5 part-time jobs great for college students

Being a college student can be rough work—on top of juggling a heavy class load with extracurricular activities and social opportunities, many students look to take on some type of part-time employment, either to help pay for school or for extra spending money. That’s a lot to handle, and it’s exactly why students should make every effort to ensure that they’re choosing the right types of jobs. An ideal part-time job allows for some level of schedule flexibility to accommodate busy lives in and out of the classroom and will not eclipse or overshadow a student's primary goals—to get good grades and have a positive college experience. Monster recently published an article highlighting some of the best part-time jobs for college students. If you’re a student on the hunt for a part-time job, consider the following five possibilities.

1. Babysitter

Taking care of children has long been a tried and true employment opportunity for students. Why? Because students typically have the energy and enthusiasm to keep up with young children. Babysitting is typically the sort of work students can do around their class schedules—night and weekend work is common. It also tends to pay relatively well and you can pretty much set your own work hours and availability.

2. Barista

College students have long-since discovered the power of coffee to get through a long and busy day, and many students have also discovered that making and serving coffee can be an excellent way to earn some extra cash. Not only are there coffee shops practically everywhere (especially around college campuses across the country), they also typically offer work shift opportunities around classes and can be fun and social environments—not a bad way to earn a paycheck.

3. Driver

If you have a car and a little extra time on your hands, becoming a driver might be a great choice for part-time work. For the most part you’ll get to be your own boss, set your own hours, and work from the comfort of your own car. Work when you’re available, look forward to some extra tips from grateful passengers, and have plenty of time to handle the rest of your busy life.

4. IT support specialist

These days, the average college student was practically raised on technology and has solid tech skills that they can put to good use. If you often find yourself helping friends and family with their tech-related issues, why not get paid for it? You can either employ yourself or find a job on campus as an IT support specialist and earn good money doing something that you’re naturally good at.

5. Retail associate

Most of us at one time or another held at least one job in retail—and for good reason. These jobs are often easy to find and are flexible, relatively low-stress ways to earn some extra money. If this sounds right up your alley, head out to some stores in your area and see if they’re hiring. There you have it—if you’re a college student on the hunt for a part-time job, one of these five options might be just the right move for you. Happy hunting!