The typical college student spends most of his or her time studying and, occasionally, participating in various sports or extracurricular activities. Increasingly, however, it has become common for university students to take on part-time jobs or even start their own businesses prior to graduation.
Students who launch their own businesses or take on part-time jobs can gain valuable insight into their future career path. To illustrate, by taking a summer job as an accountant or marketing analyst, business majors could see whether a particular field interests them on more than an academic level. Despite the benefits to students of “getting their feet wet” in the business world, it is critical to maintain academic studies as a top priority. Students who already have a heavy course load should limit their number of work hours and, if possible, ask for a leave of absence during examination periods.
Ultimately, every student must decide how best to allocate his o her time outside of class. For those with a manageable schedule, exploratory mind and entrepreneurial spirit, work experience prior to graduation can offer important career benefits –not to mention a paycheck.