CSPAC Box Office workers like Charlie Cotterman (above) make $7 an hour and work flexible hours.
Reach deep down into your pocket. If a cartoon moth flutters out, you likely need a job, and the university offers a wide range of jobs — from very good to some that aren’t worth the beer money. Most campus jobs require little training and offer flexible hours. “People laugh because we work at The Diner, but we make nine bucks an hour, so it kind of evens out,” says Mike Lean, a freshman computer engineering and electrical engineering major. Based on wages, shift schedules and work atmosphere. Here are the jobs that have students ranting and raving.
Worst Jobs
1. CRS Operations Assistant
How about manual labor for the same wages as a typical desk job? Campus Recreation Services operations employees are responsible for taking care of Campus Recreation Center equipment, maintaining the Turf Field and shoveling snow at the CRC. With wages of $7 per hour and with potential raises similar to university desk jobs, these positions don’t seem worth the sweat. Though the hours are flexible and shifts can be short, this position involves grease, cleaning and a constant battle with the weather. “I wish I was working at a restaurant, making in one night what takes me two weeks [at CRS],” says Christian Wilson, a junior mechanical engineering major.
2. Community Assistant
It’s doubtful your idea of a good job is doing homework and counting keys at midnight on Saturdays, while your peers use you as an information bank. Welcome to life as a Community Assistant. CAs make a mere $5.70 per hour and are required to work a graveyard shift from midnight to 3 a.m. each week. Exciting duties include counting every spare key for every room in the high-rise dorms. Instead you could earn $7 per hour to work in the government and politics department, eating free bagels and doughnuts.
3. McKeldin Library Employee
If you put socializing before your books, this isn’t the job for you. McKeldin Library jobs offer bonuses in the form of dull tasks and boredom. “I’ve been working here for three years, but I haven’t gotten a raise yet. I used to like it, but I get no feedback so I’m not putting in [effort]” says one student on the circulation desk who has to do the job of three people as the library suffers from budget cuts. Wages comes in at $7 an hour, and employees work to up 20 hours a week. Plus you have to be quiet at all times; it is a library.
4. Projectionist at Hoff Theater
A projectionist in Hoff Theater does exactly what you would expect. He sets up the movie, runs it, packages and splices the film and makes sure the film doesn’t break or melt. Seeing all the movies for free sounds like a sweet deal, but imagine having to sit through them six times. “Ray [is] really long but really good,” says Kevin Cassidy, a freshman electrical engineering major. “Even still, you can’t watch it that many times in a week.” Although Cassidy enjoys his job, $5.80 an hour to work three- to four-hour shifts that can go until midnight on weekdays lands the job on our Worst Jobs list.
5. Weight/Fitness Staff at the CRC
This one is great for students who don’t mind standing around inhaling the refreshing scent of sweat. For the rest of us, being part of the weight staff is just boring. Shifts are two to four hours and the pay is $6.50 per hour. Semester and merit raises are also available. “It’s easy and convenient,” says JP Shaneman, a junior chemical engineering major. This may be true, but you can get paid more sitting at a desk. And guess what — it smells better.
Best Jobs
1. Head Manager for the Terrapin Football Team
Free steak and lobster dinners, free football gear, free travel, hotel accommodations and tickets to the Terps’ away and bowl games in addition to free sideline tickets — oh, to be a head football manager. As if these benefits aren’t enough, instead of wages, head managers are paid full in-state tuition and rub elbows with the university’s football stars. But this doesn’t mean they don’t bust their butts to run practice, organize equipment and assist the coaches and players. “We do not wash jock straps,” says Garrett Broady, a senior kinesiology major. Working up to 41 non-negotiable hours a week with game days, some starting at 4:30 a.m., can be stressful and time consuming, but Broady loves the job. “I have nine or 10 other guys going through the same thing, so we can all complain together,” he says with a laugh.
2. CSPAC Box Office
If you’re looking for a relaxed atmosphere and a chill desk job, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is the place to apply. Students who work ticket sales make $7 an hour and have convenient schedules. “You pretty much get to pick your hours. Almost,” sophomore music education major Ashley Fisher says. Show nights are hectic, but there’s usually plenty of downtime for homework — or a Snood tournament. (Employee Internet access has led to a Snood office competition.) Student employees also get free tickets to university-produced shows.
3. Dining Services Worker
Despite the bad rap Dining Services seems to have, it’s actually one of the best places to work on the campus. Wages range from $8 to $10 per hour. With 700 student employees, Dining Services offers a wide array of job options. “You just jump right in, there’s no Hamburger University,” says sophomore government and politics and marketing major Brian Miller, a former Al’s Grill worker at The Diner.
4. ORC Employee
Let’s pretend your office has tents hanging from the ceiling, skis mounted on the wall, a climbing wall outside and Coldplay blasting from speakers. You probably work for the Outdoor Recreation Center. At $6.50 per hour, the center’s jobs don’t doesn’t sound very appealing, but there are raises, and it’s common for employees to have multiple jobs within the ORC, such as climbing wall instructors and trip leaders. Experience isn’t necessary because everyone attends paid training, and hours are flexible. The ORC seeks personable people to match the laidback environment. As for the bosses, “They all know we’re college kids. We like to have fun,” says Peter Park, a senior criminology and criminal justice and sociology major.
5. Phone Representative for Maryland Fund for Excellence
Megan Ritter sits at a desk, wears a headset, does crossword puzzles and asks alumni for money. The freshman psychology major is among a group of students who work for the Maryland Fund for Excellence. Phone reps work about 7 hours per week, making $7 per hour. Despite the occasional jerk who does not want to be hassled, the job is fun, Ritter says. During finals week, schedules are flexible, allowing students to work five hours. The easy conditions and solid pay make it one of the best jobs on the campus.
