The Best and Worst Things About Having An Office Job in College | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Adulting

The Best and Worst Things About Having An Office Job in College

There's plenty of good... and plenty of bad, too.

22
The Best and Worst Things About Having An Office Job in College

In This Article:

The jobs you take in college are often all over the map (figuratively, and sometimes literally). You might have a work study job that places you in the admissions office a few days each week, you could work at a coffee shop or other retail store in the area, or maybe you chose to work in some type of office setting. Now, office jobs may have the stereotype of being super boring. This is especially true if you've taken a menial assistant job where all you do is grunt work. Hopefully, though, it isn't a job that's in your field.

Regardless, there are pros and cons to taking an office job. Some people strongly prefer this type of work environment while others hate it. If you aren't sure where you stand yet, that's just fine. In the meantime, you can read about the best and worst aspects of working in an office:

Best: You’re not on your feet all day.

If you're like me, you always wanted to work at Starbucks or Subway. It sounds like fun, right? Making coffee drinks or sandwiches. In reality, it's a lot of work to be on your feet the whole time. Plus, there's all the behind the scenes cleaning and stocking you'll have to do as well. When you work in an office, you don't have to worry about any of that. You can chill out in an office chair all day.

Best: You probably get paid a little more.

The minimum wage has gone up in some states recently, but retail and restaurant jobs still often pay the absolute least they can. With office jobs, you might be in a position where a certain background or college major is required, which can often lead to a higher wage. (Obviously this isn't the case for an unpaid internship though…)

Best: You’re getting valuable experience for your resume.

Even if it is an unpaid internship, it's still great for your resume and your career. Having any work experience is important, but having relevant experience is even better. It'll make you stand out from other recent grads when you start looking for a full-time gig.

Worst: You have to deal with the ‘Karens from Accounting’ of the world.

Every office has got some nosy coworker or manager you just can't stand. They either are the worst to work with, or they are just annoying personality-wise. When you work in an office, you'll have to tolerate these types of people. Just try to stay friendly, laugh off any weirdness, and focus on your work.

Worst: You’ve got to speak and understand the language of business buzzwords.

"Growth hacking," "touch base," "circle back," the list of buzzwords goes on… and unfortunately, you need to at least know what they mean. A recent study shows that everyone seems to hate these terms, but for some reason we all keep using them. Alas.

Worst: You probably have to dress up a little more nicely.

The nice part about work study jobs or retail jobs is that you'll either have a uniform given to you, or you'll be able to dress casually. In an office environment you usually have to wear nicer outfits. Luckily, society no longer expects us to wear formalwear to work. Still, you probably can't wear a hoodie and shorts.

Ultimately, a lot will depend on what type of job you have and the type of company that has hired you. Some are terrible, some are okay, some are awesome. Don't settle for an awful job long-term. Or, at the very least make it fun by playing conference call bingo or testing out new recipes when you pack your lunch each day.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
ross geller
YouTube

As college students, we are all familiar with the horror show that is course registration week. Whether you are an incoming freshman or selecting classes for your last semester, I am certain that you can relate to how traumatic this can be.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

Bonus points if it is more than two.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

12 Things I Learned my Freshmen Year of College

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

3917
friends

Whether you're commuting or dorming, your first year of college is a huge adjustment. The transition from living with parents to being on my own was an experience I couldn't have even imagined- both a good and a bad thing. Here's a personal archive of a few of the things I learned after going away for the first time.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Economic Benefits of Higher Wages

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

302761
Illistrated image of people crowded with banners to support a cause
StableDiffusion

Raising the minimum wage to a livable wage would not only benefit workers and their families, it would also have positive impacts on the economy and society. Studies have shown that by increasing the minimum wage, poverty and inequality can be reduced by enabling workers to meet their basic needs and reducing income disparities.

I come from a low-income family. A family, like many others in the United States, which has lived paycheck to paycheck. My family and other families in my community have been trying to make ends meet by living on the minimum wage. We are proof that it doesn't work.

Keep Reading...Show less
blank paper
Allena Tapia

As an English Major in college, I have a lot of writing and especially creative writing pieces that I work on throughout the semester and sometimes, I'll find it hard to get the motivation to type a few pages and the thought process that goes behind it. These are eleven thoughts that I have as a writer while writing my stories.

Keep Reading...Show less
April Ludgate

Every college student knows and understands the struggle of forcing themselves to continue to care about school. Between the piles of homework, the hours of studying and the painfully long lectures, the desire to dropout is something that is constantly weighing on each and every one of us, but the glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel helps to keep us motivated. While we are somehow managing to stay enrolled and (semi) alert, that does not mean that our inner-demons aren't telling us otherwise, and who is better to explain inner-demons than the beloved April Ludgate herself? Because of her dark-spirit and lack of filter, April has successfully been able to describe the emotional roller-coaster that is college on at least 13 different occasions and here they are.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments