Many students decide to get a part time job while at university. For some, this is a way to top up their bank account and to get a few extra pennies each month to afford those little luxuries.
For others, it may be a way of building their skills while at university, so they have experience to draw upon in a job application or in an interview.
For me, I had a few different part time jobs while at university, some were fantastic, others weren’t so great. The key is finding a job that is flexible and allows you to put your degree first, while also getting some relevant experience and skills.
Let me tell you about my good job, and my bad job…
My Bad Job
So, the week before Freshers, I drove down to York with a handful of printed CVs, and I wandered around handing them into any bar or cafe I could find. This worked wonders, and I had 3 or 4 emails of interest. I ended up interviewing and accepting two jobs, both were rota work so I could select shifts.
I’ll point out all of the things that made the two above jobs BAD part time jobs:
Cash in hand – may seem attractive, but it is actually illegal to be paid in this way, and you have to declare any income for tax purposes.
Long shifts – long shifts mean more money, but it also means you’ll be exhausted at the end of it, and you do have a degree to do
Night shifts – it may seem attractive to study during the day, and work during the night, but you’ll miss out on all important sleep, and the chance to go out with friends and experience night life at university
High contracted hours – again, it may seem like a good idea to get as many hours as possible, as that means more money at the end of the month, but you’re at university to get a degree, and the best degree possible, so you should devote as much time as possible to that. It’s recommended to not go over 15-16 hours a week for part time work while studying
Little to no training – being thrown into a new job is very daunting, and means you’ll more than likely make a mistake. If your employer isn’t willing to train you, they probably won’t be the best at handling any errors. Make sure you ask about shadowing current staff, or probation periods. Make sure you’re comfortable before you work your first shift alone.
Negative staff attitudes: now this is a hard one to figure out at interview – but if the staff don’t like working there, that tells you so much, and chances are – you won’t like it there either
Workplace bullying: every workforce has a hierarchy, with a manager on top, then shift managers etc. But that doesn’t give anyone an excuse to be rude to you or treat you poorly, if this happens, speak to the overall manager and voice your concerns
Little to no management: managers should be involved and enthusiastic. If your boss says ‘can you start next week cause I’m off on holiday’ (this happened on job 1), you should say no, as you shouldn’t be fully responsible in your first week of work, and your manager is always accountable for you.
My Good Job
In the October of that year, I found an advert for the position of Student Ambassador at the university. The job sounded amazing, so I filled in an application and waited to hear back. I had an interview, and then was asked to shadow some shifts as a training day.
I’ll tell you all of the things that made this job a GOOD part time job:
Flexible rota: this was a 0 hour contract, which I know is seen as a negative thing, but it meant I could pick and choose the work that fit in around my studies. Essentially they uploaded shifts to a webpage, and I put my name down next to shifts I could do. That way, I was never double booked and there was no pressure to work a set number of hours
Varied work: as an ambassador I did everything from Open Days to work in schools to Residential events. This meant I was getting lots of experience in different areas which is fantastic for my CV
Training opportunities: I was allowed to shadow another ambassador for my first couple of shifts, this meant I could learn on the job and ease myself into the work
Engaged managers: the bosses were fantastic. They got to know me by name, asked about my career interests so that they could link me up with events that would suit me, and were so understanding if I didn’t sign up for shifts because I was on placement, or because an assignment was due in. As you were working for the university, they always put your degree first, and they’re aware you will have to dedicate your time to finishing assignments etc. As you were working for the university, they always put your degree first, and they’re aware you will have to dedicate your time to finishing assignments etc.
Positive staff attitudes: as mentioned, I got to shadow other ambassadors, and no one that I spoke to had a negative word to say about the role, they all said it gave them the freedom to work alongside study, and they were in charge of how much or how little they worked.
Official pay schemes: we had a set pay per hour, and because it was through the university, I felt confident that pay would be managed fairly and I’d get paid on time each month.
I’m not saying that an ambassador role is the ONLY good part time job for students. Many of my friends worked in gyms or bars or restaurants, some did charity work or worked for a tourist attraction. What I am saying, is that it’s important that you find a job that suits you and your studies. You’ve gone to university to get the degree, and you owe it to yourself to try your very best. Get yourself a job that allows you to dedicate enough time to your degree, your social life, and your well-being.
Thanks for reading!
Lou – Widening Participation Officer