That Campus Job Can Help Launch Your Student’s Career

I think parents make a big mistake when they fail to encourage their students to get a part-time campus job during college.

Think about it. One student goes to college and works on campus 15 hours a week in the campus bookstore and, during the summer, at the local supermarket. Another student goes to college, studies hard and even takes a few extra classes during the summer but doesn’t pursue a job.

If both students graduated from the same school and applied for the same job at the same company after graduation, who do you think gets hired?

Employers never ask students how many hours they studied during college. They do, however, always look at their work experience and assign value to that experience—especially in a competitive marketplace.

If the working students also receives letters of recommendation from their employers, it gives them an even a greater advantage in the marketplace.

Another thing to consider:  In the above example, the student who didn’t work during school may not only end up jobless but is also much more likely to end up with more student loan debt than the one who did work.

When I was at Career Counselors, we placed many recent college grads in their first jobs. I saw firsthand that employers almost always favored students with work experience—any kind of work experience during their college years.

If your student is fortunate enough to get a paid internship, it’s even better. But short of that, experience in the school’s cafeteria or the local supermarket can make a world of difference in getting that first job offer after graduation.

And remember–working students also get better grades.