Many students choose to take on a part time job during uni to help top up their dwindling student loans. However, juggling a permanent job with studies can be tough. Here’s why looking for temporary work during university might be the answer to the work/study/social life balance that many students struggle to get right.
Flexibility
One of the best things about temporary work is the flexibility it brings. This can be particularly useful at university where schedules vary and you might only find yourself in lectures 2 or 3 days a week.
Signing up with a temporary recruitment agency like Opus will allow you to specify what days of the week you can and can’t work, and allow the Recruitment Consultant to try and find you a job that fits into this schedule as well as possible.The short duration of many temporary jobs means that you can easily update your availability between assignments, should your schedule change.
Earn extra money
Students are well known for struggling for cash. In most cases, you are considered lucky if you have any money from your loan left over after rent and bills come out. Therefore, for many, finding a part-time job is necessary in order to live comfortably.
Even so, a lot of jobs aimed primarily at students, such as bar or club work, can often end up paying very little, leaving some questioning if the unsociable hours and potential effect on studies are actually worth it.
By signing up to a temp agency you can feel confident that you are being paid a fair wage for your work and hopefully be able to find yourself in a situation where you don’t need to worry or stress if you get faced with an unexpected utility bill.
Gain a wide amount of experience
Taking on a number of short term roles during university can really enhance your CV by allowing you to gain a vast amount of real life work experience. Even if you are placed in a similar role each time, every company or department will have its own way of doing things. For example, at Opus, we offer a number of business support roles across various departments within the council. Whilst the overall job title is the same, each of these departments will require some variation in the tasks set.
This variety between roles can be a great way for you to gauge what you are good at and what needs work. Having this experience and knowledge can give you a real edge against other candidates when it comes to finding a graduate job, as you are already able to display that you are comfortable adapting to different ways of working.
Pick up transferable skills
Even if you aren’t lucky enough to be able to find a position in an area directly related to your degree, temporary recruitment is a great way to pick up transferable skills, which can come in really handy when applying for future jobs.
When broken down, jobs such as Administration and Business Support provide experience in a number of key transferable skills such as organisation, communication and time management, which can all easily be applied across a wider range of roles.
Allows you to have control over your time
Temporary assignments have the advantage of coming in a variety of lengths, which can allow you to have a certain degree of control over your working life. For example, one job may be advertised as looking for someone for just a few weeks, whereas another might want longer term maternity cover. This gives you the opportunity to plan in advance for any breaks in employment you may need and can help you manage you work/ life balance a bit better.
Choosing to apply for shorter placements will allow you to factor in time between assignments for things like visits home, exam periods or to take on a short internship, whereas a longer position might seem more appealing during quieter periods.
If you have just started back at university and are looking for a part time job in either Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire or Milton Keynes then please get in touch.Register today or send your CV to recruitment@opuspeoplesolutions.co.uk with a note on your availability or call us on 03301 242800 for more information.
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