College is hard. Between school and extracurricular activities, the idea of working is almost laughable. The idea of simply applying to jobs is stressful. Even worse, what if you did find a job and then realized it was an awful establishment? If you go to school in Pittsburgh, we have you covered. To make the process easier, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to work in the ‘burgh!
Red Oak Cafe
“You do a little of everything but I am mostly cashier. It’s a really good place to work – work – Easy-going, good coworkers and not super strict. My managers are really understanding so it’s easy to work and do school. The lunch rush is huge there which can be stressful, but during the summer, it is super slow. The pay is good and we also get tips. I get free food during my shift and half off when I’m not working. Everyone really cares about serving people the best quality food they can.”
Chipotle
“I work at the Chipotle on Baum! If you take the 10a to the stop on Craig, it’s a 10 minute walk. The 20a stops right outside of it, as well. There’s also the one on Forbes, but I really like my manager. A big thing at Chipotle is that the employees are supposed to encourage each other and lift each other up, which is really great for me. My manager is awesome and she’s so understanding. You can work around your school schedule, too. The perks are great: paid breaks, free meals, and 50% off when you aren’t working. Everyone is really nice and fun to work with. 10/10 would recommend!”
The Yard Gastropub
“I work as a hostess at The Yard in Shadyside. The pay is $9 an hour, which is awesome. Working as a host was a little difficult at first, but once I got used to it, I really started to like it. I love my coworkers and the management a lot. I can’t stress enough how friendly and understanding my bosses are. The hours are pretty convenient with school as well because I only work 5 P.M. to 10:30 P.M during the week.”
IGA
“The best part of working at IGA has to be the sense of understanding that the management has. The owner, Ron, has owned the building for years and operated the grocery store for eight years. He’s had countless college students work for him, and he understands that we’re all balancing a lot. He’s very understanding if we need to take time to study or for personal reasons.
Another great part of working there is that since it’s a local business, there’s a lot of freedom. Ron gets to choose what we sell and what we don’t, and he often goes to his employees for advice since we’re the target demographic. It’s nice to have your voice heard even when you’re just a stock person or cashier.
My coworkers are absolutely my favorite part of my job! We’re all in our early twenties and since the vibe is relaxed there, it allows us to foster friendship. I regularly hang out with my coworkers outside of work and that makes working so much more enjoyable. Who could have a bad day when you’re having dance parties in the back room with your friends?”
Shady Grove
“It was a great job money-making wise and the regulars are great. The food is fantastic, but we such a large menu to learn. My main issue was having to work until 2am since I had school, but they’re very flexible and accommodating with your schedule. The employees are great.”
Tapingo
“My whole job is making friends with all the people who work in restaurants and fast food around campus while also delivering food to Pitt and CMU students! I do my job with a few apps on my phone and the pay is over 12 dollars an hour. You make your own schedule, so it’s super flexible and you deliver at your own pace, too! My favorite part is doing the job with some of my friends, so we get paid to hang out and work together! Overall, it’s a really rad job on campus to have if you want to get paid well for something that’s not all that hard!”
Hello Bistro
“The best part of Hello Bistro is hands down how friendly my coworkers are. I have made so many friends from working at the Bistro. It’s also a great place to work because the scheduling is super flexible. Most of the people who work there are students, so they have to be. I told my boss I could only work Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 9, and that is all I’m scheduled. It’s great. I’m not always the biggest fan of my managers, but I think the benefits outweigh the flaws.”