Whether you are at college or university, your studies are your main priority right now. Getting the qualifications that you are working towards will ultimately get you into your chosen industry in the future and provide you with the credentials that you need to work in the career that you want. However, most students also need a way to earn some money for themselves while they are studying. This might not always be essential if you are lucky enough to live at home for free while you are studying, but even if you’re only working for spending money, getting a part-time job can have other benefits. On the other hand, some students might find that working is essential to cover some or all their living expenses. If you’ve moved away for university, for example, you’ll probably find that your student loan isn’t enough to cover your expenses along with everything else you want to do as a student to get the best university experience.

What are the Benefits of Part-Time Jobs for London Students?

As a London student, there are lots of benefits to working part-time. Studying in London can be expensive, so if you’ve moved to the capital for university, finding a part-time job is almost always going to be inevitable in order to ensure that you have the funds that you need to cover your living expenses and have fun at university too. However, there are more benefits to working part-time as a student than just earning some extra money. Students who work part-time can learn a wide range of job skills that will help them with their careers in the future. Transferable skills like communication, time management, organisation, IT skills, customer service skills and more can all be developed while working in a range of part-time jobs and these will stand you in good stead as a graduate looking for positions in your future career choice.

Where Students Can Find Part-Time Jobs

There are various ways to find part-time jobs as a student. For most students, the first place to look is at their college or university itself. Many universities hire students to work part-time in a range of areas such as serving at the student bar, working in student cafes and canteens, and working in the library, for example. A part-time job on campus is an ideal choice for many students since it means that they do not have to travel very far to get to work, and it can often make getting hours that fit around their studies easier compared to working for a separate employer.

What Popular Part-Time Jobs Do Students Do?

Students work in a wide range of different part-time positions. Since most students don’t yet have a degree or a lot of work experience, they will often be more likely to get hired for positions that do not require either, such as working in hospitality or retail. Popular part-time positions for students include:

  • Bar work
  • Supermarket work
  • Waiting tables
  • Cleaning
  • Clothes stores
  • Tech stores
  • Pet shops
  • Fast food
  • Coffee shops

However, working in retail and hospitality are no longer the only options available to students today. The gig economy has made it easier than ever for students to find work that they can easily fit around their studies and do on a self-employed basis, putting them in control when it comes to when and how they work. For example, students who have their own car and the right insurance can deliver parcels for Amazon, or if you are a student and have a bicycle, you don’t need expensive food delivery car insurance to start delivering food to people in your area with UberEats or Deliveroo.

How Working Part-Time Can Help Students Boost Their Future Career

Working part-time can be very helpful for students when graduation rolls around, and they start to look for a more professional career that is related to the degree that they have worked for. No matter what you are currently studying at college or university, working part-time now could help you find the job of your dreams in the future. This is because the majority of employers are not interested in hiring somebody who has never had any work experience for a professional position, while part-time positions in retail, hospitality, and other sectors are much easier to get as your first job. Working part-time as a student provides you with that much-needed experience of the workplace that you are going to need for your CV once you have gotten your degree and are ready to start looking for jobs that are related to your field. You can use your part-time work experience to relate your skills to the roles that you are applying for and demonstrate to hiring managers how you would be a good fit for the role based on the work that you have done in the past.

Are There Many Online Jobs UK for Students?

Today, working online is becoming a more and more popular choice. For students in particular, working online can be an ideal option since it is more flexible and often allows students to work from home, which can make their part-time work much easier to fit around their degree or other studies compared to going out to work. The good news is that with working from home and online jobs growing in popularity, finding this type of work as a student is easier than ever. For many students, popular online job options include work such as data entry, copywriting, or virtual assistance.

However, if you have a skill that you can use to work online such as graphic design, web development, or marketing skills, you may be able to find online part-time jobs to do as a student that allow you to use these skills. Many online jobs for students can be related to the degree course that you’re studying. For example, if you are studying for a business degree, working online as a virtual assistant or upkeeping an eCommerce store can not only be a great way to earn money while studying, but an ideal option for getting work experience that is relevant to your degree and ultimately, your future career.

Where to Find Online Jobs for Students

As a student, there are many options for finding online jobs. Depending on the type of job that you want to do, you can find online work advertised on the majority of popular job boards. If you’re looking for online gig work, then use the search function at AppJobs to find gigs that are a good match for your skills and experience.

How to Successfully Balance Working and Studying

Successfully balancing working while studying is essential for your success. It is important to make sure that your studies come first and that you are realistic about the hours that you work in your part-time job and how much you can manage while getting your qualifications. Studying for a degree takes up a lot of your time and effort, so even though it might be tempting to take on more hours at work to earn more money, make sure that this is not impacting the amount of time that you have to complete your university assignments as the last thing that you want is for your part-time job to impact your overall grades or cause undue stress to you as a student.

It is a good idea to be upfront with your employer before signing your contract about your studies and how this might limit you in the workplace. Some part-time roles, such as hospitality, for example, can seriously vary when it comes to the number of hours that you are given, so your employer will need to know which days and times you are definitely not going to be available so that they do not end up putting you on the rota at the same time that you are supposed to be in a lecture. Most employers who hire part-time staff are used to having students work for them and are willing to work around your needs when it comes to fitting your work schedule around your studies.

Bear in mind that as you go through your degree, your studies are likely to become more intense. There’s usually a lot more work to do during your final year of university, for example, as this is the year that you will be working on your dissertation, which is likely to be your main focus since this makes up such a huge part of your final grade. Consider this when it comes to your part-time work and be prepared to negotiate your hours with your employer as you may find that you need to work less as your studies require more of your time and effort.

For most students, working part-time is either an ideal way to get more spending money while at uni, or essential for covering living expenses that are not covered by a student loan. But working part time can be much more beneficial, allowing you to develop skills for your future career.