The life-changing benefits of working while studying that you did not know about

Are you torn between taking up a job to support yourself through college, and asking your parents to help you out while you give your full focus to your studies? There are benefits to both the options. It is not easy to juggle a job while you are neck-deep in your third year of college.

Did you know that over 14 million college students are working while they learn? That’s a pretty big number of individuals making it work despite the stress. Let’s take a look at what motivates them to work while earning their college degree.

You get to build and grow your network

While in college, your professional network consists mainly of your friends, family, lecturers, and professors. When you start working, you will get to add people from your industry to your professional network. The colleagues and managers at your part-time workplace will be the ones to notify you as soon as an opportunity pops up in the industry once you graduate.

Your resume becomes more impressive

We always talk about highlighting your unique value proposition on the resume. Working during your college years is one way to add unique value to your resume. A job seeker who has had one or two years of experience working a real job in the field will have more advantage over a fresh graduate in the industry when it comes to getting hired.

You get to earn an income

This is obviously a no-brainer. The major reason most college students work while learning is to support their college tuition fees. An income can certainly help you pay the rent and bills for your studio. Not only that, but you will also be able to cover the costs of your school supplies, commute expenses, food, and tuition with an income. Even if you are on a scholarship, the extra money can support the expenses of your hobbies and entertainment during college years.

You get to improve your time management skills

Going to college full-time requires a lot of time management skills. Imagine juggling a job on the side while you complete your degree. Doing both of these things at once will help you hone many time management skills such as scheduling, prioritizing, punctuality, and tracking your work.

You gain experience

Imagine graduating as a software developer with two years of part-time experience at an IT startup! You will instantly have an advantage over your peers who did not complete an internship during their college years. Working during college will help you immerse yourself in the industry. You will get to learn a lot about teamwork and collaboration at your workplace. You can even receive career counseling from your mentors in the workplace which will help you have a more fulfilling work life after college.

You get to sharpen your soft skills

Soft skills cannot be taught through a college major. Most of the time, you must nurture your soft skills through years. Working while you go to college will give you a chance to hone your soft skills in the workplace. Your communication skills, decision making skills, conflict resolution skills, and critical thinking skills will constantly be put to the test in your workplace.