Since I started working, I’ve had 13 different jobs.
I’ve slung coffee, worked retail, sold movie tickets,
answered phones and ran errands. I’ve tracked loan data for a
mortgage brokerage, I’ve done medical billing for a
psychologist and I’ve been an office manager for a crazy
chiropractor. I’ve done a little programming. I taught
elementary school children how to use computers. I’ve tutored
college students in writing. I worked at a record label and got
myself a real gold record for pushing “Dance Mix USA 4″
““ maybe you saw the ads on late night TV.
For the last few years I’ve worked at an entertainment law
firm. My official title is director of motion picture delivery. I
work part time and had no experience when I started. In addition to
assisting two lawyers and doing paralegal work, I obtain, verify,
and sometimes create all of the legal documents that a studio
requires for a particular film. As of a few weeks ago, I was hired
by the Daily Bruin to be an assistant editor of the Viewpoint
section.
Suffice it to say, I’ve had a lot of jobs. Some have been
on-campus and some have been off. Some I’ve loved and some
have made me want to scream with agony. But, after all the
experience I’ve had, I have a pretty good handle on what I
want to do with my life. And I sure am glad I figured it out before
I left college.
If you need to work and aren’t sure what you want to do, I
highly recommend taking a job off-campus. The commute is a little
more difficult, and scheduling classes can sometimes get tricky,
but the reward is well worth the price.
Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of reasons to take an
on-campus job. If you have little or no experience working,
on-campus jobs can be easier to get. The commute is not a problem.
You’ll meet more fellow students ““ people you may never
have otherwise known. You’ll be surrounded by people who know
exactly what you’re going through. They will commiserate with
your academic workload and your boss may be a little more
understanding with regard to the myriad pressures you face.
On-campus jobs often come with little or no stress ““ when
your shift is over, you don’t think about work anymore. The
pay is decent, lunch is cheap (although you’re stuck eating
cafeteria food all the time), and since you don’t spend
anything on transportation, you may actually end up with a bit more
spending money. An on-campus job may be the right choice for your
first year at college as you adjust to a new lifestyle.
But let’s face it. Most liberal arts degrees, unless
you’re planning on becoming a teacher, aren’t going to
lead to any particular career. Even technical degrees aren’t
enough in today’s job market. Your college degree is going to
be a mark of achievement, a badge of honor, a little note at the
bottom of your resume. Your degree is going to help you make the
first cut when a potential employer is wading through a pile of
resumes. But aside from invaluable personal enrichment,
that’s about all it’s going to do. The next thing an
employer is going to look for is experience. And experience making
change at Ackerman Union isn’t going to cut it.
A college education should be about pursuing our personal
interests ““ education for education’s sake. Work, on
the other hand, is what gives us a taste of the future. I took the
job at the record label because I love music. But I realized rather
quickly that I can’t stand the industry. I took the job at
the law firm because I considered becoming a lawyer. As I’m
definitely not cut out to be an attorney, I’m very glad I
didn’t waste three years in law school. I’ve learned
something about myself from every job I’ve ever had.
But more than that, I’ve loved working off-campus.
It’s incredibly nice to get away from school for a few hours.
Nothing about my job reminds me of homework. And nothing about
school reminds me of work. When I’m working I feel capable
and secure. I’m gaining a practical education in how to cope
with responsibility and pressure and expectations. I’m
learning how to deal with people I dislike. I’m learning what
I can and cannot accept or expect in a working environment.
I’m learning my limitations and my strengths. You can get
some of that at an on-campus job as well, but frankly, it’s
just not the same. All of my co-workers are well established in
their careers. They know what it’s like to be a student, but
they have the perspective to teach me how to make the most out of
my college experience.
Of course you have to start small. If you have no experience,
you may need to take an on-campus job first in order to have
something to put on your resume. But there are plenty of office
jobs that only require a high school diploma and typing skills.
Many employers are looking for a part time assistant or
receptionist. And, once you have some general office experience, if
you’re smart and quick you can move up or over into a
position that will give you a real taste of what you may want to do
post-college.
As I said, I’ve recently been hired by the Daily Bruin.
The reason I applied for the job was because, after having spent so
much time in the “real world,” I’ve discovered
what I want to do with my life. Strangely enough, it was only with
an on-campus job that I could begin to pursue my post-college
goals. But I never would have known that had I not taken off-campus
jobs. I never would have discovered what options I had. I would
have missed an amazing opportunity by never having taken the road
less traveled.
Sutton is an assistant viewpoint editor.