skills, education, and experience, your cover letter is meant to reinforce your value as a professional.

In addition to your cover letter, you might need to put together a portfolio of some sort. A portfolio is mostly required for creative jobs where you need to showcase your past work (e.g. graphic design, painting, etc.) In case you don’t have works you are proud of, you can create new ones specifically for your portfolio.

Utilize a Variety of Techniques

When you have a resume, a cover letter, and a portfolio ready (if one is required), you can start looking for a job. If you still think you need to improve your CV or your cover letter, hire a professional writer from best essays writing service site to help you. In case you are ready, utilize these techniques to help you find a job:

• Search on Job Boards: Start with the obvious place – job boards. These usually have filters you can use to find the kinds of jobs you are most interested in. Besides, job boards list jobs from all kinds of companies, so you will be able to apply for multiple job positions in one place.
• Use LinkedIn and Other Platforms: Another place to try is LinkedIn. This website is pretty much a professional social media platform, so you can connect with other professionals and apply for jobs. Other social media platforms might also have job listings (e.g. dedicated Facebook groups).
• Ask People in Your Network: LinkedIn can be used to reach out to the people you don’t know, but it’s also important to ask people that you know and are in your network. These could be your family members, friends, other students, teachers, and past coworkers if you had a job before.
• Look for Local Ads: Instead of only looking online, try to look for jobs offline as well. Local ads can be placed in newspapers, industry journals, and on boards in different places.
• Find Jobs at Your College: Speaking of looking for jobs offline, it’s also a good idea to find jobs at your own college. Ask your institution’s administration about the possibility of getting a student job at your college. You can also ask professors if they are looking for a teaching assistant.
• Reach Out to Companies: If you want to work at a specific company that doesn’t have any job listings for now, you can still reach out to them. In some cases, you might get an internship or you could get offered an actual job at the company. In other cases, the HR department will store your resume and get in touch with you if they do have a relevant position for you at any point in the future.
• Become a Freelancer: Lastly, if you don’t want to work for someone else, you can always become a freelancer or maybe even start your own business.

All in all, finding a job as a student might take some time due to your lack of experience, but you will eventually be able to find something that will fit your needs, goals, and abilities.

Ready to Get Started?

About the Author: Nancy P. Howard has been working as a writing expert for over two years. She also is a webmaster at a custom writing review service. She loves traveling, and photography and is always happy to meet new people.