A lot of students now worry about their employability after university, because they want to make sure that their university experience was worth it. Having a job on campus while you’re studying is great because you don’t have to worry about money, and it looks impressive to future employers that you were able to balance your work life with your studies and still get a great degree. For those that are a bit confused about how to get a part time job while studying, here are some ideas!
- Careers and Employability Office
Your first stop should be here! It’s on Square two, and full of very friendly people who are very happy to help. Here they will help you with your CV, and give you loads of helpful advice about how to really stand out to future employers. They have seminar talks year round about making successful CVs, to guest talks from people in a particular industry. They also have a Facebook page full of useful tips and invitations to their events that they host. They also have an Essex Interns Facebook page for undergraduates and graduates if people don’t want a full time job just yet. The office is really useful in terms of the resources that have for you as a student, which leads me on to my next tip…
- Careerhub
A website run by the Employability and Careers office which is helpful for undergraduates and graduates alike. They have particular categories to search for on the website, including ‘on campus employment’ and ‘vacation work’ amongst other things. If you check it regularly during the year, you can find small on campus opportunities (which are all paid above minimum wage!) that can be really useful for you. Careerhub was how I found this job as an Online Brand Ambassador! Most on-campus employment opportunities are ones that you can fit around your studies so you don’t have to worry about clashing deadlines and your work responsibilities.
- The SU
The SU website not only advertises what nights out it has, but from time to time advertise vacancies in their venues, including SubZero, the SU Store and the SU bar. These are really popular because the SU is dedicated to making sure you work around your studies, so you have to make sure that your CV really stands out. Working for the SU also means that you get staff discounts!
- Frontrunners
I did a Frontrunners placement in my second year working for SU Home as an office assistant. Frontrunners are really helpful for those who have had no employability experience, but even if you have previously, don’t be deterred from applying! They can be in particular venues or they can be in your own department so you can work alongside your lecturers and help the students on your course. They run for an average of 16 weeks so for a term and a half for around 10 hours a week, so again you can really balance your work life and your studies
- Summer jobs
Just because you go home for the summer doesn’t mean that the university shuts down. The campus keeps going all year round and so there are often summer jobs available if you’re still near Colchester or Southend in the summer. If you’re willing to give up some of your free time in the summer then there are loads of jobs available on campus. If you live too far away from campus, then sometimes jobs become available at home, but often it’s a little bit harder. Keep your eye out on careerhub or the SU website as they often have some great opportunities near the end of term!
Good luck everyone!
