4 Tips on Integrating Your Job With Your Back to School Schedule
4 Tips on Integrating your Summer Work Schedule with your Back to School Schedule	
By Candace McCutcheon | August 21, 2015
4 Tips on Integrating Your Summer Work Schedule With Your Back-to-School Schedule
Headed back to school this fall and worried how you’ll balance the responsibility of a part-time job with the stress of a full-time student? Here are some tips for smooth sailing into both.
Look for seasonal employment
The holidays may not seem like they are just around the corner, but employers that need to ramp up their staff for the Thanksgiving through Christmas season will be starting their search soon – some as early as September. These seasonal positions aren’t just exclusive to retail, other areas such as manufacturing, warehousing, shipping and logistics and call centers, experience a surge as well. According to the National Retail Federation, $616 billion were spent during the 2014 holiday season. Take advantage of this season’s biggest shopping spree by cashing in your paycheck instead of cashing out your bank account.
Work odd shifts
Are you someone who feels most productive past 12 am? Or maybe you are someone who rises with the sun. Either way – you shouldn’t be constrained by the limits of a 9-5 work day. There are many jobs that operate outside of the typical business hours. Businesses that are open 24 hours offer a graveyard shift that generally goes from midnight to mid-morning. Food service establishments, like bakeries, often require workers to start before 5am to prepare to open their doors by the early morning. Working odd hours typically means a less stressful commute and sometimes even pay incentives.
Look for jobs that have week by week schedules
School is unpredictable. Juggling tests, papers, group projects and homework can feel like a job in itself. In order to keep up with school and work demands, find a job that is willing to be flexible with your schedule. Opt for an employer who creates a weekly or bi-weekly schedule based on your availability instead of being locked into a permanent one. That way, you can plan ahead based on your coursework for the upcoming week and decide whether or not you want to work that Tuesday night before your midterm.
The key to successfully integrating your schedules is to stay organized. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when taking on something new. Adequate planning can help alleviate the stress a full calendar entails. Keep a planner with you at all times – whether it’s digital or hard copy – so you can write down schedule changes as you commit to them. Set alerts on your phone to remind yourself of upcoming deadlines. And most importantly- don’t forget to pencil in some you time because everyone needs a break from school and work once in a while.
Feeling inspired? Check out our job openings page and start the school year off with a bang!