Getting paid to improve your Degree

by Hannah Keeble

Working as a research assistant is flexible, uni-related, and useful. It is a great way to be productive, get yourself named on a research paper, and earn some money!

I am a third year student working on a dissertation, as well as other module assignments, and searching for something (ANYTHING!) to do once I finish my degree. I needed a flexible job that would be proactive, and of value to my C.V. that could aid me getting a masters or degree entry job, but also give me plenty of time to do the rest of my work-load.

So, what does it actually entail? Well it’s very different for each research; I conduct, alongside another student, a large scale literature review, meaning I read a lot of papers on a certain topic (the dark triad) and make notes about each paper. Yes, it is a lot of reading, and I know we all get enough of that from our courses, however, it is easily manageable and with the one-to-one teaching, and professional advice, the skills I have learnt are invaluable towards my essay assignments and dissertation.

Unlike group projects (which can often turn into solo projects) you actually learn how to work as a team, communicating effectively with each other in order to produce a professional-standard of work.

With it being run by the university, the work load is flexible and always takes into consideration your other commitments, therefore if you have an assignment due the supervisors understand and will encourage you to keep your course assignments a priority. With my position being internet based (exploring and noting past papers) it means I can do my work in the comfort of my home (meaning you don’t even have to leave the house!).

So far it has been a very rewarding experience for me, and I would encourage anyone to apply for a similar position -who doesn’t want to earn money whilst improving their university grades?!