Capture Real-World Career Insight & Advice That Will Prep You for The Big Time

Working While Full-Time College Student

Q:   Dear Seymour, I am a college student full time. Money is hard to come by. Is there a legit online job or something of that nature I could do to earn extra cash? So many scams out there its hard to tell which ones are real. Any suggestions?

- Submitted by Anonymous

A: Dear College Student,

This is a common problem among full time students, finding time to earn extra money. You are right, many online jobs are either scams, or not what they appear to be according to the job posting. So it's true, you do have to be careful. It's important to understand that most online jobs are probably going to be aggressive sales jobs, which not everyone is cut out for. Not to mention the chance you take of getting involved with outfits that send email spam.

Many people looking to make extra turn to services such as Amazon or eBay to sell items they no longer needs. Perhaps old text books, or used CDs that are just collecting dust. Online sales can definitely get you cash fast, but it can also be time consuming with having to ship items to buyers.

Although you are taking classes full time, you might still have more time than you think to pick up a part-time job, or one with flexible scheduling to accommodate school schedules. Try looking on campus. Sometimes jobs are open for students to work in administrative offices, bookstores, or on-campus restaurants. This offers you a convenience factor, and managers understand the need to adhere to school schedules. Not only do you earn some income, but you have a good start to your resume.

One other idea is to find an internship associated with your degree. Again, you will find flexible scheduling, but make sure to look for paid internships or at least one that offers a stipend to take care of some of your financial stress.

If you find that you are too strapped to continue a full school schedule, you might want to consider cutting down your class schedule and selecting a part-time job in retail or an office. This will help you resist the temptation of using your credit cards to live. Although this may delay your graduation a bit, or put you in a position to attend summer school, at least you can keep credit card debt ay bay.

Hope these suggestions help you find something that works. Best of luck!