They’re familiar feelings for most students – the giddy heights of seeing a big chunk of money landing into your bank account from the student loans company and suddenly feeling like Mr. Monopoly, and the horror of realising some short months later that the money is gone. You’ve got a while before the next installment (and that will probably only go to paying off some of your overdraft!) If your studies allow it, it’s often a good idea to find yourself a flexible part-time job to keep your balance topped up over your years at university. Plus not only does it add to your wallet, but it amps up your CV and can help you to build necessary professional skills. You’ll also meet a load of new friends and your adopted city may begin to feel a lot more like home. This article will provide some ideas for suitable jobs for students looking to improve their bank balance.
Tutoring
Perhaps during your studies you’ve used a tutor to help you up your grades. Now as a student you are more than qualified to offer some help and advice to others – whether this is younger children who need help with their homework, or fellow students beginning their studies. If you’re able to organise your time, and build good relationships with your students (and possibly their parents) tutoring can be a pretty lucrative position. It also helps that tutoring is usually conducive to a student’s schedule, and can even help you to understand material better yourself. Be sure to plan the structure of your lessons and focus on the student’s needs rather than having a friendly chat – they are paying you after all.
Child Care
Maybe it’s something you’ve already tried your hand at, as babysitting tends to be most people’s first form of paid work. However, don’t write it off as a job for younger teens, as it’s a nice way to get some extra cash in your pocket from time to time. If you’re studying in your hometown the chances are you already have contacts who can help set you up with a babysitting gig, but even if you’re in a new city you can advertise your services and see what comes up. If you have a second language, this will also help you find some work, as many parents are willing to pay high prices for someone to look after their children whilst playing with them in another language.
Pub/Coffee Shop Work
This can be great, especially if you are a regular frequenter of these venues. They might offer you free access/food/drink whilst making extra money during your studies. If you work in a coffee shop or pub/club, you will be able to work part-time, and most Universities have their own students bars which might be the best place to start your search. Working on campus will allow you to be further submerged in student life, which is beneficial to the overall student experience as well as looking good on your CV. Just be prepared to work some late nights if you are applying for a position in a pub or club, and keep in mind which days you have early lectures.
Catering
Catering jobs are an extremely popular option for students and it is easy to see why. For one, it is a fun job with plenty of variation and schedules that are usually set for the evening. It also is a good job for people with very little or even no experience at all as long as you have a white shirt and black trousers you tend to be accepted in some role or another. Spending a few years during University working with an event or catering company is ideal, as it is a CV builder that is easy to get into, plus if you find yourself serving food at a large event, the tips you come home with on top of your wages tend to be pretty impressive.
Resident Assistant
A resident assistant, or RA, is someone who lives in a student accommodation past their first year in order to supervise the building. They help the students whenever there is an emergency and are pretty much expert problem-solvers. While you do not get paid for being an RA, you get your housing (and sometimes board) for free which saves you a massive amount of money, which is a good deal. This is also an opportunity that allows you to become more involved in your student body, which is always a good thing.
Getting started looking for any of these part-time jobs is easy. Pretty much everything you need for the job hunt is online. Be sure that your CV contains relevant information, isn’t too long, and is free of spelling or grammatical errors. Look at examples of cover letters online, and use a reliable job site like uk.jobrapido.com to find a list of all suitable job offers in your area. The most important thing is finding the right balance- you are studying for your future and you shouldn’t make yourself too exhausted and stressed from a job that was only ever supposed to help you on your way to your future career.
