MBA students have a lot on their plates, there are class and lecture time, studying for exams, group work, and more. For students who are paying for school themselves or for those who want to earn money while they study, work and jobs for students are also a consideration.
What’s great news for MBA students is that there are plenty of jobs for college students that offer flexible schedules. Some even feature work can help students in their future careers.
Here are five of the best jobs for MBA students:
1. Teaching Assistant
Help out business students at the undergrad level by becoming a teaching assistant for a college professor. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the 2017 median annual pay for this position was $32,460 a year.
Graduate teaching assistants may teach lower-level courses, develop instructional materials, create and give tests and grade tests or research papers. Some of the benefits of this type of job are that you can work on the campus you’re studying on, you can connect with professors who might become mentors for your business career, the work schedule can be flexible and you might even learn some things that help you as you work toward your MBA. Not to mention the soft skills acquired through teaching and interacting with college students in an educational setting.
2. Ride-Sharing Driver
If you’ve ever taken an Uber or Lyft ride, you’re already familiar with the explosive growth of ride-sharing over recent years. If you have your own car that’s 15 years old or newer, you are licensed to drive in the United States, you are at least 21 years old and you have auto insurance and registration, you may be eligible to start driving on a ride-sharing platform.
You’ll also need to pass a background check and driving record check before you can start picking up passengers. From there, you can log on to the app (or apps) you work for whenever you’re free, see who needs a ride and claim a passenger.
Ride-sharing drivers can work 24/7, so you can truly create a schedule that works for you and your MBA studies. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports the 2017 median pay for ride-hailing drivers was nearly $12 an hour. This job will also challenge you to track expenses and pay your own taxes, which will be a great experience for your future business endeavors. Plus, you never know who you could pick up!
3. Pet Caretaker
If you want a job that can help you relieve some school stress, perhaps working with furry friends could be for you. The 2017 median pay for animal care and service workers was more than $11 an hour, and depending on where you work, you might be able to earn extra in tips, too. The job growth outlook for these positions is expected to grow 22 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is much faster than average, making these positions in high demand across the country.
Pet caretakers can work in a variety of environments, from veterinary clinics to animal shelters and zoos. You could also sign up to be a pet-sitter, dog-walker or drop-in visitor on a site like Rover. On-demand pet caretaking services enable workers to create their own schedules and work with the types of animals in the areas they want. The “gig” nature of this job, similar to that of ride-sharing services, means you’ll need to do some of your own payroll accounting, but with your MBA education, you should have no trouble.
4. Restaurant Server
Serving and bartending jobs are popular with the college crowd because they’re fast-paced and fun, social and flexible. You never know who you’ll meet while you’re serving at a restaurant. Your regular customers could become new business contacts you can add to your network for work after graduation.
How much you make will depend on the type of restaurant you work at, the price of food and drinks there and how busy it is. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports the 2017 median pay for servers was more than $10 an hour, and the same goes for bartenders. Remember that cash tips typically aren’t reported, so earnings can go well above this mark in many situations.
Working at a restaurant might work for your schedule since you can look for jobs at 24-hours-a-day spots or pick up extra shifts when you want to make more. Plus, many places offer a free “shift meal,” so you can save even more on food costs as you study for your MBA. Just be prepared for some stressful services — put your skills in professionalism and patience to work here.
5. Virtual Assistant
If you’re studying for an MBA, you’re likely organized, meticulous and detailed. Those are perfect traits to have if you want an administrative assistant job. Secretaries and administrative assistant positions usually only require a high school diploma for entry-level work, which includes organizing files, scheduling calendars and preparing documents.
Today’s admins no longer have to work in an office to get the job done. Virtual assistants work with clients around the world since the digital age has made most of these tasks web-friendly. And who knows? One of your clients could become your real future boss or coworker one day if other positions are open once you graduate. Working hands-on in a business administration environment also, obviously, has direct benefits to an MBA program.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports the 2017 median pay for administrative assistants was more than $18 an hour. If you’re able to take on several clients, you can block out chunks of time for work and still have plenty of time for studying.
