When’s the last time you got paid millions of dollars to do your job? Oh, you just make minimum wage? Weird because these celebs make tons of money for the movies they make, and they are pretty undeserving of it, according to Forbes. These overpaid celebs probably take their millions and throw it down at Fred Segal the second they get their paychecks, whereas I save for months to buy a mediocre dress from Express.

If these overpaid actors and actresses had these jobs, maybe they would learn the value of a dollar and get paid what they actually should be paid.

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The following post is written by Tandra Haycraft of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, one of our many friends at Uloop, a student powered marketplace. Read more great posts in their blog.

Let’s face it — there aren’t a whole lot of uber-desirable job options for college students. The current economy, a student’s weird availability, and a lack of experience can mean sometimes only the basest jobs are out there for the taking. Don’t get discouraged, though — any job can teach you a lot and give you an opening into your desired career.

I got my first job during my freshman year of college. I had federal work-study job and worked for 10 hours a week in the graduate admissions office. I filed, a lot. When I wasn’t filing, I was making copies. If I wasn’t doing either, which usually only happened Friday afternoons, I was there to answer the phone and direct prospective students to the right place for information sessions. Needless to say, it was pretty boring. I quit after two semesters.

At the beginning of my sophomore year, I moved to another campus job, at the information technology help desk. I hadn’t thought that my filing job would get me anywhere besides intense boredom and a headache, but, in fact, it was a boost. I had learned to use an industrial copy machine, change toner in laser printers, clear jams in the equipment, and work with a multi-line phone. Being able to tell my trainer that I already knew these basic skills was a boost. Being a self-starter was a necessity as a filer, and a plus as a help desk assistant. Paying attention to how technicians solved some of the most common technology problems, earning a reputation as being motivated and friendly, and volunteering for special projects eventually moved me farther up to working directly with one of the technicians.

I won’t lie — it’s not all wonderful. I still get paid minimum wage, my workload has doubled, and it’s often thankless or boring work (sometimes both). But it isn’t a dead-end job from which I’m only getting a paycheck.

To use a job as an opening into a career, the most important thing to do is to pay attention and learn everything you can. You never know what skill sets employers will want from you, or what they’ll be interested in seeing in their applicants. At the end of every semester, my direct boss has me sit down and design the work schedule for his group of student workers for the coming weeks. If you’ve ever had to do this, you probably know it can be one of the most frustrating and tedious tasks ever.

Having to do it, though, forced me to learn several things — like how to be organized, for one. Also, how to compromise in a group — no one wants those hours, so you have to find a way to balance fairly and give everyone a little bit of what they want. I also had to learn to write in a professional manner when I composed emails asking for availability, and how to work with difficult people without being unprofessional or losing my temper.

Organization, patience, compromise, and a few technical skills, as well as the ability to properly construct a sentence, will be vital skills employers are going to be searching for in their applicants. Being able and willing to learn from those higher up than you is always a plus. Learning to show enthusiasm and motivation for even the most boring tasks will show your employers you’re flexible and easy to work with. Developing a good rapport with your current employers will give you a leg up when you need references for more serious job applications.

That ability to write clear, concise emails and showing self-taught knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite landed me another great opportunity — my boss recently asked me to write a set of instructions on how to use the email system for new students. I see this as practice for being a technical writer, the job I really want to get into.

Some people are fortunate enough to have everything covered, but those college students who are on their own are forced to seek employment on or around campus. Usually for minimum wage.

I watched many friends as they sat in class all morning, in the library all afternoon and at their crappy work-study jobs all night, every night. They missed out on bonding time, parties and even student groups on campus, and still barely had enough money to get by. I know that college is all about learning, but it sucks to miss out on the rest of college life. There is a lot to be learned outside the classroom (like your drinking limit!).

But what if there were a better option? What if someone could make enough money to get by without sitting at the check-out desk of the library 6 nights a week? What if you could make enough money to learn and enjoy college without spending game-days serving burgers to drunk students?

It’s as easy as getting a sugar-daddy.

Melissa Beech, tired of working retail and waiting tables, did just that. “During my job hunt, I met a potential employer. He was in his early thirties, single and successful. He didn’t hire me, but he did suggest a position that seemed perfectly suited to my attributes and skills: he proposed that he become my benefactor.”

Some people consider Melissa’s “job” to be prostituion, but she doesn’t agree; I call it a ‘mutually beneficial arrangement’ that pays for my killer wardrobe.”

What do you think? Is this the answer we have all been looking for, or is this simply a real-life Pretty Woman?

I have done everything from chase kids around in nurseries to waitressing to getting covered in dirt in a greenhouse to working in a tiny cubicle in a Manhattan talent office to running errands for a crazy agent to making pizza for one day.

Looking back, there are so many things I wish I could have told my little 19 year old self during her first foray into living alone and interning in New York City. One of those things would be to never eat the coleslaw in any restaurant (they totally reuse that shit), but I would also tell her how to deal with completely psychotic bosses and why it’s okay to lie to certain part time employers.

Since I don’t have access to a time machine (discounting the cardboard box my brother and I made when we were five. It never worked right), I can’t tell my younger self any of the things I know now. But I can tell you. That’s why I’ve decided to do a series entitled “Do’s and Don’ts of the Summer”.

Our first Do’s and Don’ts list?

Summer Jobs.

• Do give your resume out to every possible employer. Everyone has their first choice for a summer job, but the market is tricky and quick to dissipate (everyone gets out of school at the same time), so being choosy initially is only going to hurt you in the long run.

• Do tell many employers that you’re interested—at the same time. Until one of them offers you a job, you’re allowed to juggle as many possibilities as you want. Let them all assume you’re really excited to work for them, and only them, and don’t count anyone out until a final deal comes up. As long as you do it politely and with tact, you don’t really owe these possible employers anything.

• Don’t just stop talking to the employers you decided to forgo in favor of something else. Politely tell them you found a better offer, and thank them for their time. There’s always next year.

• Do go to any interview dressed nicely. This doesn’t always mean a suit and power pumps, but even outdoorsy jobs are looking for employees that take care of themselves. Once you get hired, you can talk about dress code, but initially, try to look confident, comfortable, and put together.

• Don’t overdress. There’s a line. Know what you’re interviewing for and dress appropriately according to that knowledge.

• Do understand that first impressions mean a lot when it comes to summer jobs. Everyone wants the same position. Make sure you impress.

• Don’t feel bad about lying to an employer about your post-summer availability. Lots of employers don’t just hire for the summer, so if they ask you how long you’ll be available, don’t be completely forthcoming about your school plans. You’ll do good work for three months and then move on. They’ll find someone else. Promise.

• Do take your summer job seriously. Summer is for partying and relaxing, it’s true; but it’s also a time to make cash for next fall. If you make good with your boss, you could potentially work out a deal where you come back and help out whenever you can (Christmas/spring break). And like I said before, there’s always next year.

• Do follow your gut. If the first day makes you miserable, get out and keep looking. The first day is always hard, but if the negative feelings continue, it makes complete sense to leave. Summer jobs aren’t the most serious things in the world. Soon enough you’ll have to rely on employment you don’t enjoy to pay the bills (not always…but sometimes). Don’t rush it. Try to find something that doesn’t suck the life out of you.

• Do try to do something that builds up your resume. The more experience you have in one field, the easier it will be to advance there. Doing a lot of random jobs may be interesting, but could make it harder in the long run to get hired in any specific field.

• Don’t allow an employer to pay you less than minimum wage. No matter what kind of deal they try and sell you on, nobody can survive on less than that. Find out what minimum wage is in your state, and accept nothing less!

• Don’t wait! Come June, those high school kids will be filling the job market. Get out there as soon as possible!