This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- How often do you work whilst at uni?
- Which University is best in terms of Employability and Future prospects?
- help! on what days shall i work? first time part time job uni student
- SOAS still worth it?
- Postgraduate Master's Loan
- Postgrad Master's Loan
- Is a Politics Degree limiting?
- accounting and finance
- Pay at the Bar
- University Tuition Fees and Employment Prospects
- Workload of Degree Apprenticeships
- True or false - non-STEM degrees are a waste of time?
- Should I take A level German
- PWC technology degree apprenticeship
- can't decide on uni course
- MA Mass Communication in Liverpool John Moores University
- Coming from a mid-tier, ex-poly uni, is there any hope for me?
- Cambridge with no scholarship Vs University of St Andrews with full scholarship
- Anyone know anyone that’s got contacts for the music industry
- Scared to do Philosophy BA
Employment outside of term time
I currently have an offer from Cambridge, but I'm very aware that I'm going to need to earn some money outside of term time to pay for entertainment and general merriment while I'm there. I was just wondering what sort of jobs Oxbridge students find themselves doing in the holidays. It's not a massively long time so can it be difficult to find placements? Cheers 
Scroll to see replies
peach plum pear
I currently have an offer from Cambridge, but I'm very aware that I'm going to need to earn some money outside of term time to pay for entertainment and general merriment while I'm there. I was just wondering what sort of jobs Oxbridge students find themselves doing in the holidays. It's not a massively long time so can it be difficult to find placements? Cheers
It is difficult, yes. I've had, in the past, to resort to lying (by not saying that I was going back to uni) in order to get a job.
Most people I know are either going down the "corporate" route, doing internships and jobs that lead to postgrad work, or are going down the rubbish jobs route.
Me? Till monkey, butcher, fishmonger, supervisor, trolley monkey, warehouse cleaner, cook, kitchen skivvy, waiter, barman.... all in three years
In terms of rubbish jobs, Oxbridge students do the same sorts of jobs as any other students do.
As for Oxbridge-specific stuff, it is worth noting that there are often vacancies helping out on the summer schools which are run in the colleges. Plus college telephone campaigns. And there are a lot of people who do internships of various kinds.
As for Oxbridge-specific stuff, it is worth noting that there are often vacancies helping out on the summer schools which are run in the colleges. Plus college telephone campaigns. And there are a lot of people who do internships of various kinds.
I'm not there yet.. but I have recently found out that my employers will be willing to keep me on for the duration of my course, without expecting me to work during term time - so this is the job I will be doing for the next three years in all my holidays.
I'm basically a Nursing Auxiliary for the NHS, which can be quite an unpleasant job at times, but it's also very rewarding. But I don't just work on one ward, I work for what is known as the "Nurse Bank" - so I cover hospitals in my district when they're short of a nurse. It's very flexible - you never have to work if you don't want to, and you're not penalised in any way for turning down shifts. You have about a week's (paid) training for the job, and once you've done about eight day shifts, you are allowed to go onto night duty, which is what I do. As a night-nurse, I get paid more (around £10/hr) and have less work to do, as most of the patients are asleep. I'm allowed to read and eat amongst other things, so long as there is no work to be done (which accounts for most of the night, usually). Things like the probation period before going onto night duty will probably vary from district to district, but the job will be largely the same wherever you go. I've been doing the job for well over a year now, and aside of the fact that I enjoy the work, there's now another massive attraction in the fact that I won't have to go hunting for a job every time I come back home for the holidays.
If you have the stomach for it, I'd highly recommend it as the perfect holiday job!
I'm basically a Nursing Auxiliary for the NHS, which can be quite an unpleasant job at times, but it's also very rewarding. But I don't just work on one ward, I work for what is known as the "Nurse Bank" - so I cover hospitals in my district when they're short of a nurse. It's very flexible - you never have to work if you don't want to, and you're not penalised in any way for turning down shifts. You have about a week's (paid) training for the job, and once you've done about eight day shifts, you are allowed to go onto night duty, which is what I do. As a night-nurse, I get paid more (around £10/hr) and have less work to do, as most of the patients are asleep. I'm allowed to read and eat amongst other things, so long as there is no work to be done (which accounts for most of the night, usually). Things like the probation period before going onto night duty will probably vary from district to district, but the job will be largely the same wherever you go. I've been doing the job for well over a year now, and aside of the fact that I enjoy the work, there's now another massive attraction in the fact that I won't have to go hunting for a job every time I come back home for the holidays.
If you have the stomach for it, I'd highly recommend it as the perfect holiday job!
I've found it hard to find any work, as I've always admitted it would only be on a temporary basis (the standard response has been 'ah, well we don't like to take students). This has been the case for Tesco, M&S, Blockbuster, etc. It's stupid really, as you'd think they would love to have somebody to cover the holiday seasons.
I think the way forward is internships or temping, as these tend to be more student-orientated. Also think of traditional summer jobs, where workers are only needed over the summer anyway (I'm hopefully working in a maze this summer, and being a student isn't a problem as it shuts before I go back to Cambridge anyway).
I think the way forward is internships or temping, as these tend to be more student-orientated. Also think of traditional summer jobs, where workers are only needed over the summer anyway (I'm hopefully working in a maze this summer, and being a student isn't a problem as it shuts before I go back to Cambridge anyway).
If your college is one that likes to sell itself as a conference venue there's sometimes jobs going to cope with the extra load in the holidays... eg. mine employs students for housekeeping, IT support and audio/visual tech support (and occassionally as temporary porters too).
There's also "allowed" termtime jobs although you won't get that much money from them. Some colleges have student-run bars... you can also do bar or box office in the ADC Theatre (in Cambridge anyway) as it's a university department. (Of course being an active member of the theatre community is going to be a big help here.)
Personally my strategy is one of sleeping during christmas and easter vacations and getting a paid work placement in the summer!
There's also "allowed" termtime jobs although you won't get that much money from them. Some colleges have student-run bars... you can also do bar or box office in the ADC Theatre (in Cambridge anyway) as it's a university department. (Of course being an active member of the theatre community is going to be a big help here.)
Personally my strategy is one of sleeping during christmas and easter vacations and getting a paid work placement in the summer!
*pitseleh*
I'm not there yet.. but I have recently found out that my employers will be willing to keep me on for the duration of my course, without expecting me to work during term time - so this is the job I will be doing for the next three years in all my holidays.
I'm basically a Nursing Auxiliary for the NHS, which can be quite an unpleasant job at times, but it's also very rewarding. But I don't just work on one ward, I work for what is known as the "Nurse Bank" - so I cover hospitals in my district when they're short of a nurse. It's very flexible - you never have to work if you don't want to, and you're not penalised in any way for turning down shifts. You have about a week's (paid) training for the job, and once you've done about eight day shifts, you are allowed to go onto night duty, which is what I do. As a night-nurse, I get paid more (around £10/hr) and have less work to do, as most of the patients are asleep. I'm allowed to read and eat amongst other things, so long as there is no work to be done (which accounts for most of the night, usually). Things like the probation period before going onto night duty will probably vary from district to district, but the job will be largely the same wherever you go. I've been doing the job for well over a year now, and aside of the fact that I enjoy the work, there's now another massive attraction in the fact that I won't have to go hunting for a job every time I come back home for the holidays.
If you have the stomach for it, I'd highly recommend it as the perfect holiday job!
I'm basically a Nursing Auxiliary for the NHS, which can be quite an unpleasant job at times, but it's also very rewarding. But I don't just work on one ward, I work for what is known as the "Nurse Bank" - so I cover hospitals in my district when they're short of a nurse. It's very flexible - you never have to work if you don't want to, and you're not penalised in any way for turning down shifts. You have about a week's (paid) training for the job, and once you've done about eight day shifts, you are allowed to go onto night duty, which is what I do. As a night-nurse, I get paid more (around £10/hr) and have less work to do, as most of the patients are asleep. I'm allowed to read and eat amongst other things, so long as there is no work to be done (which accounts for most of the night, usually). Things like the probation period before going onto night duty will probably vary from district to district, but the job will be largely the same wherever you go. I've been doing the job for well over a year now, and aside of the fact that I enjoy the work, there's now another massive attraction in the fact that I won't have to go hunting for a job every time I come back home for the holidays.
If you have the stomach for it, I'd highly recommend it as the perfect holiday job!
Sorry if this is uber off-topic (well I say if...) but how did you get into that? I was incessantly emailing and ringing my local hospital - day surgery - last summer to get no response.
How did you get into them hiring you? (Feel free to PM if I'm spamming!)
peach plum pear
I currently have an offer from Cambridge, but I'm very aware that I'm going to need to earn some money outside of term time to pay for entertainment and general merriment while I'm there. I was just wondering what sort of jobs Oxbridge students find themselves doing in the holidays. It's not a massively long time so can it be difficult to find placements? Cheers
I go back to the job I had during my gap year, which is convenient. I've been back for anything between 1-6 weeks, they're pretty flexible which is great. It's an internet advertising company for the holiday homes of private owners and I'm now a very experienced member of the customer service team. Been there two years now, three and a half by the time I graduate so it'll be good to have a long-standing job to put on my CV.
Ta 
In relation to what you actually asked... I know it's not on the same level as a placement and I don't work there anymore but I used to work at Waitrose and they were generally fine with me coming back to work in holidays, as once they've spent the time and money training you they don't want to lose you - from what I've heard that's usually a consistent trend across most branches so it might be worth checking out... good bonuses too!
Edit: That was to peach plum pear... Agrippina beat me to it
In relation to what you actually asked... I know it's not on the same level as a placement and I don't work there anymore but I used to work at Waitrose and they were generally fine with me coming back to work in holidays, as once they've spent the time and money training you they don't want to lose you - from what I've heard that's usually a consistent trend across most branches so it might be worth checking out... good bonuses too!Edit: That was to peach plum pear... Agrippina beat me to it
Aenrinn
Sorry if this is uber off-topic (well I say if...) but how did you get into that? I was incessantly emailing and ringing my local hospital - day surgery - last summer to get no response. How did you get into them hiring you?
(Feel free to PM if I'm spamming!)
How did you get into them hiring you? (Feel free to PM if I'm spamming!)
Hopefully this won't be viewed as spam as I'm still offering advice on how to get a vac-time job, right?
I called my NHS trust's main number, and asked to speak to the recruitment department. When I got hold of the recruitment people, I asked them to send me application forms for every unqualified patient-related job I could get - and the Nurse Bank forms came with the stuff they sent me. I read up about it, and realised it would be perfect for fitting around study (seeing as I only have to work when I want to), so I applied, had an interview and was taken on.
I will say this: it's quite a long application procedure, owing to health and CRB checks - but it's definitely worth it, as you won't really have to look for another job for the duration of your degree. It's particularly great for would-be medics; not only in terms of the job itself, but in terms of the blagging rights you get - for example, as staff you're welcome to observe surgical procedures that you wouldn't normally be able to watch, and so on. But it's great work experience for anyone - would-be medic or otherwise, in terms of transferrable skills and all that jazz.
I got all my summer jobs through a temping agency. Fortunately I already had quite a lot of office experience from my gap year, and am good at touch typing, so I have had various medical secretarial jobs. They don't pay fantastically well (~£6/hr) but it was the best I could manage as a temp in my local area and I liked secretarial stuff more than e.g. shop work. I did that in the summers for my first three years, but I didn't really work in the other holidays (apart from my first Christmas holiday I think). You could, but I'm too lazy and it would be even harder to sort out as it's for an even shorter period.
Depending on your subject, there's obviously the big city internships in the summers, which are much much better paid. But that wasn't really my thing.
Depending on your subject, there's obviously the big city internships in the summers, which are much much better paid. But that wasn't really my thing.
I've found it really difficult to get temping work at all. Agencies really don't seem to like you if you have little experience, for obvious reasons. I think I'm going to have to persuade one to actually interview me and give me a typing test... hopefully when they've seen that I'm actually competent they may feel ok about recommending me.
Agrippina
I go back to the job I had during my gap year, which is convenient. I've been back for anything between 1-6 weeks, they're pretty flexible which is great. It's an internet advertising company for the holiday homes of private owners and I'm now a very experienced member of the customer service team. Been there two years now, three and a half by the time I graduate so it'll be good to have a long-standing job to put on my CV.
This sounds like a good job. Do you want to go into the holiday home industry when you leave university?
By the way, what is that picture in your signature? Is it a UFO? Feel free to PM me and we can discuss it further.
McDonalds! Great stuff
My Dad wanted me to get a job over the summer, but as I'm travelling for the whole of July I've finally managed to convince him that I don't have a hope in hell of getting a job for two months so I'm working at festivals instead It's good because it means I'll only be working for a few days at a time, and I can organise it around my social life, and I'll be getting paid to see/listen to bands!
It's good because it means I'll only be working for a few days at a time, and I can organise it around my social life, and I'll be getting paid to see/listen to bands!Athena
Teaching kids something is always a good one (as, aside from half term, your holidays match theirs) - I'm a trampolining coach (£12+ an hour!), which is 5 - 15 hours a week, and then a recpetionist at the same leisure centre (less well paid) to get extra hours. I did that all last summer (don't think I had a week I didn't work at least a little for 10 weeks), and would have gone back to it at Christmas, had I not hurt my shoulder too much to coach...
But I assume that would only count for teaching them PE-type activities - I doubt many kids would be learning academic type stuff in the holidays?
Living out in Cowley in our second year, a friend and I worked at the Royal Mail sorting centre over the Christmas break. Easy undemanding work and we earned £1000 over three weeks.
This holiday, working for the college on some ridiculously pointless alumni/development telephone fundraising campaign, probably earning about £500 over two weeks.
During the summer, getting a cafe/bar job in Cowley over a few months, which should earn a fair bit.
This holiday, working for the college on some ridiculously pointless alumni/development telephone fundraising campaign, probably earning about £500 over two weeks.
During the summer, getting a cafe/bar job in Cowley over a few months, which should earn a fair bit.
thefish_uk
If your college is one that likes to sell itself as a conference venue there's sometimes jobs going to cope with the extra load in the holidays... eg. mine employs students for housekeeping, IT support and audio/visual tech support (and occassionally as temporary porters too).
Ah that's lucky. Peterhouse have a policy of not hiring from their own student base (for that sort of job, I mean. They do for specific things)
Fish
There's also "allowed" termtime jobs although you won't get that much money from them. Some colleges have student-run bars... you can also do bar or box office in the ADC Theatre (in Cambridge anyway) as it's a university department. (Of course being an active member of the theatre community is going to be a big help here.)
There's also "allowed" termtime jobs although you won't get that much money from them. Some colleges have student-run bars... you can also do bar or box office in the ADC Theatre (in Cambridge anyway) as it's a university department. (Of course being an active member of the theatre community is going to be a big help here.)
And college librarian
Kfc during holidays for me
Related discussions
- How often do you work whilst at uni?
- Which University is best in terms of Employability and Future prospects?
- help! on what days shall i work? first time part time job uni student
- SOAS still worth it?
- Postgraduate Master's Loan
- Postgrad Master's Loan
- Is a Politics Degree limiting?
- accounting and finance
- Pay at the Bar
- University Tuition Fees and Employment Prospects
- Workload of Degree Apprenticeships
- True or false - non-STEM degrees are a waste of time?
- Should I take A level German
- PWC technology degree apprenticeship
- can't decide on uni course
- MA Mass Communication in Liverpool John Moores University
- Coming from a mid-tier, ex-poly uni, is there any hope for me?
- Cambridge with no scholarship Vs University of St Andrews with full scholarship
- Anyone know anyone that’s got contacts for the music industry
- Scared to do Philosophy BA
Latest
Last reply 8 minutes ago
How do I start my email to a college to sit for Alevel as a private candidateLast reply 1 hour ago
Official University College London Applicant Thread for 2024Last reply 1 hour ago
Can I do economics degree without a level maths?Last reply 1 hour ago
How to choose unis in UCAS application for CS undergraduate course?Last reply 2 hours ago
Rishi Sunak pledges to remove benefits for people not taking jobs after 12 monthsLast reply 2 hours ago
Got my crush's number 2 days ago and no reply yet. What could be the reasons?Posted 2 hours ago
GB News set to axe 40 jobs after channel posts heavy lossesLast reply 2 hours ago
Rwanda bill likely to be stalled at least till April after seven defeats in the LordsPosted 2 hours ago
Sunak rejects offer of youth mobility scheme between EU and UKTrending
Last reply 1 day ago
Weidenfeld Hoffmann Trust (WHT) Scholarship Notification (2024-2025)Last reply 2 days ago
Oxbridge applicants for modern languages - 2025 entry (applying in 2024)Last reply 4 days ago
Will I get into Oxford with my GCSE results? - EngineeringLast reply 2 weeks ago
will 5 a levels give me a better chance at getting into oxford?Trending
Last reply 1 day ago
Weidenfeld Hoffmann Trust (WHT) Scholarship Notification (2024-2025)Last reply 2 days ago
Oxbridge applicants for modern languages - 2025 entry (applying in 2024)Last reply 4 days ago
Will I get into Oxford with my GCSE results? - EngineeringLast reply 2 weeks ago
will 5 a levels give me a better chance at getting into oxford?
