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Students are swamped with responsibilities. From attending classes and doing homework to fulfilling social obligations, there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. According to research from the U.S. Bureau of Labor released in 2008, nearly 50 percent of college students add part-time jobs to this list.
Matt Carlson, the acting assistant director for the Minnesota State Career Development Center, said the national rate is comparative to MSU. Carlson estimates 40-50 percent of MSU students are employed part-time.
"This year we have seen a definite increase in students with part-time jobs," he said. "This is exasperated by some difficult financial trends we have seen recently."
There are many options for employment in the area but some of the most popular jobs include those in retail, food or an area that complements the student's major.
"I think working in the food industry is the best job a college student can get," said Johnny B's bartender/server Jeri Thoner, a speech communications senior. "If you are a server, you can make good money. I used to work in retail but I would put in the same amount of time and I wouldn't make near as much."
Jarett Peikert shares a similar experience in retail.
"I worked in retail at Target, but it's a minimum wage job with no advancement," the athletic training major said. After a year of working there, Peikert transitioned to two part-time positions at Pet Expo in Mankato, where he works in the aquatic cove, and Precision Press in North Mankato, where he runs a small press. Peikert also contributes hours doing athletic training for the MSU wrestling team.
Peikert said the wages at his current jobs are much better than at any retail position he's had.
"It's pretty flexible, so I can work whatever hours I want that fit into my class schedule, but sometimes that involves staying long hours or being by myself at work until 2:30 a.m," he said about working the press.
Peikert and Thoner appreciate their employers' flexibility, but find it difficult to juggle long hours at work with long school days and early morning classes. In general, flexibility seems to be a top priority for students searching for part-time work.
"I am a support staff at a group home. The job is very flexible and people are always willing to trade with you if something comes up," said MSU social work junior Ashley Bemmels. Although Bemmels doesn't find it difficult to juggle school and work since she has been doing it since high school, she said she likes the ability to alter her schedule when needed.
"I balance work and school by sticking to a schedule and setting priorities so that I get everything done that I need to," said MSU nursing senior Katie Boyum, who works for REM at a group home in North Mankato.
"When I worked more hours I found it a little more difficult because I am in the nursing program and with my clinicals constantly changing, trying to fit work into my changing schedule can get difficult," Boyum said.
With so much time being spent on work, Carlson stresses the benefits of finding a job that emphasizes future goals.
"I think the initial thought for students is that they need money, but hopefully they eventually come to an earn and learn perspective, so what they do is congruent with their future plans and academic studies," Carlson said. "The real art of part-time employment is finding a job that complements your goals in life. Without exception, the money is nice, but the experience far outweighs in the long run, and is transferable to their future."
For Boyum, the experience she has gained working has proved valuable for her future.
"I feel like my job has made me really grow as a person and has made me more successful in college," she said. "It makes me stay on track and meet deadlines along with creating the professional traits that I will need in the future. I think for anyone interested in nursing, working in a group home is a great option."
Although students probably aren't using their part-time pay checks to pay off soaring tuition bills, many are contributing these funds to routine expenses and student loan debt.
According to a 2007 annual national survey by the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute, 29 percent said they would put at least some earnings from a part-time job toward educational expenses.
"I am going to try to pay down my student loans with my extra earnings," Peikert said. Thoner also plans to save up money to pay student loans.
"My pay check typically pays for my rent and bills, and my tip money usually goes for groceries and fun activities," she said.
Boyum and Bemmels also spend their pay checks on daily expenses like groceries, bills and gas.
Despite this, MSU student workers can be found in just about any employer in the community.
"You can clearly see we have a large student population working," Carlson said. "In any store in town they are visible and we know there is a strong presence of students in the local economy."
The Career Development Center on campus provides extensive resources to students looking for part-time jobs. Support, one-on-one counseling, workshops and training are some of the options available to students free of charge. In addition Mavjobs.com is a CDC Web site that connects students to employers with available part-time work in the area.
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