I always saw a campus job as more of a necessity than a perk. As a college student entering a world of debt in less than four years, I needed something to start filling up the piggy bank I will eventually have to crack open. I never knew I would land myself a job in college that I liked, much less a job that I would love. But, this year I have started working as a Student Leadership Consultant in the Office of Student Engagement at Ithaca College and this is probably one of the best jobs on campus.
1. It is a valuable learning experience for any career.Â
While being an SLC is not specifically related to becoming a journalist, this job is teaching me so much that will be valuable later in life. An on-campus job does not specifically have to relate to your career to be extremely valuable for your career. One, having an on-campus job already shows that you are willing to work hard while also balancing academics on your resume. Two, there are so many skills that are universal. From getting to work on time and learning to manage your time in order to finish specific projects for a job is already putting you a step a
2. There is so much to learn about the inner workings of a college campus.Â
One of the things that can be so helpful in college is learning how a college works. My job specifically relates to assisting organizations with becoming official and managing their funds. That directly helps me with the organizations that I am running on campus. Learning all about what is needed from an organization helps me to lead my organizations in a way that would not have been possible if I did not have this job. Many other campus jobs, particularly desk jobs give students an insight into a college campus that is so valuable for just navigating life in college.
3. It is an awesome opportunity to form relationships with professional staff members.
The professional staff members I work with are amazing. There is so much that can be learned from people that have been where you stand as a student and know substantially more than you. There are so many valuable lessons to be learned from professional staff members as they start to form a mentorship with you. Once graduating, these staff members may even help connect you with career opportunities depending on their connection to the career you seek.
4. It is a wonderful opportunity to network with your peers.Â
I am lucky to be working on an amazing team of 15 student workers. All of these students come from different backgrounds and most are aiming for different paths after they graduate from college. It is so valuable to learn to work with students of different personality types, different backgrounds, and different aspirations because that is something we will be doing for the rest of our lives. Sure, you may not vibe with every person on the staff, but it is so beneficial to understand how to coexist and work well with them regardless.
5. A position that means something on campus feels so great to have.Â
For my job, I was handed a lot of responsibility. I have the keys to the office and on some days, I am the only person who can help students coming up to the desk. It feels so amazing to have that kind of trust with the professional staff members I am working with. I work really hard not to betray that trust and that is such a valuable responsibility to have in life.
6. MoneyÂ
I cannot ignore this factor. What college student would turn down a paycheck?
7. Earns you valuable skills that you may not have picked up otherwise.
Honestly, a lot of my projects as an SLC require some form of marketing and a lot of what I do at the desk requires knowledge that I did not have and would not have had without obtaining this job. While I may not specifically need the ability to promote events or design flyers and bulletin boards as a journalist, those skills are still beneficial and interesting to have. A sociology professor I once had told me employers are looking for someone that would be interested in having a conversation with you by the water cooler. Be someone with stories to tell!
