The Importance of a Part Time Job
Seth Lovely
Staff Writer
One of the only things a student cannot gain from the classroom is a work ethic: a work ethic is something that is acquired over time and is vital to anyone’s success.
Year after year, students are graduating with no work experience on their resumes, planting them in a bed of quick sand, stuck with no one to help. This is an issue that having a part-time job can help cure.
A part-time job can consist of many things – working at a sandwich shop, serving at a restaurant or even an internship at a company in one’s desired field.
Although it might not be direct experience in the field one wishes to pursue, it still sets an individual apart from people who have no experience.
The more experience students have, the more they appeal to future employers. Even with more basic jobs, restaurants want servers with experience, just as marketing agencies want students who have previously been through internships.
Through this experience students gain not only a work ethic, but also time management and a professionalism they would not gain unless in the work field.
Experience is everything, and college students have four years to grow their work history and by making use of their time as an undergraduate they can create a resume full of past gigs.
“Having an off campus job has taught me how to manage my time properly and has taught me a great deal about ethic,” said Maxwell Johnson, senior and valet manager at a local Mercedes Benz dealership.
Another important thing about gaining work experience is learning one’s likes and dislikes.
Throughout part-time jobs and internships, students gain an idea of what they want to do or do not want to do. By realizing this, they can make a change before it is too late.
“Personally, working in a restaurant has taught me that I don’t want to do this my whole life.
Going through this job now makes me want to better prepare for my career while I’m still in college,” stated Christina Canary, senior and server at Nino’s Italian restaurant.
Generally, students are given an allowance by their parents and may go out and spend it all on one thing. By having a part-time job, students acquire their own money that they worked for.
This money has a much greater value than their allowance.
“[A part-time job] made me realize the actual worth of a dollar, which makes me work harder for my money, and also to save it,” stated Johnson.
There are so many skills to be learned in the real world, especially by dealing with issues at hand rather than behind a computer screen.
Through working a part-time job in the food industry, retail or even manual labor, students gain knowledge in time management, social skills, multi-tasking and of course, money.
Each of these skills is so crucial to future employment in any field, and the earlier students get started acquiring these talents the more honed they will become.
“For me, I really hadn’t worked in a restaurant before. I never knew how hectic it could really be and I never had been under so much pressure,” stated Mitchell Jensen, graduate student.
“I’m in control of this persons dining experience and it is somewhat terrifying.”
All in all, the extra money is great, but the real purpose of a part-time job is acquiring real world skills that cannot be learned in a classroom.
These skills are what employers are really looking for in people they aim to hire.
The Career Connections Center is always there to help students looking for a part-time job or even an internship. Places are always hiring, so get out there and start working!
