By Annalea Johnston
As many Merrimack College students seek to balance their academic and extracurricular commitments, part-time jobs are becoming a popular choice to gain professional experience and expand their skill sets through opportunities for work that can be found on and off campus.
Merrimack offers many student operated job opportunities that can be found on Handshake, Linked In and in person. The most popular route that students take when looking for an on campus job is through listings posted on Handshake.
Renee Deleon is a current Merrimack College senior studying biology. Deleon has worked as an Ambassador and van driver in the past and shared her experience on the job finding and application process.
“I saw an opening for the position on Handshake and decided to apply. From there I was emailed to schedule an interview with a student leader within the ambassador program.”
“As for driving the van I also found that role on Handshake and just needed to fill out a few forms before I could start working,” Deleon explained.
Applying to on campus jobs is a fairly simple process available to all students at Merrimack College no matter the major or class level.
Some other on campus jobs available to students include the Warrior One Stop where students handle day to day desk work and learn more about different Merrimack processes.
Another position popular among students is student security. In this role employees do learning hours with the Merrimack Police Department in order to prepare them for possible situations and safety issues that may occur while checking Mack Cards and directing visitors into the school.
There are a plethora of on campus roles for students from the Office of Student Involvement to the library tech help desk. As well as positions in the athletic center, food service and tutoring for different subjects.
Although some roles require further qualifications, all are centered around creating roles for students where they can earn money, learn new skills and support the community in many different ways.
Opportunities for Merrimack students are not only on campus, students can find jobs in the Andover, North Andover and Wilmington area.
Some positions can be found on Indeed and through word of mouth. Many students have found roles from just applying to various companies like Target, Dunkin Donuts, Sol Bowl and many other local businesses.
For college students part time jobs can be difficult due to busy schedules, prior commitments and other factors that come up throughout the week. This makes having a flexible schedule extremely beneficial and a priority for many.
An increasingly popular position is that of a nanny or babysitter for local families in the area. These positions offer flexible schedules, good pay and further interaction with the community.
Emma Hippolyte is a current Merrimack College senior who has worked as a nanny with various families in the area for the past two years.
“I was added to a Facebook group with local parents looking for student nannies to help out with their kids throughout the week.”
Hippolyte went on to explain “I messaged with a few different parents until I found a family who’s schedule matched well with mine”
Some parents look for different qualities in their sitters, whether it is one with previous experience, first aid training or just someone who can be there when needed.
Similarly to on campus roles at Merrimack, off campus roles are typically found online and require a sort of interview process, as well as some level of training.
Students with busy schedules would do well in a nanny or babysitter role as the schedule and flexibility are a major factor.
Students with limited or no access to a car would benefit from looking for on campus roles as these are within close proximity and have set hours that they require students to work throughout the week.
For those looking for something closer to a typical retail or restaurant role, they should begin by looking on Indeed for openings and asking around in person to see which local businesses are hiring.”
Hippolyte and Deleon both agreed “finding a job at Merrimack or in the area has been very accessible and beneficial especially with the costs of school and the social expenses that come with it.”
For students who have been or are thinking about working in college, take advice from two seniors who have been through both on and off campus processes.
Deleon’s advice is “don’t be scared to put yourself out there, the experience and extra money in your pocket make the entire process worth it.”
“Having a job at school has taught me a lot about time management, working with others and how to manage my money so that I am able to participate in social activities with less financial stress,” Hippolyte added.
