Transferable Skills From Part-Time Jobs That Will Help You Excel In Grad School

By Gretchen Kernbach on August 10, 2016

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

Part-time jobs don’t just benefit your bank account. You can learn transferable skills that will help you in grad school as well. Depending on what the position is, your day-to-day work routine can teach you certain skills you won’t acquire in the classroom.

But what are transferable skills?

According to skillsyouneed.com, “transferable skills are skills and abilities that are relevant and helpful across different areas of life: socially, professionally and at school. They are ‘portable skills’.”

Whether it’s the retail or restaurant business, even a small writing job on the side, there is always something to gain.

Time Management

Meeting deadlines comes up during some part-time jobs. If you train yourself to work efficiently and get everything in on time, then grad school shouldn’t be as overwhelming. Writing papers is a big aspect of your graduate education, and of course they will all have due dates.

A part-time job can teach you how to prioritize certain tasks and help you keep organized.

According to skillsyouneed.com, “tidying up can improve both self-esteem and motivation. You will also find it easier to stay on top of things if your workspace is tidy.”

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Chances are if you procrastinate at work or even completely miss the deadline, you will face consequences. Better to learn now than later.

Teamwork

Working with someone, or a few other people, is all too common for every job. Grad school requires a chunk of time spent with professors working with you towards that more advanced degree. It is important that you know how to act around adults superior to you and treat them with respect, as well as listen to their advice.

A part-time job does just that. You will clearly be working for someone and doing the tasks they ask of you. Furthermore, you will learn how to act around coworkers and how to work with them as well. From there is when interpersonal skills arise.

For example, in retail jobs, according to talentegg.ca, “working in the customer service industry gives you the chance to spend your entire day communicating with people.”

“You learn to be helpful, but genuine. Friendly yet efficient. You also get the chance to work with quite a diverse group of people, allowing you to experience and deal with a mixture of personality types.”

Research, Analytical and Numeracy Skills 

Grad school is obviously a step up from undergrad. That means more work and more compound learning.

According to skillsyouneed.com:

“It may be appropriate to demonstrate your ability to research, analyze and critically evaluate information. There could be a variety of complex information that you are required to work with and make sense of, for example sales figures, new product and supplier specifications, technical reports and financial information.”

If you find yourself moving in the direction of this sort of career and plan to go to grad school, find a part-time job that will give you just that kind of practice. What you learn will be easily applicable in grad school.

Accountability

Or in other words — responsibility. You can’t hide from the fact that having a part-time job requires being dependable. After all, you are doing actual work. This transferable skill can come from any sort of job: waiting tables, answering phones, folding clothes. No matter what it is, you are liable in some type of way.

Moreover, you will 100 percent be liable for yourself and your studies in grad school.

Being accountable also means telling the truth.

According to amanet.org, “everybody messes up sometimes.”

“Lying about it or trying to cover it up always makes it worse — no exceptions. (Just ask former President Bill Clinton, who paid a steep price — impeachment — for lying to a grand jury.) Save yourself some time: Don’t tell untruths. Nobody believes them anyway — not even you.”

Don’t train yourself to lie at your part-time job about how much work you did or did not get done. Those lies will transfer into grad school and could turn into a cheating habit.

Better yourself now and it will help you in the future.

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Leadership

Taking the reins at your job is perfect training for being on your own at grad school. When you demonstrate your ability to lead, you begin to trust yourself more. Going into grad school with confidence can better your chances of coming out successful.

According to skillsyouneed.com, “Leadership is all about having a vision of where you want to be and working to achieve that vision.”

Strive to take on bigger tasks at your job and it will prepare you for the workload in grad school. If you can handle the greater role, then you should have no worries about the next level in your education.

Each mentioned skill can be broken down into smaller parts. No matter the job you have, there are transferable skills that can be of use to you in grad school. Make the most of your part-time work and there will always be a benefit.

Learn more about Kaplan’s test prep options and start building the confidence you need for Test Day.

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