Jobs for a student that require as much brain use as possible.: Philosophy Forums

Jobs for a student that require as much brain use as possible.

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Posted 03/24/08 - 12:15 PM: Subject: Jobs for a student that require as much brain use as possible.	#1
I've worked various service jobs before, and I found them absolutely horrid. Naturally, I'm looking for something more interesting to help me pay for tuition. I'm in my first year of university, however, so I don't have an overwhelming amount of experience. A job that requires sufficient brain power can lie in two categories. 1. Evidently, a job that involves analysis of problems, creativity, problem solving, logic, or otherwise any intellectual faculty. 2. Alternatively, I would not mind a job in which there's absolutely nothing to do, granting me the freedom to read, study or think while making money. Sadly, all the night shift security jobs are at the wrong end of the city. So, where would you recommend I apply should I want to find the most stimulating job I can, given my level of experience?

jaoman
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Posted 03/24/08 - 12:44 PM:	#2
You can try getting a secretarial job. Some are entry level and you learn all about an industry.
_____________________ "With no relation to class or social background, whether it suits them or not, people yearn for a dream. Sustained by a dream, hurt by a dream, revived by a dream, killed by a dream. And even after being abandoned by a dream, it continues to smolder from the bottom of one's heart... probably until the verge of death. A man should envision such a lifetime once. A life spent as a martyr to the god named "dream." - Kentaro Miura

Paul
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Posted 03/24/08 - 04:11 PM:	#3
Google's summer of code program fits all that, but you need to be motivated enough to have developed some very basic skills first. But then, I don't think you'll ever find anything that uses brainpower without requiring time and effort.
_____________________ "If a statement is made, it is to be confronted with the totality of existing statements. If it agrees with them, it is joined to them; if it does not agree, it is called 'untrue' and rejected; or the existing complex of statements of science is modified so that the new statement can be incorporated." - Otto Neurath

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Posted 03/24/08 - 05:43 PM:	#4
The problem with a secretarial job is (potentially) too much data entry and phone calls. It's an option, though. As for coding... A good idea. Google never ceases to amaze me. Sadly, it's been about a year since I last did any coding, and that was just a (joke of a) first year university course. I don't think I would be able to reach an acceptable level in time to start working on open source projects. I've always had an interest in coding to a degree, but I'm too busy with Bio in school, and I've never quite been sure how exactly to go about it by myself.

Cadrache
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Posted 03/24/08 - 08:14 PM:	#5
Data Entry is not too bad, depending on what you are entering. Most of the time it is repetitive, and does not really hold need a lot of brain power. Maybe do what a friend of mine did? This lovely lady I met while working at a call centre started off blowing up buildings. That was before she became a psychiatrist. She was a sweat one. My suggestion? Don't choose McDonald's, unless psychology is your major interest. If you are able to split your thinking, then you can do small jobs like warehouse work, or even some production line type jobs while pondering maths, physics, or even what color the sky is. You can also use your brain to either observe what you can of the rest of the company, or maybe pick apart the machine you use every-day.

quickly
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Posted 04/18/08 - 08:36 PM:	#6
Study philosophy until you get tenure

sensabile
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Posted 04/19/08 - 03:32 AM:	#7
Play poker. If you take the time to learn how to play well you can make a decent wage.
_____________________ For the winner there was a big three-legged cauldron to stand over a fire - it was worth a dozen oxen by the Greek's reckoning - and for the loser he brought forward a woman thoroughly trained in domestic work whom they valued at four oxen. -Homer's The Illiad Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? -Mark 9:50

Benkei
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Posted 04/19/08 - 10:05 AM:	#8
Well, as a law student working first as a legal secretary and later as a paralegal I have to say I had an excellent opportunity to grow into the jobs as I progressed in my studies. After legal english I turned into the resident legal translator (dutch to english and vice versa), I also did a lot of research. As a university student they knew I was capable and a lot cheaper than an attorney, so I ended up leading the team for the historical research on public awareness of the hazards of smoking with 5 students reporting to me. If you can find a job close to the field you will be studying and have a boss willing to delegate responsibilities based on his personal experience with you, you can have a great job.
_____________________ We all warm ourselves on fires we did not kindle. We all drink from wells we did not dig. - ancient Celtic saying

Inthedark
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Posted 04/21/08 - 09:41 AM:	#9
Just in case you can't find a student job that involves use of brain power/not doing anything couldn't you try making more available ones more interesting and fun? Take the example of working in a coffee shop. The most obvious game would be "guess what the customer will order" but if you want you can elaborate on that and find out whether you can be more successful in guessing than if you were choosing a drink at random. You could do some statistical calculations on the average customers spending using standard deviation and what not to decide how certain you can be that a customer's order will total over X amount. Oh if you want to use your creativity you could watch the customers and imagine what they are thinking, what their day has been like, why did they decide to have a drink now and if all else fails think about stuff inbetween customers and jot it down on napkins.

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