University students should take the part time job

Sherry X. Liu
Estelle M.W. Chen
Ailen K. C. Tong
Gary W. F. Kun

University of Macau

EELC 1013-009: University English 3

Hugo Teixeira

May 3, 2023
 Nowadays, with the rapid changes in the social environment in recent years, part-time
work among university students has become increasingly common. You may have some
questions: Should I work part-time? Does it benefit me? However, many students will find
some flexible jobs when they are in school, and then use their spare time to do part-time jobs
to earn income. Part-time job has become a threshold for most students to step into society
and become a part of their growth.
This essay will prove that working part-time will help the education, economy,
experience and social interaction of university students.
First, many students may fear that working part-time will be detrimental to their studies.
However, this is not the case. Next, I would like to show you the advantages of education. For
example, I got some solid data from a university study. In terms of Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun
[JIP] (2017), although somebody spends time taking part time jobs, their GPA results higher
than average grades. In addition, as far as McKechnie et al. (2010) is concerned, students can
enhance and improve their academic knowledge and prepare for their future job choices by
taking part-time jobs. As a result, through these two examples, we can recognize that students
working part-time not only help their studies, but also open new paths for their future
development.
Part-time work for students is not only good for learning, but also plays a big role in
accumulating future work experience and growing as an adult. Part-time work has become a
popular trend among young people in recent years. The main reasons for young people to seek
employment are economic factors such as "earning a living" and "supporting the family".
Part-time work has gradually become a mainstream awareness among young people as they
see it as a part of life and an important experience in growing up. The trend of young people
working part-time has been a major concern for society, schools and parents of students.
According to Greenberger et al., 1980 findings suggest that part-time work has the following
advantages for young people. It teaches them to be diligent, responsible, self-trusting and to
work with high quality, to learn to adapt to the difficult working environment, to follow rules
and be trusted by others, to understand the value of money, to cope with different social
situations and authority, and to be more appreciative of their parents' hard work. Part-time
work may also have an impact on the values of work and the future career development of
young people. (Greenberger et al., 1982; Kohn et al., 1978). Taken together, Part-time jobs for
college students can build experience for their future jobs and give them a taste of their
parents' hard work.
Part-time work not only increases work experience and broadens horizons, but also
provides an early experience of the social atmosphere and improves the ability to adapt to
social life. At the same time, students can ease their financial burden. According to Woodley
& Simpson (2002), students who take part-time jobs generally earn more than ordinary
students. Working students have a smaller financial burden, which means working part-time
can help students ease the pressure of tuition. While students can also rely on income from
part-time jobs to pay for their daily living expenses, there are certain guarantees for daily
living. According to Curtis & Williams(2002), some students needed the money from their
part‐time employment to meet basic living and study costs. This additional source of income
can help students reduce financial stress and sustain their daily lives. The economic benefits
of students working part-time are evident not only in society as a whole but also in individual
students.
In addition to the learning, experience and economic benefits mentioned above, students' part-
time jobs also build bridges for students to socialize and [Link] the development
of science and technology, some college students are not good at communication, so college
students can improve their social skills by taking part-time jobs. One has to decide how to talk
to people in a way that is acceptable and comfortable. This is a quick way to improve your
social skills. (UOEH, 2002) For example, it can improve communication skills and emotional
intelligence, and it can also train improvisational ability, and the ability to empathize and
react to other people's emotions. Dealing with clients or colleagues who may be upset or
frustrated can help students learn to manage their emotions and respond to others with
empathy. (Zambas, 2021) All in all, part-time work can help college students improve their
social skills. Through exposure to a variety of social situations, students can develop their
communication skills, emotional intelligence, and ability to improvise. It is important for
students to choose jobs that offer meaningful opportunities for skill development.
To sum up, by taking part-time jobs, students can gain work experience, broaden their
horizon, get a sense of the social atmosphere in advance, and improve their ability to adapt to
social life. At the same time, students can also reduce the financial burden and have a certain
guarantee for daily life. Working part-time sets the stage for students to find jobs in the future.
Students can also improve their ability to learn while working part-time, and help students
have a clear sense of their goals and a certain plan for life.

References:
McKechnie, J. , Hobbs, T. , Simpson, A. , Anderson, S. Howieson, C. & Sheila, S. (2010,
February 25). p.161-175. School Students’ Part‐time Work: Understanding What They Do.
Journal of Education and Work.
[Link]

Muluk, S. (2017, September 28). p.361-372. Part-Time Job and Students’ Academic
Achievement. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun.
[Link]

Greenberger & Steinberg(1980).The part-time employment of high school students:A research

Woodley, A. & Simpson, C. (2002, December 16). Learning and Earning: Measuring ‘Rates
of Return ’Among Mature Graduates from Part-time Distance Courses.
[Link]
Curtis, S, & Williams, J. (2002, February 1). The reluctant workforce: undergraduates’ part‐
time employment.
[Link]

Fujino Y. et al. (2005, September 1). Interpersonal relationships experienced in college life
and development of social skills. National Library of Medicine, 27(3), 263-72.
[Link]

Zambas J. (2021, September 6). 12 Benefits of Working a Part-Time Job as a Student.