Can You Include Part-Time Jobs on Your Resume? It Depends on What You Learned from Them

When writing a resume, people often say to focus on technical projects and internships. But for many international students who just graduated or are still in school, there aren’t always that many formal internships to list. That’s when you might wonder: should you include part-time jobs? In my opinion, as long as you present them naturally, part-time experience can definitely be included—and in many cases, it shows skills that don’t appear in technical projects.

For example, I used to work part-time at the university library. My main tasks were helping students check out books and organizing materials, but over time, I also dealt with printer issues and minor system errors. When problems came up, I had to respond quickly, and I gradually learned how to communicate and coordinate with different people. Once, when the system suddenly crashed, I used the instructions I had seen before to help restart it and contacted tech support. It wasn’t a huge deal, but it made me realize that beyond technical skills, having the mindset to solve problems is just as important.

I also worked part-time at the campus IT help desk, assisting with things like password resets and Wi-Fi issues. The tasks were basic, but sometimes I had to be extra patient when helping students who weren't fluent in English. I also learned how to explain things more clearly. Looking back, these “small” tasks actually helped me build user-facing communication skills. In IT roles, it’s not just about coding—often you need to work with non-technical teams and explain complex issues in simple terms.

Of course, not all part-time jobs are related to IT. I’ve done short-term cashier and front-desk roles too. Even in those jobs, you learn time management, how to stay calm under pressure, and how to adapt quickly—all of which are valuable soft skills in the workplace. No job is too small if you know how to reflect on what you’ve learned from it.

So I believe part-time work doesn’t need to be avoided on your resume. If it’s written genuinely and with substance, even if it’s not traditional “technical experience,” it can help fill in the gaps and show that you’re adaptable in different environments. These skills may not show up in code, but they’ll absolutely matter in your future job.