Some work during college because they have to.  Some do it by choice.  Is it good for your future job prospects?  That depends.  Recent college graduates trying to land that first job in their chosen field need to stand out from the crowd of others applying for the same jobs.  Often, the thing that makes one applicant stand out may be work experience.  So is any work experience good while you are going to college?  Not necessarily.

The cons of working while in school are:

- You stretch yourself so thin on time that you study less and your grades suffer.  Grades are your first priority.

- You work at a string of part-time, minimum wage jobs that any breathing high school junior could get, which doesn’t impress the human resources manager considering you for that first job requiring a college degree.

- You work at one job for a long period of time (which shows stability and persistence), but the job has little responsibility so the person considering you has no idea if you can handle the stress of more demanding work.

What you want ideally on a resume is experience that shows responsibility, intelligence, and (as close as possible) some connection to the type of position for which you are applying.

- Being a team leader looks much better than being a team member.  If you must stay in that entry-level position, try to move up in responsibility.

- If you get a chance to take a lower paying job in a field that is more like the one you ultimately want, take it.  You want that experience. 

- Always be on the lookout for unpaid internships in your field.  Some will be so flexible in hours that you can keep a paying job at the same time.  Many may be available during the summer or breaks when there will be less interference with your studies.

- Given a choice, take the part-time job that requires you to use your head rather than your hands.

Whatever your work experience, whether paid or unpaid, do your very best.  Leave it on good terms with your supervisor.  If you quit a job, have a good reason for doing so.  Get letters of referral from former employers.  These can be invaluable in convincing a personnel manager that you are someone worth taking a chance on.

Remember that the person considering giving you that first job right out of college doesn’t know how great you are.  Your resume, references and letters of recommendation should make you look like a smart, conscientious, and hard-working individual who is going to be a good fit with their organization and a valuable member of their team.

Photo: rinkjustice, Creative Commons 2.0