Should you get a summer job?

With the spring semester over, you may wonder what to do with all your free time, especially if you are not taking summer classes. If you do not currently have a job, you may want to consider getting one. These are some benefits of summer employment:

• Gain valuable work experience and time-management skills. If you have little or no work history, now would be a good time to get some. That way, you will have less white space on your resume when it comes time to update it. Finding a balance between home and work life will help you to manage your time, which will be super beneficial when you start your career after college.
• Become less reliant on loans. You may have heard of the booming student debt crisis in our country, currently. If you do rely on loans each semester, perhaps you can accept less in loans if you save your income during the summer. You would save on interest in the long run!
• Have more money to do fun stuff or pay towards your next semester’s bill. There’s no doubt that your college years will be some of the most memorable of your life, so why not have a little spending cash to enjoy the ride? Perhaps treat your study buddy to a nice meal.

If you’re interested in finding a summer job, you may want to utilize the following resources:

• If you are staying close to the university and want to work on campus, then look through job postings on jobs.uc.edu.
• Look for employment opportunities at local businesses. If you are still staying near campus there is a plethora of restaurants and shops in the area that are constantly looking for part-time help.
• Personal connections: Perhaps you have a friend or relative that has a fun job. Maybe they’re hiring. That way, you’ll get paid and work with your bestie.
• Social media sites: If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, you may want to look into creating one. Not only is it a good, professional tool to have when you start your career, but it is also a good resource for job hunting. Other sites, like Indeed or CareerBuilder are also very useful.

Employment, especially when you have some free time, is always a good idea. You’ll make money, meet new people and gain valuable experience. With the spring semester over, you may want to consider it.