The Best Job to Have In Engineering School
Like most engineering students, I studied during any and all spare times, especially as I got further into my degree. I studied before and after class, on the weekends, and even while I was at work. If you are one of the many students that doesn’t receive significant financial support from parents, continue reading this article.
For the majority of my time as an undergrad student, I was very fortunate to not only have an incredible job, but also have incredibly supportive management who was rooting for my success. For about 3 of the 4.5 years I was in undergraduate school, I worked as an IT specialist at a private secondary school in Tampa. My responsibilities primarily consisted of completing IT related activities for the faculty and staff at the school. This was one of the best jobs I have ever had. I loved everyone I worked with and worked for, I was well respected, there were challenging tasks, there were easy tasks, I had an incredibly flexible schedule, and I was paid well. Not only did I have all of this, but I was also encouraged to study in between taking care of my responsibilities.
The last sentence in the previous paragraph brings me to the point of writing this article. If you are an engineering student in need of money and time to study, I highly recommend finding a job similar to mine. I understand, these jobs do not grow on trees. Below are some things to look out for when seeking and applying for jobs.
The most ideal job characteristics for an engineering student, or any college student for that matter, would be an office desk setting. This setting implies there is little to no outside work, physical work, or extended periods of time on your feet. A job that is not too mentally demanding, flexible with time, and that has little management oversight is the most ideal. Interestingly, these jobs usually come with the best pay (I made between $10 to $15 per hour from 2010 to 2013 in the IT field). Examples of jobs to look for and jobs to avoid are detailed in the tables below.
| Jobs to Look For | Where to Find Them |
|---|---|
| IT Specialist | * Local private/public schools, * Small/medium sized businesses with dedicated IT departments |
| Front Office Clerk or Receptionist | * Dunder Mifflin Paper Company * Libraries * Gyms * Small/medium sized businesses |
| Security Guard | * Defense contractors * Financial institutions * Hotels/Condos |
| Jobs to Avoid | Reason |
|---|---|
| Food industry | * No time to study * Primarily on feet * Pay is usually dependent on tips |
| Sales, Customer Service, Call Centers | * Too much focus on customers and not enough on self * Too much oversight |
| TA/RA | * Might be ok for grad school if tuition being paid for by professor; otherwise, significant mental and time drain * Too much oversight |
Have recommendations for a great job for an engineering student? Submit a comment below to share!
