For many students jobs held during their college careers cover school and social expenses. Employment is an important aspect of student life, and the diversity of jobs in Madison allows students to find work that meets their needs, according to Betsy Dublinski, a UW-Madison Student Job Center adviser and UW-Madison senior.
\There are a lot of jobs in Madison,"" Dublinski said. ""It's just a matter of what you are willing to do.""
Approximately 60 percent of UW-Madison students work during the school year, and 90 percent work during the summer, according to statistics from the Job Center.
For incoming freshmen looking for employment, Dublinski said the most opportunities are in the fall.
""When freshmen arrive in August, we have hundreds and hundreds of jobs available,"" Dublinski said. ""It's the best time to look for employment at the beginning of the year.""
The SJC lists job opportunities through the university, and through off-campus employers, Dublinski said.
""People think that we only offer cafeteria jobs, but those are a small amount of jobs [in our database],"" Dublinski said.
UW-Madison junior Denise Sinz worked in the records department at Meriter Hospital, 202 S. Park St., during her freshman and sophomore years.
""The hospital always seems understaffed,"" Sinz said. ""I worked in records where they tend to need people, but I know that in the spring they were hiring for positions all over the hospital.""
Some students, however, prefer to work on campus because of the flexibility that university jobs offer. UW-Madison junior Katie Malkowski, who has been working at the university since her freshman year, quit her first job, which was off campus, to work at Ed's, a cafeteria in the university's Southeast residence halls.
""I originally didn't work through the university, but [other employers] just weren't flexible enough to my schedule,"" Malkowski said. ""Especially during exam week [university jobs] are very flexible. If you tell them you have an exam, you don't have to work.""
Malkowski said she feels working through the university is particularly beneficial for freshmen because it allows them to meet other students.
""I met so many other freshmen and made so many friends by working through the university,"" she said.
But Sinz said she preferred the chance to get off campus, and the bus system in Madison made it easy for her to get around.
""The hospital was close to campus so I didn't have a problem getting there, but I liked getting off campus and [public transportation] is really no problem,"" Sinz said. ""I had to take the bus when I volunteered on the east side [of Madison], and it was very convenient.""
Sinz also said she enjoyed feeling like she was part of the community instead of just a student at the university. She said that through her work opportunities she has been able to see firsthand the strong relationship that UW-Madison has with the Madison community.
Students looking for jobs can access the SJC database or visit the SJC office at 432 N. Murray St.
