Anyone feel like doling out job advice?

[macmars45]

Retail.

Childcare. Some centers need closers from say 2pm/3pm-6pm M-F. Also all centers need subs.

So sorry about the job loss. I hope you find something good soon.

[riffraff]

I don't know what you were doing before.

Maybe you could try a receptionist type job for a company that's open late? Massage envy comes to mind.

[janegold]

My law firm has FT administrative jobs on second and third shift (secretarial support, document processing, etc.) Those types of jobs are more likely to be found at large, national/international firms.

[lilac05]

My first step would be waiting tables at the most expensive restaurant in town. I like working with people, though, and also loved retail. There's good money in waiting tables if you can get into a $$$ place!

If you don't mind cleaning houses, that's a great way to make decent money where I live. Most decent places start about $11/hr (LCOL). They usually clean the same houses every week or every other week, so they don't have to do too much super nasty cleaning...it's mostly maintenance. You could even do part residential, part commercial to be more flexible with your hours.

[adhdfashion]

Starbucks is super flexible with school schedules.

[sequins]

I signed up for both taskrabbit and care.com (dogwalking, dogsitting at the owner's place) for when I get my work permit. I have driving phobia, so you might be better suited for these. I'm also job hunting now. I'll pm you links that you might like!

[sofamonkey]

Are you up for manual labor in a wholesale floral warehouse? I am actually serious.

[Deleted]

Tutoring and some kind of office job sound good to me, if only because I can see them being perceived more favorably later on your resume.

[goaskalice]

Is there a career center at your school? They might have resources to help find a job that will both pay well and work for your resume when school is over. What are you going to school for? That will help direct my answer.

[pagas]

Restaurant's are flexible and you can do well with tips. I hostessed for a second job for awhile, the money was good.

[pagas]

Apr 1, 2015 0:19:33 GMT -5 intentionalsnarkshark said:

Apr 1, 2015 0:01:00 GMT -5 goaskalice said:

Is there a career center at your school? They might have resources to help find a job that will both pay well and work for your resume when school is over. What are you going to school for? That will help direct my answer.

Engineering.

I don't think we have a career center, but I have gotten in touch with my academic advisor and he's on the look out for potential opportunities. He's also encouraged me to spend time learning some additional software that will make me more competitive.

What type?  If you can get someone to do a pseudo internship, that would be best to work with your class schedule and would be a benefit once you are done with school.  But engineers aren't paid super well generally, so working something with tips might be best for now.  

[sofamonkey]

You have done CAD???

[fuckyourcouch]

In college, I worked 2 or 3 to 9pm at a call center. It paid like double minimum wage too.

[sofamonkey]

DH says, "Actual autoCAD? Not solid works? Autodesk? None of that bullshit? ACTUAL autoCad - YAS!"

Sofamonkey says - there are civil & mechanical & structural engineers there. There will be some electrical engineers that you would HAVE to work with, but only remotely. LoL (also, if you do get a job there, I can show you the finger puppet stage that I made for one of the civil/environmental engineers hahaha)

[Deleted]

I don't know what kind of engineering you are studying, but utilities often have paid internships.

Maybe you can check out your local power and gas companies.

Additional benefit: they often hire interns for permanent positions later.

[goaskalice]

Good call talking to your advisor. Use as many resources as you can while still in school. I'd lean more towards tutoring jobs then if you can't find something like what you've done in the past. Are you really good at math, perhaps you can tutor the math portion of SAT or ACT?

[pagas]

Apr 1, 2015 0:38:25 GMT -5 intentionalsnarkshark said:

Apr 1, 2015 0:27:48 GMT -5 pagas said:

What type?  If you can get someone to do a pseudo internship, that would be best to work with your class schedule and would be a benefit once you are done with school.  But engineers aren't paid super well generally, so working something with tips might be best for now.  

I'm leaning toward mechanical, but haven't ruled out civil quite yet. How early is too early to be doing an internship? I'm still pretty early on in the program, so I'm not sure how useful I would be, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to apply anyway.

sofamonkey lol, yes I AutoCAD. It's been my bread and butter for the last 8 years.

It's never too early.  Start networking ASAP.  You will be useful and you will learn TONS more on the job than you will ever learn in school.

But can you Microstation?  

[sofamonkey]

YGPM

[goaskalice]

Hell yes to networking now. It is never too early for that!

[pagas]

Apr 1, 2015 0:57:53 GMT -5 intentionalsnarkshark said:

pagas I have never used microstation.

If you can Autocad, you can Microstation.  At the end of the day, if you are an engineer, you will rarely use either.  

Beyond utilities, I would look at consultants.  I interned at two companies, both created positions for me, they didn't know what they needed, but I was cheap and willing to learn.  Networking is key. Do you have any smaller local companies that sponsor scholarships?  Those are the best to hit.  And then make them give you a scholly =)

[elleblue]

I don't have any specific advice but I'm pulling for you and hoping that everything works out to your advantage soon. *hugs*

[cville]

Good luck, snarkshark. These are good suggestions and I'm sure you'll find something soon. I also thought about newspapers, my friend used to be a copy editor as a second job and I am pretty sure she did it at night.

[NothingWrongwithOhio]

Just putting it out there, but I interned at a Civil/Structural/Transportation firm in their "marketing" department from freshman - junior year of college. It was basically preparing proposals (lots of collating). They were happy because they paid me much less than they'd pay a "marketing assistant" and I was happy because I was learning how engineering firms work AND if you have experience with DOT/government forms, tons of companies love that. When my course load eased up senior year, I became an assistant inspector (for bridges, highway signs and other roadway structures) and got paid a ton of money for a college kid, only working 3 days a week.

Another idea is looking into special inspections. I worked as an engineer/office manager for a firm that did that and we often employed college students part time (weekends and overnight jobs) to do tests and we paid for them to get certified. It's basically concrete, soil compaction, and asphalt testing. It's great experience in the practical application of what you learn in a geotech or structures class and gives you pretty good insight into material properties, both things that are good on a resumes.

Also, ditto Miso and the utilities internships/co-ops. I currently work at a major utility and we love co-ops and interns. The vast majority of them get job offers when they graduate. Usually, it's not TERRIBLY flexible, co-ops often take a semester off to work, but there are some positions that are (for example, we have an intern that we send out to do roadway crossing examinations and we just give him a list of crossings and the forms and he does it whenever before the deadline).

[ohiowan]

What area of engineering are you wanting to get into? Or what kind if jobs are you hoping for after graduation?

[frannyr]

Try an employment agency. They may find you an office job that has 2nd shift hours.

There's also retail and call centers. I also worked at a call center in college that was super flexible around my class schedule.

Good luck!

[madringal]

Apr 1, 2015 0:44:06 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

I don't know what kind of engineering you are studying, but utilities often have paid internships.

Maybe you can check out your local power and gas companies.

Additional benefit: they often hire interns for permanent positions later.

DH just did this exact same thing with our power company. He is studying mechanical engineering & technology. The hired him a year and a half ago, he graduates in May and his promotion is waiting for him. His starting pay was well above what we expected him to make WITH his degree. It has been an excellent fit. They work around his class schedule, and have been very supportive.

[mcc]

If you're looking for a quick gig to make money until you find something, have you thought of driving for Uber? I know a lot of grad students who do it in Boston.

I agree with the networking. Get yourself some cards from Moo.com if you don't already have some - they're professional looking and not too expensive. Those will be important when you're networking.

[partiallysunny]

If you're leaning towards civil, consider an internship at your local DOT. Even a summer internship would be something.

[captainobvious]

I work in manufacturing and we love technicians that a) can work swing/second shift and b) could grow with the company (I.e. become an engineer.) There might be something like that in your area.

[jane6672]

You've gotten a lot of solid advice. You have so got this.