How to Design Your Own Part-Time Job

A part-time job is a great way to earn some extra money. There are plenty of jobs available on and off campus if you know where to look, and there’s the possibility of creating your own job, too. Either way, doing a little extra work here and there is a great way to put some extra cash in your pocket.

Earn extra money on campus.

You may be able to earn the cash you need without ever leaving campus. Here are a few ways to spend a little time earning extra money:

• Research studies—Graduate students often need other students to participate in research projects, and research-heavy departments like psychology may pay their student volunteers. Contact a few schools and/or departments, or visit their Web pages to see if they’re looking for help.
• Focus groups—Earn as much as $50 for your opinion by participating in focus groups. These small, structured group discussions center on a specific topic and usually last one to three hours. Marketing departments almost always have a go-to call list for participants, or a place to sign up online.
• Tutoring—Work as a tutor, and share what comes easy to you for an hourly fee. Ask departments if you can post a flyer advertising your services to bulletin boards, and advertise your services to friends.

Make a little cash off campus.

You can squeeze in these off-campus jobs around even the busiest class schedule. To earn quick cash between classes consider offering the following services:

• House-sitting
• Babysitting
• Pet-sitting or dog walking
• Telemarketing
• Political polling

Create your own job.

If none of the previously mentioned one-off jobs seem right for you, then create one that does. You can earn the extra cash you need by working as a freelancer or by starting your own small business. Some services you might offer include:

• Troubleshooting computer problems
• Selling handmade goods like jewelry, photography, or paintings
• Washing and detailing cars
• Designing websites
• Filming or photographing weddings
• Writing Web content

To get the word out that you’re offering a service or product, advertise in the student newspaper, in local online classifieds, and on social media.

Be sure to decide on an hourly rate for your services and always be upfront with customers about how much you charge and when and how you expect to be paid. You may consider collecting money in person or giving customers an invoice for the amount due.

Finding a part-time job is simple if you know where to look and how to start. Getting creative with your business ideas and snapping up offbeat jobs on and off campus will help you earn the cash you need.