9 Reasons Why Tutoring is the Perfect Job for College Students

By Lorena Roberts on October 31, 2018

College students across the nation are struggling to stay financially afloat while they’re in school, taking out an average of $30,000 in student loans to pay for their education. With tuition and board paid for, college students begin thinking about how they’re going to feed themselves and pay for their textbooks… forget going out with friends, it’s all we can do to make it through the week on Ramen noodles and popcorn. Finding employment as a college student can be tough because of all the limitations that come with being in school. Your class schedule is probably crazy (maybe varying on days and times) so you’re unable to keep a “normal” work schedule. Working in the fast food industry is basically signing up to make minimum wage and smell like grease for an extended amount of time. So where should college students look for jobs? On campus? Sure. If there are enough employment opportunities around campus at different establishments. But there are many more college students on campus than there are open jobs… so what do students do next?

If you haven’t thought about becoming a tutor on campus, you should. It’s one of the most incredible student employment opportunities on any college campus. It’s flexible, decent pay, and doesn’t require an insane amount of manual labor. Most of the time, tutors are paid upwards of $9 or $10 per hour, have their own office, and can oftentimes put in working hours without having to actually tutor anyone — therefore getting paid to finish homework or watch Netflix, whichever comes first on your priority list.

If you haven’t looked into the possibilities of becoming a tutor on your college campus, you should. There are plenty of benefits to being a student tutor, but here are nine reasons that top the list:

photo via Pexels.com

1. You’ll likely have your own office… or at least a quiet place to work.

Working in fast food or at any business, really, can mean that you’re in a noisy environment during your entire shift. If you’re a person who is easily overwhelmed, this can put stressful parameters on yourself while you’re at work. If you’re a student tutor on your college campus, you’ll be placed in an environment that’s quiet and serene. Tutoring centers are often located in libraries or offices that have a minimal noise level. So if you’re looking for a job in a place where busybodies are limited — a tutoring center is for you!

2. There will be slower and busier times of the semester.

When I was a student tutor on campus, the beginning of the semester (when I was always most overwhelmed with my classes) were the slowest times of the semester. College students don’t seek out tutoring in the first few weeks of college (unless they’re in a subject like Organic Chemistry 5000 that requires multiple hours of studying every evening). So when you’re feeling most overwhelmed, your tutoring shifts will likely be pretty slow, meaning you can get your own work done while getting paid. Sure, not all tutoring jobs work like this — but most of them will. Take advantage of this time — make your money and keep to yourself. You’ll be thankful for these days during Finals Week.

At the end of the semester, you’ll be cramming for your exams just like everyone else. But on top of cramming for your own exam, there will likely be extended tutoring hours for students who need help cramming for their exams. The good thing about this is that you’ll be required to be in a tutoring center where you can focus when you get a spare minute. The bad thing could be that you’re slammed with walk-ins who need help with all their classes and you’ll have to dedicate time to your own studies in the middle of the night.

Most of my tutoring friends (and myself included) started studying for final exams way before they got close. Knowing we had to work Finals Week meant we stayed on top of our studies throughout the semester.

3. If you’re struggling in your own classes, you’ll know a lot of tutors.

One of the greatest parts of being a tutor is the people you’ll meet. They’re responsible, on top of their game, knowledgeable in a variety of subjects, and genuinely nice people. Rarely will you meet a bunch of goof-offs who don’t value their education. And if you happen to start stressing about your own classes and even if you start struggling hardcore, you’ll know exactly which people to turn to for help.

4. Your resume will look stellar.

Graduate schools and employers love seeing “student tutor” on applications and resumes. Because being a student tutor means you have certain qualities that others may not: including organization, teaching skills, and dependability. When have you ever met a tutor who isn’t flexible, has terrible customer service, and thinks of only themselves? Probably never. All the student tutors I know are truly great people, and they value education. When managers of companies or potential graduate school committees see an application with this kind of previous experience, they are likely to put you at the top of the pile. They know you have a drive for success and a selflessness when it comes to helping other people achieve what they’re capable of.

5. Tutoring on campus is one of the more flexible job opportunities during college.

Your classes and extra-curricular schedule is nuts, I’m sure. So how in the world are you supposed to work a job in 6 or 8-hour shifts during college? It’s practically impossible. Which is why tutoring is such a perfect job. You’ll mostly be able to work your own hours — whichever hours you set for yourself. If you’re just not feeling it one day, you can probably call in. No one’s really going to notice.

via Pexels.com

6. You’ll learn how to work with all kinds of people/students.

If one thing’s for sure, tutoring on campus means you have to have awesome customer service skills and the flexibility to work with all kinds of different people. Some students will walk in and expect you to do their homework for them, while others will come in with a very specific list of things they want to go over with you.

7. You will easily gain another supervisor who can write you a letter of recommendation.

Letters of recommendation can be stressful. You want to ask people who can speak positively on your behalf about your dependability, leadership, and responsibility. How you handle yourself around professionals will follow you throughout your collegiate career – and sometimes, early on, you don’t anticipate this. If you know you’re going to need someone to write a letter of recommendation, becoming a student tutor and asking your supervisor is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

8. Professors will respect you

For the subjects you’re tutoring, professors will respect that you work as a tutor to help their students with content. Reaching out to these professors will feel more collaborative instead of coming to them for help. My advice? Reach out to the professors for the classes you’re going to be tutoring. Not only can they send students your way when they’re needing help, but it’ll get your name out there as a professional.

9. You won’t actually feel like you work while you’re in school.

Tutoring just doesn’t seem like “work” for some reason. I never came home exhausted and worn out from a long hard day. I enjoyed it. I got to meet students who were struggling in classes I remembered struggling in. I enjoyed giving them advice, talking to their professors, and helping them accomplish the goals they set for themselves. There were only a few times when I really dreaded having to go into “work,” and those times were mostly during the peak of the semester — midterms and finals.

If you’re decently organized, you enjoy teaching others, and you can be depended on… tutoring on campus is the perfect job for you. It’s flexible, easy, and can provide you with a lot of references later on in life. Part of my tutoring experiences brought me to the conclusion that I should become a teacher. It helped me discover part of who I am.

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