Weekend Jobs and Odd Jobs

By Leah VealAs students get into the full swing of school and their daily schedules and social activities they might be wondering ‘where did all my cash go?’ When students see their bank accounts dwindling and their wallets getting ever skinnier by the hour, we tend to get freaked out and look for a quick solution. Weekend jobs and odd jobs may be the answer, if you know how to go about acquiring one.The first thing to consider is safety concerns. Charlene DeGregoria, NYIT career councilor gives some tips for students to stay safe and be aware that there can be dangers out there.”There are so many strange work sites out there for jobs. The only thing I caution is that some sites, if they don’t have integrity, you might put yourself in a situation where the job advertised might not be good.”Its so important for students to be careful about who they work for. This is especially true about individuals who advertise jobs asking for assistance in their homes and tiny start-up companies that are run from homes.If a student is still determined to work in someone’s home, there are a few things they can do to check the reputability of the perspective employer. First, Google them, it’s a no-brainer and can be very effective when you have the person’s full name, home address, phone number and e-mail address. If that doesn’t work, ask for the home employer’s references. Another option is to ask around. Since Manhattan is geographically small, yet densely populated, there could be a chance that someone you know, might know the person you plan to work for and could verify their reputability. Or if all else fails, get a criminal background check on the perspective home employer, it never hurts to be forewarned. But this bit of detective work is worth it, especially if you will be paid a substantial amount of money. Without taking safety precautions first, working in a person’s home might not even be worth the risk or trouble.However, the final line of defense is the buddy system if you determine the home employer is descent and you want to give it a try. But never, ever, ever go alone when checking out or actually completing in-home employment. Having a person you know with you will reduce the chances of something bad happening. Students who choose to do in-home employment should wear professional and conservative business casual clothes. Women should wear non-revealing clothes period: no plunging necklines or clingy clothes.However, DeGregoria’s advice is just to stay away from home employment altogether. “Many times we get people who realistically think they can walk off the street and say ‘by the way, can I get a student to work in my house, I want them to teach me how to use the computer.’ We’re really not going to post that as a job because we don’t know what the reality of that person’s situation is. Are they going to pay the student, how safe will the student be, anytime you go into a house, that’s out of our control.” Perhaps the only viable place to get a job working in someone’s home is through an employment agency that specialized in, say, housekeeping jobs or nanny jobs. “That way you have a little bit of a connection with someone who has screened the client first and makes sure there are funds to pay the employee and pay employment taxes.”Aside from some negative aspects, there is hope for finding a weekend job or odd job that is perfectly reputable. “There are so many places to look for jobs, www.snagajob.com and Craigslist, which students like. There are jobs at professional journals, there are freelance jobs too. Also, some good jobs and internships can be found on the city government’s website, www.nyc.gov. Any job fair that is geared towards students of a particular major is a good place to meet with employers and find out about jobs,” DeGregoria said.Whatever type of weekend job or odd job a student might want, they must remember that job searching requires a lot of research and time. Both talking to friends and family and talking to establishments that are hiring are the best ways to search. Whenever possible, having a personal connection with an employer that is hiring is more beneficial than just blindly applying. There are no quick fixes, but persistence and patience will pay off big time when you see your bank account balance increasing and your wallet gaining weight.