The jobs you take in college are often all over the map (figuratively, and sometimes literally). You might have a work study job that places you in the admissions office a few days each week, you could work at a coffee shop or other retail store in the area, or maybe you chose to work in some type of office setting. Now, office jobs may have the stereotype of being super boring. This is especially true if you've taken a menial assistant job where all you do is grunt work. Hopefully, though, it isn't a job that's in your field.
Regardless, there are pros and cons to taking an office job. Some people strongly prefer this type of work environment while others hate it. If you aren't sure where you stand yet, that's just fine. In the meantime, you can read about the best and worst aspects of working in an office:
Best: You’re not on your feet all day.
If you're like me, you always wanted to work at Starbucks or Subway. It sounds like fun, right? Making coffee drinks or sandwiches. In reality, it's a lot of work to be on your feet the whole time. Plus, there's all the behind the scenes cleaning and stocking you'll have to do as well. When you work in an office, you don't have to worry about any of that. You can chill out in an office chair all day.
Best: You probably get paid a little more.
The minimum wage has gone up in some states recently, but retail and restaurant jobs still often pay the absolute least they can. With office jobs, you might be in a position where a certain background or college major is required, which can often lead to a higher wage. (Obviously this isn't the case for an unpaid internship though…)
Best: You’re getting valuable experience for your resume.
Even if it is an unpaid internship, it's still great for your resume and your career. Having any work experience is important, but having relevant experience is even better. It'll make you stand out from other recent grads when you start looking for a full-time gig.
Worst: You have to deal with the ‘Karens from Accounting’ of the world.
Every office has got some nosy coworker or manager you just can't stand. They either are the worst to work with, or they are just annoying personality-wise. When you work in an office, you'll have to tolerate these types of people. Just try to stay friendly, laugh off any weirdness, and focus on your work.
Worst: You’ve got to speak and understand the language of business buzzwords.
"Growth hacking," "touch base," "circle back," the list of buzzwords goes on… and unfortunately, you need to at least know what they mean. A recent study shows that everyone seems to hate these terms, but for some reason we all keep using them. Alas.
Worst: You probably have to dress up a little more nicely.
The nice part about work study jobs or retail jobs is that you'll either have a uniform given to you, or you'll be able to dress casually. In an office environment you usually have to wear nicer outfits. Luckily, society no longer expects us to wear formalwear to work. Still, you probably can't wear a hoodie and shorts.
Ultimately, a lot will depend on what type of job you have and the type of company that has hired you. Some are terrible, some are okay, some are awesome. Don't settle for an awful job long-term. Or, at the very least make it fun by playing conference call bingo or testing out new recipes when you pack your lunch each day.
