Intern Blog

Theo Keith

FNCU intern

There's no magic to making money. Maybe your parents have asked you to pay for more of your tuition. Maybe you just want some extra money to eat out more often. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of opportunities to put a few bucks in your wallet, even in a recession. That's why today's personal finance tip for college students is...

Find a job.

You may think you're busy enough with class and extracurricular activities. But you can always fit in a few extra hours of work per week. The best way is to find a job on campus, not at the local retailer or fast food place. On-campus employers are more understanding of class schedules, and you'll probably even find something in your career interest. You can put something on your resume while you make money.

Check at dorms, the administration office, the recreation center, and within your academic department. You might become the next front desk attendant (which affords you the chance to do homework while "working"). Or, you might get a job assisting a researcher in your field. You'll make money, get a good recommendation letter, and learn something in the process. Even five or six hours a week at a minimum-wage job will net you $40-45 at week's end.

I've been working since I was 11 years old as a Little League umpire so, in college, I picked up a job umpiring intramural softball.

I also work one day a week at the local TV affiliate as a Web editor, a job I got through the journalism school. This semester, I'll be working as an editor at a radio station's State Capitol bureau. I even got a job giving campus tours to prospective students! Through work, I paid for all my dinners, gas, haircuts, groceries and other expenses last year, and even made a little money.

Any job or activity I consider must pass one of two tests. First, it should be something I enjoy. I don't have enough free time to waste hours doing something I don't like. Second, it should be something that would improve my career prospects. If you follow these two rules, it should be a great year!