If you started college this year, you’ve probably come to the realization that you need a side job. Maybe you need it to pay for those books you didn’t know you’d need, or maybe you just want some extra spending cash. Regardless of reason, finding a job on campus is great – it’s convenient and there is a lot of cool opportunities. Best of all are the jobs that are low amounts of work for your time – I had one such gig.
Early on in my college days I became a computer lab assistant, and it was great. The hourly pay was paltry, but the fit was ideal for me. As a computer science major, my fellow geeks and I had to spend hours in the lab doing homework. No going to the cafeteria, no breathing fresh air as I sat under a tree doing my work. In computer science, you are tethered to the lab doing your work. So when a job as a lab assistant came up, I jumped at the chance.
The role of a computer lab assistant basically consists of answering basic questions, refilling paper in the printer, and making sure that general order is maintained in the lab. The lab I worked in was a small lab within the computer science department, so most of those who came in didn’t need too much help, and frankly, I ended up refilling the paper in the printer just as much before I worked there. I knew most of the students coming in, and if something went really wrong (the network went down, for instance), all I had to do was call up the tech service department and they fixed it.
I was able to spend my time getting my lab work done, so I made money in the same time I would otherwise be spending in the lab. This worked out so well for me (and others in the computer science major) since it would be impossible to hold a job and to attend to homework for certain intensive classes.
If you get a job is a computer lab that is for the general student population, you probably will need a broader knowledge of the software and hardware on the computers in the lab. For instance, you will likely need to be conversant in the Microsoft Office application – especially MS Word. You will be interrupted frequently – ranging from people wondering why the computer is only typing in capital letters (they accidentally hit Cap Lock) to more serious issues such as viruses that might infect the entire computer network if not addressed. However, all you will have to do is report the problem, not fix it on your own.
A computer lab assistant is a great job if you are more computer conversant than your fellow students and want to get your own work done while you get paid. And if you finish your homework – head over to Amazon.com and buy yourself something with the money you are earning!
