Thinking about taking on a part-time job or internship during the school year? If you’re not sure if now’s a good time, you’re in luck: We talked to Gabby Aikawa, a YouTuber whose videos take on topics like thriving in college and getting a job, about why this is the perfect semester to start working.
Aikawa knows what she’s talking about when it comes to being smart with money and landing a job: She received $46,000 to pay for college and also used her collegiate work experience to land a role she loves after graduating.
Because of her experience, Aikawa is a big advocate for working in college, and while there are many reasons for doing so, here are her top 3.
1. You’ll Gain Important Time Management Skills
The biggest lessons you’ll learn in college won’t necessarily be in your biology or English classes; one of the most important is time management.
“[Working a job in college] will teach you how to manage your time and plan in advance so you can juggle work, your grades and fun all in one semester,” Aikawa tells us. It may seem overwhelming at times, but understanding how you’ll get everything done and how you work best are valuable pieces of information to know.
Nervous about how to practice good time management skills if it’s not something you’ve focused on before? Here are a couple of key beginning tips:
- Pick a calendar system you like, like Google Calendar or iCal (and if you’re old-fashioned, invest in a nice paper planner!). Trying to keep your schedule in your head doesn’t bode well; write everything down.
- Schedule everything at first. Instead of just writing down work and class times, also include time in your schedule for studying, extracurriculars, meals and free time. It might seem like overkill, but until you get in a rhythm, it can be a lifesaver.
- Create a to-do list. This can be as simple as writing down your daily to-dos on a Post-It note. Similarly to your calendar, you don’t want to keep everything you have to get done in your brain. You’re bound to forget something if you try.
2. You’ll Gain Valuable Personal Finance Skills
Personal finance is an area that everyone can learn more about, so why not get a head start?
“[Working a job in college] will also teach you how to manage your finances and [save] up,” Aikawa explains. “Finance [is] one of those topics that they don’t teach you in school, but once you get out, you are bombarded with a plethora of taxes and bills that you didn’t even know existed!”
Getting a paycheck every month allows you to start saving for the future, paying off any student loans or outstanding debts and investing. It’ll also give you a little extra cash for fun in college, which is always a bonus. Aikawa also recommends using your school’s financial aid office as a resource if paying for college is something you’re worried about.
If you’re unsure how to even begin dealing with money, here are a few quick tips:
- A general rule of thumb is to save at least 10-15% of your paycheck every month. This will ensure you’re setting aside something no matter what.
- Create a basic spreadsheet of your income, expenses, taxes and savings. It doesn’t have to be fancy, and it’ll give you the insight as to where your money is going. You’d be surprised how much money you spend on late-night food runs on the weekends when you’re not keeping track of it.
- Start thinking about taxes long before April 15th. If you have no idea where to even begin figuring out taxes, the IRS has a helpful guide here.
3. You’ll Gain Professional Development
Regardless of where you work, there’s an opportunity to gain valuable professional skills for the future.
“Every part-time job in college will teach you something useful for your future career,” Aikawa says. “Whether it’s getting a part-time internship at a company you would consider working for or becoming more comfortable talking to people by working in a diner, there is a lesson in every job that can be utilized.”
During her college years as a Human Biology major and Chemistry minor, Aikawa worked as a volunteer student researcher in a lab on campus, a lab assistant for a local biotech company and product development intern for the cosmetics company, all in addition to running her successful YouTube channel. The cosmetics company actually offered Aikawa a full-time product development role, proving that you can do anything no matter what your college major is!
If you really want to supercharge your professional development on the job, there are several steps you can take right now:
- Sit down with your supervisor regularly for feedback. This way, you’ll continue to grow no matter what.
- Take on new responsibilities. By getting even more experience, you’re setting yourself up for greater opportunities in the future.
- Build professional relationships. You never know who can help you in your career in the future, so develop strong bonds with the people you’re working with now.
Taking on a part-time job or internship in college is a big responsibility but offers lots of perks, so start applying for opportunities on WayUp, and get even more advice from Aikawa’s channel.
