Part-time work while studying

Oxbridge students are actively discouraged from working during term time, but others have no choice. More than two thirds of students rely on loans, but they don’t cover all the living expenses, which means that those who don’t have financial support from their parents are forced to take on work. For many, wages from part-time work are the only way they can make ends meet. It’s tough and it’s often the students’ academic work that loses out.

This year, many freshers will be asking a familiar question: how much can they work during term time before it impacts their degree – and what kind of jobs are most suitable?

The best and most understanding employers tend to be universities themselves. Many students have part-time jobs in cafés, bars and shops on campus. You can also work on an ad-hoc basis as a guide on open days and during freshers’ week. These will be at least minimum wage and are likely to offer a healthy number of hours to fit easily around studies.

Longer term part-time jobs tend to provide a steady, though lower income. However, you may need to consider how flexible your hours will be. My friend who worked part-time as a waitress says that although she liked meeting people in the city, the work was often unreliable. “Once I didn’t get a shift for two months and it was too late in the year to get a new job. I was really short of money,” she says.

However, be careful what you sign up for. Hannah Brown runs Manchester University’s “job shop”, which offers advice to students and advertises posts. She says more and more students are looking to work at university, but they should be careful. Her team don’t advertise anything over 20 hours a week and their advice is not to work more than 15. “We always advertise flexible jobs and avoid anything commission-based,” she says.

Before you commit to a job, make employers aware of your timetable. “There have been numerous times where I’ve been put on a shift at the same time as a lecture or seminar,” says Josh Chapman, a third-year journalism student at Sheffield Hallam. “That can be difficult, because you miss out on information and teaching.”

Meanwhile, jobs in retail and childcare – such as school pick-ups – offer more sociable hours. My other friend says studying before shifts is better than being too tired to do it at the end of the day. “I had less time to play with, so if I had work at 1 p.m., I’d get up at 8 a.m. and get four hours of studying in before I went.”

Prioritise your health. Remember that you’re paying to be at university and get a degree, so don’t let your job make you weary. If you are exhausted, you will not have the energy to study. Night club and bar work can mess with sleeping patterns.

Students from wealthier backgrounds can use their time to do relevant voluntary work and get involved in extracurricular activities. This is one reason why socioeconomic background is such a big predictor of job market success. However, Juan Garcia, employability and development adviser at Queen Margaret University, thinks part-time work that complements study can greatly enhance students’ employability after they graduate, and they should seek paid internships.

For those who achieve this, working is one way to get ahead. Onwa Wonci worked 20 hours a week while studying at university. She says it wasn’t easy, but she was committed. The employer offered her a full-time job in her final year. She wouldn’t have a job now if she hadn’t gone through those struggles. You work hard for some time, but then your efforts are rewarded.

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