As well as funding your nights out (among other things), working while you’re at university is a great way to boost your CV and put you at an advantage when you look for work as a graduate.Finding a job can be a pretty daunting prospect, especially when you don’t know where to start, so we’ve come up with a list of the top places students often find work.
The main difficulty with working during term
time is juggling shifts with your studies, and most universities
recommend you work no more than 15 hours per week. Check out our guide
on getting the balance right.
Top 10 types of student jobs
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Retail
Credit: Phillip Pessar – Flickr.com
Loads of students choose to work in retail and you can apply to shops that appeal to your interests or studies.
Bit of a technology geek? Get a job in a computer or gadget shop. Fashion students can get a foot in the door of the industry by working in clothes shops (but it may be tempting to spend your wages on the stock).
You could also work in a supermarket and enjoy a discounted grocery shop, which will really cut your costs.
The main advantage to working is retail is the staff discount, but be careful not to let it defeat the purpose of you getting a job.
As a student you can develop many transferable skills working in retail and it’s a respected job. -
Bar work
It’s like a night out, but you’re getting paid! Put your Saturday night to good use, you wouldn’t really work on your essay anyway.
Apply to bars where you are likely to earn good tips, and be prepared for long shifts and putting up with drunk people shouting at you.
Most bars and pubs look for staff who have experience, while others are happy with any experience of working with the public. You might even get some extra hours pay for flyering work.
Be it a cosy old man’s boozer or a busy club, you can find bar work to suit you; many student unions will offer this kind of job too.
Just make sure that you won’t be staying up late every single night of the week or it could affect your uni work. -
Other hospitality work
Many students wait tables to subsidise their loan, and you can earn great tips in restaurants.
It helps if you’re the kind of person who can still slap on a smile when you’re tired and have a 2000 word essay waiting for you at home.
If you prefer to hide behind the scenes, try being a kitchen porter. Some cafes and restaurants will even feed you during your shift!
Again, your own university is a great starting point for this kind of job as there are bound to be cafes and eateries on campus. -
Public relations
Brands want student ambassadors to promote them, and working in PR is perfect if you’re outgoing and popular.
You can do PR for clubs’ student nights, where you get paid for each person you get in to the club. This can be as easy as creating a Facebook event and inviting everyone in your halls, or flyering on campus.
PR work is flexible and you get paid for socialising. Most PR jobs want to see your Facebook profile when you apply, because public relations is all about knowing people.
While it can look like easy money, PRing for clubs is a late night job so it’s important not to let it interfere with making it to lectures the next day.
This kind of work is particularly useful to students who are interested in marketing careers, and is a great way to build contacts. -
Tutoring
Parents will pay big money to help their offspring get decent grades if they are struggling with a particular subject, and tutoring can be really rewarding.
You’ll need A grades at A Level, patience, and confidence to be a private tutor, and some parents will give you a bonus if their child gets the grade that they want.
You can also work as a language tutor or translator. This is a fantastic way to improve your CV and opens opportunities for you to tutor abroad in the summer.
If you were always the best at English at school, or algebra comes easily to you, use your skills to make money and get a warm fuzzy feeling that you’re helping someone. -
Childminding
If you’re good with kids, use your experience with siblings or previous babysitting jobs to earn some extra cash.
Lots of working parents need someone to pick their children up from school or nursery and keep them entertained until they get home, so a driving license is an advantage, but you can also mind children at night and some parents will pay more after a certain time.
Sign up to agencies to get reliable work. Gaining experience with children while you are at university may come in handy if you choose to travel after you graduate as you can work as an au pair abroad. -
Mystery shopping
Sign up to an agency online and get paid to shop or eat out. Most agencies will want you to tick boxes and write a report about your experience, which may require you to ask sales assistants for help or evaluate the service you receive at a restaurant or fast food outlet.
If you feel comfortable posing as an ordinary customer, mystery shopping is an easy way to make money (or get free stuff). Read our guide to getting started. -
Delivering catalogues
Businesses will pay you to get their catalogues or leaflets out to customers, and the walking will keep you fit.
Knowledge of the local area and strong arms are essential. There are plenty of catalogue delivery jobs available in the run up to Christmas, so this is a good way to pay for all those presents you have to buy.
If you are lucky you may find a company that pays extra commission on sales in your area such as Avon. -
Work for your university
Look no further than your own university for work! Working in your student union means you still get to see your friends while you earn money.
Aside from the options we’ve already mentioned you could find work as a receptionist, showing students round or an an ambassador in the community.
Universities are also very understandable when it comes to exams and coursework – you do study there after all! Check out your uni’s website; most have a job section. -
One-off jobs
You can sign up to agencies that provide staff for events in your area. This provides you with extra money without the commitment of a permanent job, and you can choose which events you want to work at.
This is usually catering or bar work, and you will get the opportunity to go to events that you wouldn’t otherwise get to go to. From serving drinks at concerts to dressing as a mascot, this is a good way to make money as and when you really need it.
You can also get paid to participate in psychology experiments.
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