It is no secret that being a student is an expensive process and that loan day can never come quick enough. Especially for those at university in big cities like London, student life can be three years of feeling the crunch; after all, it’s not just the lack of cooking skills that leaves students eating Super Noodles for tea.
While the balance between university work and student jobs can be difficult to master, it also has a whole host of benefits – and not just for your bank account. If you can manage a part time job alongside your degree studies then the advantages could last well past graduation, but before you go running off to the nearest jobs centre, have a look through this guide to student jobs to find out which options are available to you.
The search
There are a number of job sites and centres out there all just waiting to get their hands on your CV but to help narrow down the search, here is a list of the our best sites for student jobs:
- partimestudent.com This great site is created for students, so there are relevant and more suitable jobs on offer. From part-time jobs for when you just need to make some extra cash, to full time work, apprenticeships and Graduate schemes, they have everything in one place.
- Diversity Dashboard Diversity Dashboard specializes in working with employers to promote jobs to minority groups, regardless of race, gender, ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation. Their areas of specialty include: Finance; Creative Industry; Legal; Healthcare; Teaching and Armed Forces.
- Grad diary Grad Diary features the largest UK database of graduate jobs, internships and first year programmes across banking, accounting, law, consultancy and finance. Grad Diary contains hundreds of useful interviews and blog posts with HR professionals, top employers, careers advisors and people working at the largest graduate employers in the UK, to help students with all stages and facets of the graduate job application process.
While these sites are great for when you’re just browsing the web, it is also a good idea to sign up to your university’s job alerts, as most universities have a careers centre that is regularly updated with the latest student jobs in the area from trusted employers. Also, you can try following job sites on Twitter, so you find out about the latest jobs as soon as possible.
How to get hired
Firstly, you must make sure your CV is not only up to date but up to scratch. Make sure your CV is tailored to the job you’re applying for; the employer wants to see applicable skills, so make sure your experience is relevant.
If you don’t have similar experience, or any professional experience at all for that matter, then try to use skills you have gained from other life experiences. This could include peer mentoring at school or even babysitting a younger sibling, as this all demonstrates responsibility – an attractive quality to an employer.
When it comes to finding your dream job, you have to be well-versed on the industry and company, and command a deep understanding of the value you’re bringing to the table for your potential new employer.
Your CV is a hugely important part of applying to any role. A good CV can get you noticed, whilst a bad CV could mean your application doesn’t get a second look.
Our top tips are:
- Emphasize your strengths and skills, this is your opportunity to impress
- Tailor your personal statement to each job you are applying for. Keep it short and to the point (3 or 4 lines). This is your opportunity to really grab their attention and make them want to find out more about what makes you a great candidate.
- Make sure to include jobs and experience relevant to the position you are applying for.
- Ensure to demonstrate how you will use your strengths and skills to excel within the role you are applying for.
- Keep your CV short and easy for your prospective employer to read over, ideally no more than two A4 pages.
- Ensure that there are no spelling and punctuation errors. Try get someone to proof read your CV before sending it off.
- Be specific on the skills you have to offer.
- Ensure to include what personal qualities you can bring that will make you an asset to the employer.
