Good part-time jobs for graduate students?

[lettuchi]

What's a good part-time job for graduate students if your stipend just doesn't cut the mustard? What sort of jobs are you all working? In general, is it easy to find a job on campus? How do you balance an off campus job with graduate life requirements like meetings and classes?

Thanks for any info you can share!

[anthropologygeek]

Being a tutor for students athletes on campus.

[Eigen]

Make sure that your funding terms will allow you to hold alternate employment- many university TA/RA positions exclude outside jobs.

That said, tutoring is usually lucrative and nearly always allowed.

[communications13]

You may also qualify for a work study position that at some universities can be as few as 2 or 3 hours a week, not much, but a nice easy bonus each week. If your funding allows it you should be able to find work in the Student Union, campus rec or a department may have a few OPS positions available. There is also the option to work off campus if you can find a job, after school programs for orgs that serve the local children, waiting tables can bring in quite a bit of money and some places will let you work one night a week if you commit to working the busiest weekend night.

[jmacnomad]

During my masters I taught yoga and kickboxing a few times per week and got paid $30 an hour. It was great because I got to work out/ de-stress and didn't have to stare at books or a computer. It was great and I'm hoping to do the same during my PhD!

Edited February 22, 2011 by jmacnomad

[lettuchi]

Thanks! Great ideas, everyone.

[rising_star]

I used to work in the ticket office of a theater when I was a MA student. A lot of it was time where I just waited for phone calls, so I could get some reading done while getting paid.

[newms]

Just to clarify - international students wouldn't be able to have a part time job, right? At least not off campus?

[nhyn]

Just to clarify - international students wouldn't be able to have a part time job, right? At least not off campus?

you can work on-campus. there are 2 options, OPT and CPT for off-campus employment. Both have to be related to your area of training/study. You can look them up and see what the conditions are like The paperwork costs money and is kind of annoying, but you might be able to gain valuable internship/experience outside of your department that way.

[newms]

you can work on-campus. there are 2 options, OPT and CPT for off-campus employment. Both have to be related to your area of training/study. You can look them up and see what the conditions are like The paperwork costs money and is kind of annoying, but you might be able to gain valuable internship/experience outside of your department that way.

Cool. Thanks for the info.

[hopehope]

research assistant ... pays like 15 an hour .. taxed .. and should not exceed 10 hours a week i guess .. ONLY in Summer and breaks!! Not too bad!

[hopehope]

on campus they can work in any field .. like in the library or cafeteria ..

[Gunner24]

Often off-campus jobs that tend to be busier on weekends - restaurants, food services, retail - will let you work one or two weekend shifts a week, which shouldn't get in the way of responsibilities. Especially if it's near campus or in a college town, employers are accustomed to employing students with flexible scheduling needs. Best of luck.

Edited February 23, 2011 by Gunner24

[Behavioral]

I highly recommend this movie:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1504300/

Most of (if not all) the employees featured in the documentary were graduate students. Great movie. Great people. Really funny stories.

[lettuchi]

I'll check it out!

[a fragrant plant]

I'm hoping to continue working as an interpreter/translator. The pay rate is about $22-$35 USD. The work is very flexible, perfect for PhDs.

[ResilientDreams]

There's always babysitting! I make quite a lot doing that.