I got my first on-campus job in September of my Freshman year.
Because I was paying my way through school, I relied on student work throughout my entire college career.
This meant that in addition to balancing my schoolwork and social life, I had to spend 20 hours a week behind a desk and/or giving tours of campus.
That gave me just enough income to feed myself and pay for rent once I moved off campus. But it wasn’t enough to save money or start paying off my student loans faster.
In fact, for most of college, it felt like I was just getting by.
I’ve been out of college for some time now, but the student work situation hasn’t gotten much better for today’s college-goers.
Students still take low-paying jobs that advertise flexibility but deliver stress and anxiety.
Let’s face it: Student work is broken.
But if you’re one of the many students who needs to work while you study, don’t lose hope. There are better options out there, if you know where to look.
Here’s a rundown of why student work doesn’t work for most people, and what you can do about it.
Lack of income: The financial reality
Let’s talk about money first, because that’s why most students work in the first place.
The truth is, most student jobs barely pay enough to get by, especially these days when everything is so expensive. Minimum wage positions at the campus bookstore or local coffee shop might cover basic expenses, but not much else.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 44% of college students worked while studying in 2023. If you isolate only part-time students, that figure jumps up to 77%.
These students can work anywhere from a few hours a week to what amounts to full time—and though rates vary significantly based on the job, typically student workers earn toward the bottom of the payscale.
But even if you are earning a decent wage, for students, it can be a struggle to get enough hours on your timesheet to make a difference. Campus jobs often cap hours at 20 per week, and off-campus employers often can’t accommodate your changing class schedule if you need more hours.
This creates a “paycheck trap”—you’re working enough hours to impact your studies, but not enough to actually get ahead financially.
The financial stress is real. A recent survey from Ellucian found that 59% of respondents had considered dropping out due to financial stress. A similar amount said it impacted their academic performance, and a full 78% said financial stress had impacted their mental health.
Related: Student Budget Guide and Template
As someone who’s been there, I know this cycle is hard to get out of. You need money to stay in school, but the job that provides that money might be the very thing preventing you from succeeding academically.
Vector Marketing offers a completely different approach. Instead of paying by the hour, Vector representatives earn based on their results, meaning your income reflects your effort and skill—not just time spent.
@vectormarketing.official Them: yOu’Re sTilL SeLlinG kNiVeS?!? Me: DUH 🤪 It’s funny how people question why you’d stick with sales (that actually pays based on effort)… But never question traditional jobs where slackers and hard workers make the SAME paycheck. Make it make sense 😅 That’s why I like working with Vector Marketing. If I put in the work, I ACTUALLY see the rewards. 🤑 Not sure if commission-based pay is worth it? Let’s talk about it 👇 #VectorMarketing #SalesLife #WorkOnYourTerms #VectorMarketingLegit #BreakingTheStigma #SalesVsHourly #CommissionPay #Cutco ♬ original sound – Vector Marketing
Lack of flexibility: The schedule dilemma
“We’re flexible with your class schedule!”
👆 Almost every student job ad makes this claim, but how many jobs actually deliver on that promise?
What they usually mean is they’ll work around your fixed class times—but everything else in your life has to revolve around their scheduling needs.
Need time off during finals week? Want to go home for a long weekend? Have a group project meeting that conflicts with your shift? Good luck getting coverage or approval without weeks of advance notice.
On a personal level, I know my social life suffered because of my first on-campus job, which required me to be at my desk every single Saturday morning at 8am. Goodbye Friday nights.
The truth is, most student employers expect your job to be your second priority after classes, with everything else in your life coming third or fourth. This rigid approach creates unnecessary stress during an already demanding time in your life.
@vectormarketing.official The TRUTH about “flexible” jobs that nobody talks about 👀 Real flexibility = choosing YOUR schedule, not begging for time off 💯 #studentwork #worklifebalance #collegelife #sidehustle #vectormarketing #selfemployed #timefreedom ♬ original sound – Vector Marketing
Vector’s approach is fundamentally different. As a Vector representative, you literally set your own schedule. You choose when you work, how much you work, and you can adjust your hours week by week based on what else is happening in your life.
That means you could, for instance, scale up work while you’re on school break, so you have a financial cushion when you’re back in session or approaching finals.
You also have relative control over the time of day you work. You set your appointments, meaning you can skip early-morning meetings if that’s not your thing, or set aside your business calls for certain days of the week.
Lack of skill sets: The resume gap
After I graduated, I remember cobbling together my resume in hopes of landing a job somewhat related to my writing degree.
I had to contort myself on the page to make my experience as a campus tour guide relate in any way to a job where I’d be behind a desk, typing on a computer alone 90% of the time.
Even after I left my position as a tour guide, my off-campus jobs were just as useless on my resume. I worked as a barista for a while, but there was no good way to put “Makes a perfect latte” on my resume. My days steaming milk were devoid of anecdotes that might be useful when answering common interview questions.
My employer was understanding about the gap in my resume. This might be because that particular employer made a habit out of hiring broke college students with resume gaps and paying them next to nothing. But that’s a different story.
My story isn’t unique; many hard-working college students graduate with a degree and four years of work history that has nothing to do with what they actually want as a career.
A job in sales, however, comes with a huge number of transferable skills baked in.
Related: How a Sales Mindset Pays Off In Work and Life
When you work with Vector, your resume builds itself.
As you earn, you pick up people-management skills, sales and marketing techniques, and organizational strategies. This list of soft skills can apply to a wide range of post-graduate career paths.
Beyond that, working in sales also helps you build confidence, and can even make it easier to have IRL conversations with just about anyone.
Take for example, Max Bennett, who went on to work as a physical therapist after working as a Vector representative. He credits his time at Vector for helping him build the confidence and communication skills necessary for his long-term career.
@vectormarketing.official I never thought sales would matter in my career. I was DEAD WRONG 🤯 I used to think sales had nothing to do with healthcare. Until I realized something that changed my perspective… Patients don’t just need treatment. They need trust. And trust? It’s built through confidence, communication, and connection. I didn’t realize it at the time, but my summer job selling Cutco was teaching me skills I’ll use every single day in physical therapy. As a college student, Vector Marketing was the best summer side hustle I could’ve asked for. Most people don’t realize they need sales skills… until it’s too late. So if you think sales has nothing to do with your future career? I get it. I thought that too… But now, I know: sales is a life skill. And the sooner you learn it, the further you’ll go 📈 #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerGrowth #BuildYourFuture #LearnToLead #LifeIsSales #VectorMarketingExperience #Cutco #SuccessJourney ♬ original sound – Vector Marketing
Fixing student work, your way
The traditional model of student work is clearly broken—but that doesn’t mean there’s only one solution to fix it.
Every student’s situation is unique. Your major, your financial needs, your career goals, and your personal priorities all shape what the “right” job looks like for you.
For some, an on-campus position provides the stability and convenience they need, despite the limitations. Others might thrive in a retail or service job that offers predictable hours and a clear separation between work and school.
And for many students, a sales role with Vector offers an appealing alternative—one with more flexibility, better earning potential, and valuable skill-building that translates to future careers.
The key isn’t to follow one prescribed path. It’s to honestly assess what you need from a job during your college years. Is it just a paycheck? Career preparation? Schedule flexibility? All of the above?
Whatever you choose, make it an intentional decision rather than defaulting to whatever job is most convenient or familiar. Your college years are too valuable—and too expensive—to spend struggling in a work situation that drains your energy without supporting your goals.
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