Getting a job while studying is a good opportunity to earn extra income and gain valuable work experience. Here are 5 tips and tricks to make you more attractive to employers.
5 tips and tricks to increase your chances of getting a part-time job
You have had a look in your calendar and realised that you can move around a few things and skip two nights of binge-watching Netflix to fit in a few hours of work each week. However, you are not alone in realising that you can fit a part-time job into your schedule; other students from your university, as well as from other universities in the same town, are also willing to spare a few hours each week to earn some extra pounds.
Instead of giving up on finding something because you think that competition will be too fierce, you should make sure that you and your application stand out from others. Stafffinders provide you with 5 tips and tricks for what employers will be looking for and these tips are relevant to anyone wanting to be more employable.
1. Join clubs, societies or other extracurricular activities
Extracurriculars are always favoured on CVs, because they show that you have a variety of skills that could be used in the role you are applying for. These activities also demonstrate your commitment to certain responsibilities that are included, such as promoting events for the football club or being treasurer in the chess club.
If you already are involved in a club or society, the next step is to figure out how to display this in your application to make it work to your advantage (see the second point for more information).
2. Look over your CV
This is an obvious one, but it cannot be left out. Make sure that everything relevant is displayed and outdated assignments have been removed. Include all societies, clubs and other extracurricular activities you are involved in and list the relevant skills you’ve gained from being involved in them. For instance, if you have been active in the debating society you are likely to have gained presentation skills and are more comfortable speaking in front of others.
Some people even tailor their CVs to the role they are applying for, which could work as an advantage.
3. Look for jobs that are related to what you are studying
If you are studying hospitality you could for example look for jobs in bars, hotels or restaurants, or if you are an English literature student you could look for jobs in book printing, libraries or book stores. This will give employers the impression that you are serious as you want to gain experience within your field and that you have a clear career path in mind.
4. Make a plan of how this job can help you get closer to your dream job
How can this job contribute making your dream job a reality? Are there certain skills that you would like to develop; do you want to work on your presentation skills because you one day want to become a lecturer, or computer skills because you are interested in a career within graphic design?
Whatever it is, make sure to state what you would like to gain from this job and how it will be useful for you in your application, and if you are called back for an interview, remember to reinforce it then as well.
5. Don’t look for full time jobs or jobs where you would have to prioritise work before studying
Even if you only have 10 hours of lectures each work and you feel that you have the workload under control, you never know if that will change throughout the semester. Do not be the person who can’t participate in group meetings because he or she needs to go to work- both you and your team members will lose out on this and for some classes the attendance of group meetings will be included in your overall grade. This was implemented as a result of some students not ‘pulling their weight’, due to some prioritising their job over uni work. Make sure that studying is your main priority and your job comes second.
Stafffinders will assist you in getting a part-time job that is right for you. If you want to find out more about temp work opportunities, please get in touch with one of our expert consultants.
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