For many students it’s a reality that at some point during their undergraduate degree course they have to get a part-time job. Whether they need the wages for books or beer is up to them, but we tend to find there are strong arguments for spending on both. To make this process a bit more palatable, we’ve put together a jobs checklist, based largely on our own experience. Oh yes, we’ve all been there!

What kind of jobs are there?
Student jobs are, by the nature of the part time basis on which they are set, highly varied. They can vary from anything from standing in the street with a clipboard doing market research to working behind the bar of a buzzing London nightclub. Fortunately, whatever you end up doing, you’ll always find that you’ll be working with students in a similar position to yourself.

What kind of experience do you need?
Many student recruiters don’t have specific job requirements and you will find you can get a first job fairly easily. If you applying for an office-based position, do make sure you practice some basic Microsoft Office skills beforehand. On the other hand, if you’re after a position in a bar, this may demand a little bit of experience. The busy bars can get quite pressured and you’ll normally be expected to have worked in at least one other bar position beforehand. If it’s your first time, then you might well have more luck applying for jobs in pubs and less central locations (were, ironically, there are less positions going). As with most thing, it’s about striking the right balance and we advise that you prepare yourself as well as you can.

What kind of money can you expect?
Student jobs don’t normally pay well, indeed anything over £7 per hour is to be considered well paid. You will though find you can sometimes earn slightly more if you take a job that operates at antisocial hours. And if you manage to secure a barman’s post or become a waiter you’re likely to benefit from tips.
Whatever kind of work you end up doing, do make sure you are getting paid enough. The UK operates a minimum wage, which comes in a couple of tiers. If you’re over 22 it’s set at £5.52 per hour. If you’re aged between 18–21 inclusive, you should be getting at least £4.60 per hour.
As a final note, make sure also that you’re in the right tax bracket. This can be done very simply by telling your employer your student status at the start of your job. If you don’t, you might find you’re placed on an emergency tax rate, which is more than you should be paying.

Where can you find jobs advertised?
There are many places always looking for student work. The best place to start your search is within the university itself. Libraries, student bars and union shops are usually staffed by the students they serve and jobs in these areas come with a great sense of community. Alternatively, you can go through a recruitment agency such as Office Angels (www.office-angels.com) or one dedicated specifically to student jobs such as www.milkround.com