Top 5 Retail Jobs for College Students

By Alyssa Laffitte on June 20, 2017

Retail jobs usually have a negative reputation, especially among college students. But sometimes, your best option to make some money is to take on a retail job. If this is the case for you, don’t worry! Retail jobs aren’t all bad. There are certain retail jobs that work well for college students because they’re not far from campus and have flexible hours.

Here are five (plus one bonus!) of the best retail jobs for college students.

Best Retail Jobs for College Students

Image via realisticshots.com

1. Beauty Store/Boutique Sales Associate

If you’re interested in fashion and beauty, working in a boutique would be a suitable retail job for you. Bonus points if you can provide a customer with beauty advice! Boutiques and beauty supply stores are usually the busiest during weekends and nights (in other words, when college students are not in class), so you will most likely be able to work at a time that doesn’t interfere with school.

So if you find yourself watching beauty videos on YouTube or looking up the latest beauty trends in fashion magazines, consider working in a beauty store or in a boutique.

2. Bookstore

Similarly, if you’re a bookworm, working at a bookstore would be a perfect fit for you. You can spend your time talking about books, recommending books to others, helping others find books, and reading books. If you need a job close to campus, you can work at the campus bookstore, especially at the beginning or end of the semester when they’re likely to need some extra help. Working in a bookstore (even the campus bookstore) just might be the job for you!

3. Ice Cream Scooper/Juicer/Barista

Let’s be honest, working at an ice cream store, juice bar, or a coffee shop is a seemingly glamorous job for a college student. These places are usually located very close to campus, so they shouldn’t be too long of a commute. You’ll also likely have co-workers that are also college students, which makes for a fun work environment. You could even convince one of your friends to work with you there!

Plus, a lot of these places have great perks and discounts for students who work there. These jobs are considered typical college student jobs for a reason, and they’re definitely worth considering.

4. Grocery Stores

Grocery stores are great jobs for college students. There are shifts at any time of the day so you can work when it’s best for you. It may be monotonous at times (you have to either bag, stock, or ring up food for hours at a time), but it’s a great way to make money and to serve your community. Like the ice cream stores/coffee shops, you might even get a small employee discount!

5. Work from Home Companies

Another great retail job for college students is “work from home” retail jobs. Working for companies such as Mary Kay, Avon, or Herbalife are great for college students because they can work from anywhere on campus and on your own time. For these jobs, you don’t have to physically walk/drive to show up to work. Most of it is done online or over the phone. You can work whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you. If you are interested in any of these companies, do some research to see if you can work for them.

BONUS: Working in food table service

Okay, so being a host or hostess at a restaurant is not technically a retail job, but it’s a convenient job for college students. It’ll not only help you make money, but it’ll also teach you useful life skills, such as customer service, working in teams/with other people, and attention to detail. It’s a convenient way to pay your way through college.

Working a retail job does not have to be awful. If you take into consideration hours, distance from home, and co-workers, you’ll still have some great jobs. Consider working at a bookstore, ice cream store/as a juicer or barista, grocery stores, or a work from home company. These retail jobs for college students will help you not only earn money, but also be friendly to your hectic life and schedule as a college student.

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