8 Reasons Part-Time Jobs Are Extremely Valuable

By Victoria Robertson on April 22, 2016

College is a large expense that very few can afford. While some are lucky enough to skate through their education without a second thought as to how they’re going to pay for it, for most, money, or lack thereof, is a constant concern.

Loans are a good option, but often need to be supplemented with some form of income, which is where the part-time job comes into play. Working during college is not ideal, but it’s realistic, and for those that know the pains of working while attending classes all too well, here’s a little pick-me-up that’ll hopefully help get you through the rest of the week.

So without further ado, here are eight reasons part-time jobs are extremely valuable.

1. Money

Sure, it’s an obvious reason, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Money is great, especially when you’re paying your own way through college. And who doesn’t love a good paycheck, no matter the job? So long as there’s an income somewhere in the near future, your part-time job is well worth the time and effort you put into it.

2. Experience

While you probably aren’t working towards your career in any obvious way, just having the work experience behind you gives you interview experience, experience with responsibility and time management, and experience in the professional realm, no matter how small.

3. People

I’ll start by stating the obvious: not all people are great. That being said, working a part-time job allows you to learn more about all different kinds of people, their interests and their aspirations. You won’t like everyone, but you will constantly be learning something new when spending time with them. Plus, the experience of working with others will benefit you when it comes time for you to begin your career.

4. Leadership

Typically, when working a part-time job, you’re at the bottom of the food chain. This means that there is always someone above you hierarchically, which means you always have someone to answer to. This not only makes you accountable, but teaches you the importance of being a professional while simultaneously learning what it means to know your place in the workforce.

5. Customers

Typically, part-time jobs require some form of communication with customers. And more often than not, you’re going to encounter unhappy customers that are difficult to deal with. Unfortunately, this is important life experience, as the real world is going to be full of people just like this. So the sooner you’re able to learn to deal with them in a professional manner, the easier it’s going to be later on.

6. Rules and Regulations

You will never find a job in which there isn’t a single rule or regulation in place. And because part-time roles are typically very fluid, these rules and regulations are strict and universal, meaning you are an expendable employee that can be replaced if you break protocol. While this may seem tedious (especially if you don’t care about the job), it’s important to remember later in your career as, odds are, these rules and regulations are only going to increase with time, and the sooner you’re able to learn to follow them, the better.

7. Professionalism

Believe it or not, part-time jobs actually teach you professionalism. These jobs require timeliness, cleanliness and an overall pleasant demeanor from you, and teach you what is and is not appropriate in the workplace. At the very least, part-time jobs help you to develop a filter of sorts, allowing you to create a “professional” version of yourself in conjunction with your normal demeanor.

8. Networking

Though many part-time jobs probably have nothing to do with your career aspirations, using past employer recommendations and networking with coworkers is always a positive thing. It can’t hurt you in any way, and if you do well, these connections can come back to help you somewhere down the road. It’ll demonstrate your likability as well as your professional abilities in a way that you can’t do on your own.

So yes, working instead of having fun with your roommates is a little bit of a downer, but in the end, you’re doing what you need to do to build your future, and you’ll be thanking yourself in a few years … I promise.

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