How much work experience is expected for a college student

<p>Did everyone work during high school? I didn't seriously start looking for a job until my first year of college, so I had a hard time finding one. The only job I've done so far is an on campus job, and I don't really want to put that on my resume if I'm applying for an internship or professional job.</p>

<p>I got a paid internship/job with Starbucks being my only paid work experience. </p>

<p>But I also had EC experience in the field and leadership for another EC which helped. </p>

<p>But really, people who hire interns KNOW that you're just learning and that you don't have professional experience. That's why you're there.</p>

<p>I didn't work during high school, and moved the summer before college so couldn't work then (besides getting out of H.S. late and college starting early). I have an on-campus job now i plan to keep 4 years as well as career and non-career related clubs. As long as you are involved in something, I don't think it matters too much.</p>

<p>i worked from the summer after my junior year through my senior year in high school and the following summer. As a freshman in college, I dont have a job, yet.</p>

<p>i got a job in 8th grade, kept it till the day before i went to college, and worked throughout college. same thing for my little sister and cousins as well.</p>

<p>a place actually let you have a job when you were in eighth grade? wow.</p>

<p>I was self-employed throughout high school (as a technician) but also did a ton of volunteer work consuming three summers 4-5 days per week. I think community service looks even better during the HS years especially if you can continue some sort of service throughout college, be it church involvement or being in some outreach club at school.</p>

<p>As far as real jobs go, I started a "real job" (where they take taxes out) right after my first semester of my freshman year of college and I'm sitll working there.</p>

<p>And with jobs in 8th grade--possible if they were 15 at some point. McDonald's hires 15 year olds as do some locals around here.</p>

<p>yeah, i started the day after my 14th birthday. You have to be 14 to work in PA. I worked at a grocery store. At the beginning I just stocked shelves, after that I waited on customers, helped make hoagies in the Deli, made orders with our suppliers, and was even left in charge of the store on several occasions. When I quit and went to college my ex-boss actually picked me up at school and took me with to a Trade show to represent the business and i had a great time. My little sister worked there once she turned 14 as well. My one cousin worked at a Pizza Shop starting at 14 and he actually is still working there. Some kids worked at grocery stores, and some worked for landscaping/lawn mowing companies. Plenty of people work at farmers markets and stuff like that. (I know, I know. Most of you probably don't even know what a farmers market is.)</p>

<p>Our bus in junior high used to actually stop at the farmers market to let kids off so they could go to work. It's not all that uncommon of a thing for junior high kids to work here. And I don't know anyone who didn't have a job at some point during high school.</p>

<p>And any type of job will look better on your resume as opposed to no job. Even if it's just an on campus job and you're applying for an internship or whatever else. It shows responsibility - you worked, you showed up, you had tasks to perform, etc. It doesn't matter how many clubs or whatever you put down once you're out of college, most employers that i've spoken with want to see your work experience, how you've applied what you know, etc. My interview for the job I wound up getting (with a Fortune 100 company), consisted of a bunch of questions like have you had a circumstance such as this IN THE WORKPLACE and how did you deal with it. Different questions with that where you had to say how you dealt with different things at work. I'm sure you could have said Well I haven't worked, but in the College Democrats I had to.... blah blah, however why would that employer choose you over the person who said, Well i actually have dealt with this situation at a former job and how i reacted was... thhis this and this and to come up with a result i had to do this this and this and the outcome blah blah.. I'm pretty sure they'd rather go with that experienced person who has dealt with that in the workplace before.. I'm not saying it's 100% of the time, but I'd say a good majority. And i'm not saying if you've never worked you won't get hired out of college, I just have a feeling that if you were against someone who had prior work experience they may be considered before you. Maybe I'm wrong since I don't do hiring. If an Internship is available please try your best to get it, because they don't typically look at past work experience - they are there to get you the experience.</p>