With the competitive nature of the job market today, students are expected to graduate not only with a degree and good grades, but also with relevant work experience. Steady employment throughout college, even if it’s part-time, looks good to future employers because it shows that you are reliable, motivated and have mastered the art of time management.  Below is the first of a five part series that explores the 25  best jobs for college students.  The jobs found on this list will build both your character and your resume, while helping you pay for tuition too.

25. Computer lab tech assistant: If you are a fan of getting paid to do your homework and study, this could be a great gig for you throughout college. Computer lab techs on college campuses help students’ trouble shoot basic tech issues, ensure equipment is being used properly by lab users, and are responsible for opening and closing the lab. In between helping people print last minute assignments and repeatedly yelling “no food or drinks in the lab,” you should have plenty of time to tackle more important tasks, like your homework.

24. Golf Caddy/Starter: A caddy not only carries a player’s bag, but they also offer advice and moral support. A starter directs the flow of play and ensures that golfers progress through their rounds in a timely and appropriate manner. This is a great job for golf enthusiasts and is also a great networking opportunity for college students since many local business people golf both on the weekends and during business hours. Besides having a chance to meet and talk to people in the business community, discounts or free golf rounds are usually offered.

23. Resident Advisor: Calling all future administrators and counselors; this is the job you should want to have. While these gigs are competitive and hard to come by, skills you will gain as an RA are highly transferable. A resident advisor lives where he/she works. RA’s are responsible for building a positive community, assisting residents with personal and academic issues, upholding university policy and serving as a liaison between the school and the students. A common perk of the job is free or reduced living costs as well as an hourly rate.

22. Writer/Blogger: With the trend moving towards virtual workplaces, and the importance of web content for digital marketing purposes, you may be able to find work as a freelance writer or blogger for a company or industry blog. Many companies pay per blog post, and if your work is good, you can find continuous work with the company. If you are interested in a specific area, why not start your own blog? The blog also serves as a live resume for future employers. Essentially, a blog is a peak into how you write, think, and what is important to you as an individual and a professional.

21. Promotional Spokesperson: Promotional spokespeople are well paid and have the opportunity to work during sporting events, concerts and festivals. Promotional companies usually look for “go-getter” types who aren’t afraid to talk to people about a certain brand, product or event that they are trying to sell. If this describes you, this is a great opportunity to improve your communication, marketing and customer service skills, all while earning a great pay and having fun.

Do you agree with the jobs on this list? Let us know what you think is the best way to make money in college by leaving a comment below. All comments received by 11:59 pm PST on April 30th will be entered for a chance to win an iPod Nano. The winner will be announced and notified by May 7th, 2010.

Are you itching to go to Bonnaroo June 10-13th in Manchester, TN? Is your bank account holding you back? Don’t fret; we’ve got your back! Enter our online prize promotion to win tickets to Bonnaroo 2010, and sell your textbooks back to ValoreBooks.com to earn extra cash and for an extra chance to win! The contest runs from 12:00 AM on Monday, March 8th, 2010 through 11:59 PM on May 4th, 2010.

Tickets to Bonnaroo are not the only way you will be rewarded by ValoreBooks.com. We all know how expensive textbooks can be, yet not everyone takes full advantage of the opportunity to be able to sell textbooks to earn some extra cash. ValoreBooks.com has some of the highest sell back prices offered anywhere as well as instant price quotes and free shipping. In order to get the best prices when you sell textbooks at ValoreBooks.com it is important to do so as early as possible. If you sell textbooks as soon as you can, you will be rewarded with higher sell back prices for those books that you no longer need.

With additional cash you’ll make selling your old textbooks, you can get off the couch at mom and dad’s and enjoy the fun stuff this summer like music festivals and road trips with your friends. Oh, the possibilities.

You already visit ValoreBooks.com to get great deals on cheap college textbooks, but we want you to know we are more than just textbooks! We also offer many additional genres including bestselling novels, biographies, cook books and self help books as well as other popular genres. Even better, most of these titles can be purchased for under a dollar, many for just a penny!

In 2010, we have pledged our commitment to making education more affordable for you. We are doing this by offering heavily discounted textbooks and books, hosting a textbook scholarship and giving away textbooks to lucky students across the country. Penny books are just one example proving our commitment to our cause.  Send penny books as gifts, order them for yourself and catch up on previous bestsellers over your spring break, or check out the penny books that were made into movies.  Below is a partial list of penny books currently offered on our site.

While supplies last. Prices are subject to change at any time. Excludes shipping costs.

Snow Falling On Cedars by David Guterson $14.95 $0.01		Big Fish by Daniel Wallace $13.00 $0.01		Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck $14.00 $0.01
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fieldling $14.00 $0.01		The iPod Book: Doing Cool Stuff with the iPod by Scott Kelby $16.00 $0.01		Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier $14.00 $0.01
It’s Not About the Bike My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong $14.00 $0.01		Bringing Down The House by Ben Mezrich $15.00 $0.01		30 Minute Meals by Rachael Ray $14.95 $0.01
Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand $15.95 $0.01		All the President’s Men by Bob Woodward $14.00 $0.01		John McCain: An American Odyssey by Robert Timberg $15.00 $0.01

We are in the process of creating an entire webpage on our site devoted to these cheap titles, so stay tuned. We’ll update the blog, our Twitter and Facebook pages once the page goes live.

No! You can save more money by buying and selling your textbooks at ValoreBooks.com than by renting your textbooks. In a time where somber news reverberates across U.S. college campuses surrounding budget cuts, tuition hikes and decreasing aid programs, ValoreBooks.com is on a mission to offer affordable education to students. One of the main ways you can save money is by cutting the cost of your college textbooks. We are committed to saving you money by providing cheap textbooks. We also think it’s important to provide you with information that will aid you in your search for affordable textbooks.

Part of this effort is debunking the myth that renting textbooks is cheaper than buying textbooks. After a weeklong comparison of prices from ValoreBooks.com and four major textbook rental companies, the verdict is in. Buying and selling back on a marketplace such as ValoreBooks.com can save you more money than renting.

Price comparisons from ValoreBooks.com and the average rental prices from four major textbook rental companies on January 18th, 2010 show that you can save more money by buying and selling a textbook, than by renting it. The net cost of buying and selling Biology and Mastering Biology, ISBN 0321543254 on ValoreBooks.com is $37.95, while the average cost of renting the same book is $81.29, a savings of $43.34. The same goes for Calculus:Early Transcendentals, ISBN 0495011665 with a savings of $35.23 as well as Consumer Behavior , ISBN 0136015964 with a savings of $35.16. An expanded list can be found below.

* Buy and Sell prices are based on available pricing on 1/18/2010 at 11:00 AM. All prices are subject to change at any time based on the actions of marketplace buyers and sellers. Renting prices are based on the average prices for available book rentals at 11:00 AM on 1/18/2010 from bookrenter.com, campusbookrentals.com, chegg.com and ecampus.com. Rental prices are based on the duration of one semester. All prices are subject to change at any time.

You can save even more money by listing your textbook for sale on the marketplace. Here, you are able to set your own price for the book, and get paid once the item sells. You can purchase Exploring Psychology, ISBN 0716771411 in good condition for $41.87 from the ValoreBooks.com marketplace and then resell the item on the marketplace in the price range of $41.87-$63.00 when you are done using it. The net cost for the textbook could be nothing, and you could even make money on the transaction!

Since you can acquire your textbooks from several different outlets, it is important to shop around and find an option that best suits your budget.

It has been over a week since the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake has struck Haiti. Countries, companies and people around the world have rallied together offering money, donations and support as part of a world-wide disaster relief effort. Haiti’s need for aid continues. Please donate any way you can.

ValoreBooks.com is pledging our support for the victims whose lives have been affected by the disaster. We have included links to The American Red Cross International Response Fund in our current email newsletters. If you have your own blog or website, please include an American Red Cross banner so that donations can be made directly through your site. Also, The U.S. State Department and the American Red Cross are encouraging people to make a $10 donation to relief efforts by texting “Haiti” to 90999. Every little bit helps.

The team at ValoreBooks.com would like to send our thoughts and well wishes to the families of disaster victims in Haiti.