Are you looking for a part-time job to earn extra cash during school? Or trying to find your first post-college job? Either way, these sites will help you!
Some 70% of your fellow college students juggle their higher-ed course load with a part-time or full-time job. Why not fluff your savings account, build your networking skills, and lock down a potential job opportunity before you walk across the stage to grab your diploma?
Look no further!
These seven powerful job search sites will connect you with the right gig to pad your portfolio before graduation!
Indeed
Indeed might look like a bare-bones job platform at first glance (it’s as plain as they come). But against all odds, it snagged that coveted “#1 job site” title and eclipses a quarter-million visits every month.
Indeed’s power lies in its eight search filters, designed to narrow down your results and discover the best fit.
For example, set the experience level to “entry-level” to find jobs for rookies, and toggle “part-time” to fill your spare 15 hours.
Or, hide any results posted longer than a week ago to bump your call-back odds (and level the playing field between you and 60% of the other applicants).
Indeed supports ultra-fast results, allows you to apply on-platform (with a previously saved resume), and will send daily email alerts to notify you of new listings.
There’s no need to refresh every hour or fill out endless applications!
Upwork
Upwork is a haven for freelancers, a community that’s had the traditional job market in a vice since at least 2014. Over 57 million Americans now make up the gig economy, with Upwork being a one-stop-shop for both freelancers and hiring clients.
With this app, you can track new job listings in your chosen niche, like “art & illustration” or “technical support.”
One of the best things about Upwork is that most listings feature the need-to-know information that typical job listings fail to mention (i.e., hourly pay and estimated time frames). Just open the job, offer your best pitch with a delicately crafted proposal, and rack up the clients.
Freelancing meshes remarkably well with a collegiate lifestyle because there are no defined shifts. Squeeze work in between those afternoon classes, or lump those hours into your party-less Friday nights.
Just strap on your businessman hat, and prepare to negotiate fair rates!
LinkedIn is perhaps the most well-known career platform globally, boasting over 740 million job-seekers and accepting job listings from some 30 million companies (both large and small).
While college-aged folks don’t swarm to LinkedIn en masse (just 20.3% of the entire user base), the platform carries incredible potential for the younger crowd.
On top of being the top-ranked site for HR experts looking to fill positions, LinkedIn’s features teeter into social media territory:
- Adding “connections” (former colleagues, bosses, or classmates)
- Allowing the job search to go both ways (hiring managers can reach out to potential candidates before the candidate even applies)
- Building a profile, complete with a picture and digital resume
- Tacking recommendations and testimonials onto your page
- Snagging jobs in practically any hemisphere
- Posting content and finding new clients
Compared to every other job site on our list, LinkedIn will be the only one you’ll check daily, trailing closely behind your Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit feeds.
Glassdoor
Glassdoor’s evolution into a top-ranked job site was quite the curveball, considering how the site is typically used.
On top of aggregating millions of job listings, Glassdoor also exposes the not-so-rosy details behind each company.
For example, you can scan salary reports to get an idea of your potential salary and read reviews from current and past employees (caution: they can be critical!).
That way, you can weed out those “too good to be true” listings before you take a job with the wrong company.
Glassdoor’s reviews are valuable for college students and recent graduates. Only 29% of new grads hold their first post-college job for longer than a year, so doing research and applying through this site can prevent you from being a statistic.
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is a fresh face in the job world, launching in 2010 (eight years after the pioneer, Monster). Today, ZipRecruiter welcomes over 25 million job-seekers a month, with over 9 million searchable listings on any given day.
This platform tackles a new approach in linking skilled candidates with hiring businesses. HR gurus submit their listings, ZipRecruiter matches them with qualified pros, and this first-of-its-kind site fires off an application invite.
As a busy college student, this process takes the hassle out of applying for jobs and assuming your resume wandered into the recycling bin. If you’re receiving an invite, one thing’s for sure: you’re a top contender for the slot!
Chegg Internships
Chegg Internships is a much-needed service that will help you hone your skills for your future career and — if you need to complete an internship to get your degree— meet your graduation requirements.
Just search a keyword (i.e., “health” or “computer science”) and location, and you’ll discover thousands of recent postings.
But because it’s an internship recruitment tool, you can also play around with the search filters to find an exact fit. Adjust the education level slider to “high school” or “some college,” or browse summer internships if your course load is too hefty to juggle.
Landing an internship can open the door to an entry-level position with the same company. While your peers are applying during the May rush, you’re already on the payroll at a reputable business.
Google’s job search site isn’t a standalone tool like LinkedIn, Indeed, or ZipRecruiter. But if you can manage to find it (just Google “job search” to find local listings), it’ll feel like a waltz through career opportunity heaven.
Once you click through, you can choose particular industries, requirements (“no degree,” hallelujah!), and the employer’s location. Google’s platform is essentially jumbled results from other search sites, like:
- Robert Half
- Monster
- com
- CareerBuilder
- ZipRecruiter
If you’re tired of bouncing from Monster to CareerBuilder and back again, Google brings your favorite tools together.
But there’s an added bonus:
You can set-up job alerts for specific keywords (i.e., “work from home” or “graphic designer”) to receive daily emails about what’s popping.
End your evenings with apps instead of scouring job platforms all day!
Conclusion
Do you want to travel the more traditional job route (aka word of mouth)?
Then visit your favorite professors, or even the department dean, during semester office hours and spark the discussion!
If you’re an A+ student with a professional work ethic, your professor might just link you up with a paid internship through their network. Or, they can recommend you for a research assistant position at the university.
These “chance” opportunities may not pay off your $25,921 in student loan debt, but they’ll afford you two things money can’t buy:
Experience and connections!
Adam Marshall is a freelance writer who specializes in all things apartment organization, real estate, and college advice. He currently works with The Verge Greeley to help them with their online marketing.