Come September, and its that time of year again for
many of you students out there to go look for a job to fund your time at the
uni. But what exactly are your options?
Even the laziest amongst
you should think about getting a part-time job, especially when the debts
start mounting up, so we’ve come up with a few suggestions.
One way to get by whilst studying is to take on a part-time job. Many of you
will already have worked before you got to uni, however those of you who
haven’t might think about taking on that extra responsibility. Not only does
it look good on your CV but you will also be happier financially!
There are many jobs to go for but it does depend on experience and in some
cases luck. We’ve made a list of jobs that are good for students as they are
flexible and pay reasonably well.
Pubs are a very popular choice for students, for obvious reasons. Although
you're meant to work behind the bar and not drink behind the bar, the latter
tends to be a good advantage. Many people gain experience of bar work during
their studies and are then able to use it in the future, for example on a
working holiday. Below are the advantages and disadvantages to the job.
Barman
Advantages
Good money
Free Drinks
Socialise while you work
Flexible hours
Possibility of accommodation
You can take breaks
Good experience
Disadvantages
On your feet for hours
Drink too much if you're not careful
Sometimes have to deal with dodgy people
Unsociable hours
Unhealthy environment
You can’t study while working
Have to hide it from parents
Babysitting
Well, you can weigh up the pros and cons on that one and decide for
yourself. Next on the line is babysitting, and before you blokes run a mile,
you can do this as well!
Advantages
You work in a nice environment
You have access sometimes to free food and phone
You work with children
You can relax when the kids are asleep
You can do your coursework while working
Disadvantages
You're working in someone else’s home
You're not allowed to use the phone for free
You could be working with screaming brats
The pay isn’t normally that good
You can’t take breaks
Baby-sitting is definitely an option worth considering. You can put the word
out, leave a notice in local shops, the supermarket, libraries and so on and
who knows, you might get lucky. If kid’s are not your thing, consider jobs
within your students union.
Students Union
There are always jobs within the students union whether it's admin work,
library, student shop or bar work again. But remember, if you live on campus
you can’t pull any "sickies" unless you’re going to stay in your room all
day and you won’t be able to hide from lecturers! Lets see if there are any
advantages…
For the Library
Advantages
You can reserve the books you need before others
You can work in a quiet environment
You can erase your fines
You can sneak out short loan books
Disadvantages
You’ll be reminded of study all the time
You have to tell off people if they talk
You have to fine people
You could get caught!
For the Bar
Advantages
You’ll be in the main uni socializing environment
You can watch all the matches on big screen
You can watch people get drunk and act like fools
Disadvantages
You’ll be working whilst everyone’s partying
You’ll be working whilst everyone’s watching
You’ll be cleaning the sick afterwards
For work with Student Union
Advantages
Excellent experience
Make contacts
Can run for Student Union President
You’ll be popular
Disadvantages
Can be tedious and boring
Sometimes have to handle difficult situations
Could face humiliation of no votes
People will be bugging you all the time
Well it looks like there’s definitely something worth looking at there. If
your still not convinced, market research might be your kind of thing. You
can often get jobs such as posing as a mystery shopper or even research by
phone at a call centre. Sometimes this is quite well paid and you can work
your way up in a company.
Another suggestion is retail work however, most students will only be able
to work Saturdays and Sundays, which cuts out your weekend and means having
no time to visit the parents (which in some cases is an advantage!). But it
is good if you’re working somewhere where you spend lots of money as you
have the added bonus of a staff discount. There are plenty of things to look
out for, even a part time job in your local Pizza Hut so it’s worth getting
out there and having a look.
If none of the above seem exciting enough then there’s always the more
racier option such as posing nude for art students…
