Vegan-Friendly Jobs for High School and College Students

Guest blog by Leah DeFreitas, Compassion Over Killing Outreach intern

If you’re a vegan student looking for a job right now, chances are you…

• Are looking for a part time or summer job.
• Have no formal degree.
• Have minimal job experience.
• Are starting to get a little bit desperate.

Whether it’s gas, tuition, rent, cell phone bills, or even just to keep up with your increasingly destructive vegan milkshake phase, you need the money. And at this rate, you can’t afford to be picky. Here are some ways to find a vegan-friendly job as a student, or to cope and adapt to almost any job that isn’t 100% cruelty free.

1. Download a job search app and post your resume.

Using job search sites like Indeed can make the process of finding a part-time job quick and easy.  By uploading some information about your volunteer and job experience, goals, and education, the app will automatically create a resume for you to send to future employers.  You can even plug in “vegan” as a key word for your job search.

2. Apply for some of these jobs:

• Florist or garden center
• Tutor or nanny
• Fitness or rec center
• Farmers market

3. Consider some of these, too:

• Whole Foods, MOM’s Organic Market, Trader Joe’s, etc.  Although these places currently sell animal products, many of these job locations offer great pay, benefits, and discounts.  Additionally, these grocery stores have some amazing vegan options; MOM’s even offers free meals to employees from their entirely vegetarian and mostly vegan cafe, Naked Lunch.  You also may find a lot of your coworkers are vegan, too!
• Clothing, cosmetics, and drug stores.  While some retail locations may sell leather, fur, silk, or cosmetics tested on animals, many establishments such as Lush adhere to a strict anti-animal testing policy.  By working at a consignment or thrift store, you can also limit your contribution to unsustainable fashion.

4. If you get a job that is NOT 100% cruelty free;

• Know that it is very difficult to get the job of your dreams before you have even finished school, and you are doing the best you can.  Everyone deserves a livable wage and education, and if your part-time job as a student contradicts parts of your ethics as a vegan, you don’t need to beat yourself up about it.
• You can plant seeds and inspire others wherever you go; you do not need to work at an all-vegan restaurant or nonprofit in order to make a difference in your community.  Introducing your coworkers to your favorite vegan foods or leading customers to your go-to cruelty-free face wash are each completely valid and impactful ways to promote the veg-lifestyle.

Overall, being a student and getting your first glimpse into the workforce can be daunting.  Add having strong ethics and values into the mix, it can make your options seem even more limited.  Go into this process with an open mind, don’t sell yourself short, and most importantly, go get that (vegan) bread!