Let's face it. A lot of us require a second (or first!) job to help us make ends meet in graduate school. Some people rely on these jobs for all of their primary expenses while others use these jobs to pay for the miscellaneous extras. But are there jobs that pay well without requiring 40+ hours a week?
Too often, I feel like people settle for less than they are worth when it comes to supplemental jobs. A friend of mine has worked at a fast-food restaurant where she makes minimum wage. Unless you're working at Starbucks to take advantage of their benefits, I strongly encourage you to look into these more lucrative positions.
* Tutoring with a reputable agency. We're academics and darn proud of it. Generally you can make $20-30/hr with tutoring. I have found it best to go through a reputable company so you do not need to screen potential students yourself. There is also a substantial niche if you have high standardized test scores. Among the places to look: Sylvan, Kaplan, Princeton Review, Huntington, etc.
* Mother's helper. If you are into kids, this can be a good way to go. Generally, moms know what they would like you to do and will pay you well for it. A going pay rate depending on location is $12-20/hr but some people can do better than that by not bringing it up. Let the mom decide.
* Freelance internet tasks. If you are proficient in web programming or graphic design, then it can be possible to work by the piece for various web development firms. These sort of tasks work on your schedule but require some know-how.
Other thoughts?
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6 comments:
Solid ideas! I would add, don't forget to keep an eye out for on-campus jobs: at my school, tutoring or working at the writing center, assisting with TA training, and working as an RA (if you're willing to live in the dorms) all pay fairly well and can be put on your CV.
Also, I'll re-link to History PhD's post on proofreading for court reporters.
sylvan only wants people with a teaching certification.
These are great ideas.
Bummer for international students who can only work on campus. :(
We have rented out our second bedroom several times to interns or visiting researchers who stay for 4-12 weeks. Even though it kind of sucks to have someone around, it really helps.
Thanks for providing this forum.
A few more:
- Pet-sitting. My town had a reputable company that hired pet-sitters as independent contractors. I would advise this before branching out on one's own; the company had insurance and legal protections for both employees and clients. But it was fun and very flexible.
- Free-lance writing. If you have non-scientific writing experience many newspapers hire 'stringers' to report on additional stories that the staff reporters can't get to. Call the paper and ask to speak to the editor in charge of such things. She will most likely ask you to send her a few writng clips before hiring you. Or, you can offer to do the first story 'on spec,' for free, to prove your chops.
- Teaching: Many enrichment programs for middle and high school students run on Saturdays and over summers.
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