It is no secret that being a student is an expensive process and that loan day can never come quick enough. Especially for those at university in big cities like London, student life can be three years of feeling the crunch; after all, it’s not just the lack of cooking skills that leaves students eating Super Noodles for tea.
While the balance between university work and student jobs can be difficult to master, it also has a whole host of benefits - and not just for your bank account. If you can manage a part time job alongside your degree study in London then the advantages could last well past graduation, but before you go running off to the nearest jobs centre, have a look through this guide to student jobs to find out which options are available to you.
The search
There are a number of job sites and centres out there all just waiting to get their hands on your CV but to help narrow down the search, here is a list of the very best sites for student jobs:
- Thestudentjob.com This great site is created for students by students, so there are relevant and more suitable jobs on offer. From one-off jobs for when you just need to make some extra cash for Christmas to part-time work and holiday vacancies, they have everything in one place.
- Studentbeans.com Every student knows that Student Beans is great for finding local student discounts but it is also great for finding your next job. They have dedicated pages for each region, so it’s great for finding the full and part time jobs London has to offer; from app tester to mystery shopper, it’s all on there.
- E4s.co.uk Employment4students is the one stop shop for all types of student jobs: part time, graduate, gap year and internships, there’s a section for each. They work to connect employers and potential employees and, because they’re a student site, the employers are more likely to be flexible around term time.
While these sites are great for when you’re just browsing the web, it is also a good idea to sign up to your university’s job alerts, as most universities have a careers centre that is regularly updated with the latest student jobs in the area from trusted employers. Also, you can try following job sites on Twitter, so you find out about the latest jobs as soon as possible.
How to get hired
Firstly, you must make sure your CV is not only up to date but up to scratch. In a competitive city like London, the student jobs can be few and far between so, in order to give yourself the best possible chance, you have to make sure yours is the resume that stands out. Make sure your CV is tailored to the job you’re applying for; the employer wants to see applicable skills, so make sure your experience is relevant.
If you don’t have similar experience, or any professional experience at all for that matter, then try to use skills you have gained from other life experiences. This could include peer mentoring at school or even babysitting a younger sibling, as this all demonstrates responsibility - an attractive quality to an employer. If you are still struggling on the CV front, take a look at the advice from the National Careers Service; they have reams of helpful information, from a CV builder to the common mistakes to avoid.
When it comes to an interview or trial shift, try not to get too nervous - at the end of the day, most customer-facing roles want confidence from their employee, so just turn up and have fun. The more you can emphasise your value of customer service and how you have skills directly applicable to the role, the more likely you are to be hired. Keep this in mind and good luck!
Image Credit: peter burge (flickr.com)
Summer jobs
If you can’t quite stomach the thought of working during term time there are plenty of summer job options available and most can be a lot of fun. Summer means festivals and these can be a great place to work during the summer as well as being great experience if you are studying for an events management degree at university. Working at a festival doesn’t necessarily mean less fun - it can be hard work, but you can also experience the festival for free whilst getting paid for it. Festaff is the great website that posts job openings at all the major festivals so you could be attending Download or Glastonbury next year with a healthy bank balance.
If you can’t afford a holiday this summer, there are a number of summer student jobs abroad that can make summer travelling a reality. From camps in America to holiday rep positions, there are plenty of options to provide you with a summer to remember, as well as money to go back to study with.
Part time jobs
Living in the capital can be pricey at the best of times, but living in London as a student can be a real struggle. To ensure you are in the best possible position before the student loan repayments start, a part time job throughout university can be a real help. There are a number of different part time student job options to choose from which will suit different personalities and schedules. Bar and restaurant work is great if you have hectic days or prefer to do your study during the daylight hours, whereas retail often involves a lot of shift work where you could be working as little as four hour stints - great if you need it to fit around you.
There is also often the option of working for your university; whether it’s as a library assistant or more one-off arrangements like being a fresher’s angel or guide, these student jobs are often reasonably well paid and guaranteed to fit around your study. Check your university jobs board or careers centre for information and advice.
Finally, student jobs provide you with a lot more than an untouched overdraft - they also give you vital skills and experience that future graduate employers are desperately looking for. So, if you are thinking about taking on a part time job during university, whilst it is recommended not to take on too many hours or let it affect your study, it can help you with your future career. Got any more student jobs advice? Why not share it with other GSM London students via the dedicated GSM London Careers Facebook page or Twitter?
Image Credit: daily sunny (flickr.com)
This content was written by Rachel Smith. Please feel free to visit my Google+ Profile to read more stories.
