Califa
New member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2026
- Messages
- 15
I spent weeks scrolling through generic job boards feeling totally overwhelmed before I realized I was ignoring the best resources available—the ones my university provides for free. Now that I've successfully found a great part-time job, I want to share the tools that actually made a difference so you don't waste time like I did.
Handshake is honestly the MVP. Almost every university career site mentions it as the go-to platform for student employment . It's where employers go specifically to hire students, so you're not competing with the general public. You can filter by work-study, on-campus, part-time, full-time, internships—whatever you need. I set up my profile, and now I get personalized job recommendations based on my major and interests .
Your career center is actually helpful. I finally made an appointment, and my advisor helped me revamp my resume and practice interviewing. The University of St. Thomas offers drop-in hours and even free access to Jobscan, a tool that compares your resume to job descriptions and suggests keyword improvements . Game changer!
Networking isn't as scary as it sounds. Georgia Tech's career center suggests using LinkedIn's Alumni Tool to find graduates in your field and ask targeted questions like 'How can I make myself more competitive?' . I reached out to a few alumni, and one gave me amazing advice about which campus jobs actually lead to good experience.
Career fairs work for part-time jobs too. I always thought career fairs were just for seniors, but many have employers looking for student workers . I went to my university's fall fair, talked to a few tables, and ended up with an interview for a research assistant position.
Don't overlook departmental bulletin boards. The University of Southern Indiana mentions that professors and departments sometimes post openings on physical boards . I found a flyer for a paid research opportunity in my department that wasn't listed anywhere online.
The key is using all these tools together. Start early, be proactive, and take advantage of every resource your university offers. You've got this!
Handshake is honestly the MVP. Almost every university career site mentions it as the go-to platform for student employment . It's where employers go specifically to hire students, so you're not competing with the general public. You can filter by work-study, on-campus, part-time, full-time, internships—whatever you need. I set up my profile, and now I get personalized job recommendations based on my major and interests .
Your career center is actually helpful. I finally made an appointment, and my advisor helped me revamp my resume and practice interviewing. The University of St. Thomas offers drop-in hours and even free access to Jobscan, a tool that compares your resume to job descriptions and suggests keyword improvements . Game changer!
Networking isn't as scary as it sounds. Georgia Tech's career center suggests using LinkedIn's Alumni Tool to find graduates in your field and ask targeted questions like 'How can I make myself more competitive?' . I reached out to a few alumni, and one gave me amazing advice about which campus jobs actually lead to good experience.
Career fairs work for part-time jobs too. I always thought career fairs were just for seniors, but many have employers looking for student workers . I went to my university's fall fair, talked to a few tables, and ended up with an interview for a research assistant position.
Don't overlook departmental bulletin boards. The University of Southern Indiana mentions that professors and departments sometimes post openings on physical boards . I found a flyer for a paid research opportunity in my department that wasn't listed anywhere online.
The key is using all these tools together. Start early, be proactive, and take advantage of every resource your university offers. You've got this!
