Maybe retail isn’t something you want to pursue in
the future, catering’s not your ultimate career goal, and cleaning isn’t your
calling, but you should still consider nabbing yourself a part-time job. Why, you
may ask? Well, there are so many benefits to working whilst completing a uni
degree. Read up on why you should do both, and if you haven’t already got a
part-time job, get searching and apply for one now!
LEARN NEW SKILLS
Remember that most jobs enable you to utilise and
develop skills that are crucial in any career, such as communication and
organisation skills. Yes, of course you will gain skills at university, but it
is always useful to put these into motion, i.e. in a real working environment.
AIDS YOUR COURSE
Finding a job is tricky as it is, and it would be
fairly tough to go out and expect to get a job which matches your course
completely. But if you are lucky enough to land a job which ties in nicely with
the career you wish to pursue in the future, this will be even better. For
example, my employment at Cineworld is pretty much a perfect match with my
Media and Communications course. One reason it is so suitable is because I get
to watch new films and then I’m able to review them (for Student Speak, of
course!)
If this isn’t possible, try to find a job that at
least matches your interests – if you are passionate about the company you are
working for, your time there will be even more valuable and enjoyable.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
It’s an obvious one, but there are so many students
who complain about having little money. You know the ones, those who
desperately count down the days until their latest instalment from the Student
Loans Company arrives to fund their boozy nights out and junk food cravings (some
of you may be guilty of this yourself!). So it’s always nice to have a little extra
money to tide you over, so you aren’t always scrimping for the basics and rationing
your food portions after having splurged your dough within the first month...
KEEPS YOU BUSY
Obviously you will have endless assignments to be
dealing with, exams to revise for and of course, clubbing nights to sort out,
but that won’t always be the case. Some
days you might find yourself at a loose end, pottering around and wondering
what to do with yourself. When you work a couple of days a week, you’ll not
only have a reason to get up and do something rather than sleep all day, you’ll
also soon find your diary filling up nicely.
Just make sure you don’t end up working too much –
you need time for your studies and neglecting your uni work is a bad idea!
SELF-FULFILMENT
Benefits for your future career aside, think of
yourself as well – if you do something good at work or get positive feedback,
this can make you feel really great about yourself. Gaining a real sense of achievement from something
you accomplished at work can be an amazing feeling. For me, discovering that I
had been positively mentioned by the Mystery Shopper of the month in February
really boosted my spirits when I’d had a pretty dismal day, and cheered me up
considerably. So think of how rewarding a job can be, if you work hard and make
the most of it, of course.
ADDS TO YOUR CV
Having a part-time job under your belt is great
because it gives you something to write about on your CV. Whatever it is, it’s
going to look more impressive and attractive to future employees than an
application which contains no experience whatsoever. Don’t worry if the jobs
aren’t particularly relevant to your future ambitions (mine lists a florist,
Jimmy Spices and BSkyB) - variation is good!
MULTI-TASKING
Balancing a job with the stress of uni is tricky,
let me tell you that right now. But there’s a positive in this – it really does
test you and your time-management skills, which is a great thing even if it does
cause a fair bit of pressure.
MEET NEW PEOPLE
Obviously, meeting new people is great for the
social element - making new friends to go out and have a laugh with. But as
well as this, think about how they could help you in relation to your course.
You could get them to fill out a questionnaire for some research you’re doing, get
some advice from others who completed a dissertation themselves previously, or they
may just have a general interest in the subject you are studying.
BENEFIT FROM WORK EXPERIENCE
Even if you find yourself doing something you don’t
necessarily want to pursue in the future, remember that the experience will still
be advantageous to you. It will increase your professionalism as you adapt to work
in such an environment.
SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON
It’s always good to think ahead. When you leave uni,
getting into the field you have been studying for the past few years may be
number one on the agenda, but it won’t necessary come that easily. So if you
have a part-time job, at least you’ll be kept busy when you leave uni so you
won’t be sitting around wondering what to do with yourself when your course is
completed.
By
Grace Montgomery
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