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Lessons, parties, projects, big brother and.... part time work. This is a topic that you will find regularly comes up for discussion amongst students.  Be it as a way to cope financially, for work experience or just because they enjoy it, a lot more students are getting involved.

So what jobs are available to students?

There are not a lot of sectors available to students but there is quite a variety of jobs to choose from. They range from the retail and leisure industries i.e. supermarkets, high street stores, bar work (if you are over 18) and waiting staff through to administrative work.

Retail work is perhaps one of the most famous sources of part time work for students. As most high street shops open on weekends, they are usually an ideal choice for students.  The wage varies from location to location and also from shop to shop, but you are usually guaranteed above the minimum wage. The range for pay is about £5 per hour to £8 (London). Retail jobs can be quite appealing because they offer staff discounts and in some cases career progression. Some of the larger supermarkets like Tesco are also quite supportive. If you are already working with them they do try to transfer you to a shop in whatever city you go to university in. They even offer training programmes and apprenticeships for those that might not want to go on to university. Another benefit is their on-line support group for student members, offering discounts in a variety of shops, advice on financial issues and other bits and bobs. Marks and Spencer is apparently another good company to work for.

If you are over 18, working in bars or waiting on tables may appeal to you. A lot of students like it because of the late starts and week-end work. While the wages are variable, one of the biggest incentives is the tips! So if you have the stamina to be on your feet all night and deal with people who might or might not be on their best form, it could be for you.

However, you may find working at VIP parties, film premieres and concerts as waiting staff more appealing. Check out these companies - Affordable Staff, Jam Staffing, The Admiral Group and The Esprit Group, As well as a chance to mix with the rich and famous, some do pay quite well – up  to £8. There is also the opportunity to work as event stewards at festivals, concerts and sports events. See companies like Diamond Events Security for more information or contact the football stadiums directly.

Paid charity fund raising is another area that is worth exploring if you like interacting with people. Wages start from about £7 pounds including commission. Companies like Wesser and Partner or Dialogue Direct are good places to start.

For those with sugar coated tongues, an evening telesales job could be brilliant. Most pay a basic salary plus uncapped commission which could potentially lead to a lot of earnings.

For the more caring, care work can prove to be quite rewarding and serve as relevant work experience for some.

If you need  a cash plug once in a while, with no fixed contract, working in promotions i.e. handing out leaflets or freebies could also be a nice way of earning cash. These jobs are not regular and cannot be depended on. Still they are fun to do, not tedious and pay quite well - about £10 per hour. You have to register with a promotions company like Blackjack promotions see www.blackjack.co.uk.

If you like an admin job, register with a high street recruitment agency like Reed, Adeco etc. They do have part time places for students.

So what are the advantages of part time work? Apart from the extra cash, you can develop transferable skills such as time management, professionalism, problem solving, customer service and commercial awareness.  If you are very lucky you may be able to find a job in the area in which you wish to pursue a career, doubly beneficial. With a part time job, you have the same legal rights as a full time worker so employers cannot discriminate against you.

Holiday jobs can also be a good time to look for work experience, giving you the opportunity to try different roles and can help you decide which careers you might enjoy. They also provide lump sums of money at one go, useful for splashing out on something expensive.

Whether you decide to work through the year or only in the holidays, remember that you have a tax free amount of £6,035 for the year April 6 2008 – April 5th 2009. If you earn over this amount, you are liable to pay tax.  Fill in a form P38(S) if you are only working a holiday job and will not exceed the amount above. Also remember to ask for a P45 on leaving an employer in order to avoid an emergency tax situation arising.

There are a variety of things that you can do part time. The key is taking time to explore and finding out what's out there.

A great website to use is e4s.co.uk (employment for Students). The have a variety of jobs in various parts of England. Also try your local papers, go into supermarkets and ask for an application form, prepare a cv and take it into shopping centres and drop one in to all the stores you’d like to work in and spread the word amongst family and friends that you’re looking for work.

While working part time can be a good idea, helping you with time management, transferable and communication skills and last but least, finances, do remember that you must have time to study! You will need lots of time to complete coursework and revision time so please make sure that work does not happen at the expense of study.



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