Many students overlook the benefits of getting a temporary or part-time job during their college or university studies, due to being too busy with assignments and exams, or simply thinking that it will not have a profound effect on future career prospects. However, having a temp or part-time job while studying could actually be beneficial as it increases employability, as well as providing extra income during a time of your life when finances are more limited.
Furthermore, recruiters often find themselves choosing between very similar candidates; they all have good grades and are active in different extracurricular activities. The part-time job(s) that you have had during your studies might therefore differentiate you from other applicants because work experience is always desirable and will go in your favour.
1. Tuition fees and increasing living costs
Tuition fees can cost an average of £10,000 per year in the UK and a temporary job can therefore help to subsidise part of the fee. Even if you don’t have to pay tuition fees, living expenses are a reason alone to get a job, especially as they are increasing in many cities in the UK.
As well as this, you wouldn’t want to bail on dinner at a restaurant or a night out with friends because you’re waiting for SAAS to come in, would you? With an extra income, you are able to make memories at university truly special.
2. Gain useful skills and experience
After finishing your degree you are likely to start applying for jobs. Many employers will not just base your application on your grades, they will also expect you to have some sort of work experience. A part-time or temp job could therefore give you skills and relevant experience, which will make you stand out among your peers.
Even if you don’t understand why, there will be skills learned in any job that employers will desire. For instance, a waitress job could help your application stand out for a graduate job in accounting, as future employers will recognise the customer skills that you have gained from dealing with customers and having worked with money.
Having a temp or part-time job will also show that you are willing to find a job, turn up to shifts and keep the job. This sounds very basic, although employers will look for proof of your reliability as a future employee to see that you can be depended upon.
3. Collect references
Having a few part-time or temporary jobs during your university studies will allow you to gather a bank of references to use when applying for new jobs. Moreover, you will build a contact network with not only the referees from your previous jobs but also with co-workers. Always treat everyone at work with respect and be friendly- it will make your time in the company more pleasant and it will help expand your contact network at the same time.
4. Develop strong time management skills
Studying at university doesn’t exactly give you a lot of free time. If you are serious about your studies, meaning you attend most lectures, submit assignments on time and even partake in extracurricular activities, you will most likely find it difficult to fit in a part-time or temp job during those few hours that are left of your day.
However, if you have a temporary or part-time job, you will be forced to plan your time even more carefully, which could help you become more organised and more motivated, as you can no longer postpone going to the library or gym if you are working in the evening. Your time management skills will be stronger than before you had a part-time job.
5. Register with Stafffinders to set your own schedule
Obviously, not all weeks can be managed like in the example above, sometimes deadlines and exams must be prioritised. Temp jobs offer the flexibility for students to choose their own schedules.
If you register with Stafffinders, you will be able to discuss your availability throughout the semester with one of our consultants, who will adjust the amount of work accordingly. Moreover, the dates of unexpected deadlines can easily be forwarded to a consultant, who will then update your timetable and availability of work. If you want to get in touch regarding temp work, don’t hesitate to contact Stafffinders.
6. A part-time job might give you an idea of what you want to do in the future
Lastly, by having a job you will develop a better idea of the type of job that you want to do in the future (if you don’t know that already). Conversely, you will also get to know what you don’t want to work with in the future. If you are unsure about what career is right for you, it might be a good idea to try different kinds of jobs in order to track down what you particularly like doing and what you can rule out as a career completely.