On Campus Jobs

As I am a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, I chose to attend the local community college for two years before transferring to the University of Tennessee as a third-year student. Living locally for over ten years, I thought I knew most everything that there is to know about UT and the extracurricular and job opportunities offered by the college. However, as soon as I moved onto campus, I realized that there was so much that I did NOT know. One of the most important goals I had coming in was to work on or near campus so that I could meet more and new people quickly. I had no idea how many jobs that the University of Tennessee actually has to offer to its students on campus. From catering to admissions to student services to athletics or academics, there are a wide range of opportunities to work in a field of interest even and get involved in a rewarding way on this campus. Starting at a four-year university can be so exciting, but also very overwhelming and lonely, so securing an on-campus job can be beneficial in countless ways. Here are a couple of ways to research job opportunities on campus:

1.     https://sga.utk.edu/campus-job-opportunities/

As soon as you click on this link, it will bring up the Student Government Association page with the subtitle “Campus Job Opportunities.” This is how I found my first campus job at the Vol Shop. Click on the different URLs and just explore what is of interest to you!

2.              There are multiple opportunities to work at restaurants or in retail downtown Knoxville, which is an off-shoot of campus. Many of the businesses are within walking or biking distance. I worked at an ice cream shop on Gay Street for the two years before transferring into UT, and met many students through that job. Simply visiting the area to see the businesses, asking which ones are hiring (many advertise such in their windows) and then applying online gets you hired - and they love hiring students!

3.              Lastly, similar to the post-graduate world, who you know is everything. Network and use your connections. I didn’t fully understand this until I got to UT, and I was fortunate enough to connect with one of my father’s friends and get a job in the football recruiting department. If your not from the area like I am, get to know your professors and ask them to help you using their connections.

Whether you need a supplemental income or not, I would HIGHLY recommend getting a job as soon as you get to your university. As my parents taught me, too much free time can be wasteful. Contribute to your own betterment, whether your goal is additional income, to meet new people, to network, to build your resume or simply gain experience in your field of study, work consistently to broaden your horizons and give back. You will not regret it.