By Caitlin Sahm

Given the state of the economy, it’s understandable that we hear a lot about the difficulties new college graduates are facing as they enter the work force. What we don’t hear a lot about is the job-seeker who is still a full time college student. The college years are, however, one of the most important stages of a young person’s working life. In addition to enabling a student to embody self-reliance by taking on as many of their own expenses as possible (or saving for the future), this is a time to build a foundation of work experience that can make the full transition from student to professional a much easier one when the time comes. In this article I’ll share some tips on how a self-reliant young adult can make the most of their time as a working student.

Yes, it’s probably going to involve making the best of working at the mall for at least a little while

1)  Take advantage of seasonal work.

While it can be hard to convince the average employer that hiring a worker for a couple months, or even a handful of weeks, is worth it, seasonal employment can allow a student home for a break a chance to keep earning money and building their resume. Most » Read more: Job Search Tips: Five Tips for the Student Worker