Tip # 17: Try Casual Work

I am really fortunate to have a great job on campus. It's a 10 hour-a-week job with the Learning Network, coordinating the Academic Success Workshops. http://www.nipissingu.ca/mentor/workshops.asp

But, it is rather difficult to get a job these days. Many businesses aren't hiring students, especially if they will only be here for 8 months of the year. Nipissing University offers a Work Study program that enables needy students to work part-time on campus. But what if you don't qualify? Or what if you can't commit to a 10 hour a week job?

Here's a solution (that I wish I'd heard about before fourth year): Casual Work.

Casual work is just what the name suggests - a few hours of work for a few days or weeks. You may get a job for a week filing in the education office, covering an office for an hour when they have a meeting, doing coat check for a big dinner, a day's work helping with a job fair at school, or two weeks of envelope-stuffing.

You simply go to the Office of Student Development, fill out a form, add your resume and schedule, and they will contact you when job opportunities come up. The nice thing about casual work is that if you happen to be super busy that week, you can just turn down the potential job. It's a great way to earn a little extra cash, without a long-term commitment.