Part-time work advice 💷

Hey guys, just thought I’d pop on here to settle any nerves or answer any questions regarding employment whilst you’re in University.
Some of you may not need to work and may find that your student loan is enough however for most students, part time employment is common.
I think a big question people often have is around the topic of how many hours is suitable while you’re trying to juggle studying as well as work. From personal experience I would recommend somewhere between 16-20 hours a week. Most retail positions open to students are aware that they need to offer flexible working hours as timetables will change dependent on year and time of study.
A lot of universities offer jobs within the University itself for students and these are usually capped at around 10 hours a week. For example, Liverpool Hope offer students jobs such as, catering assistants, library assistants, content creating, student ambassador roles and theatre ushers at our Capstone theatre over on Creative Campus.
Students who join an ambassador role may find that workload ebbs and flows depending on the time of the year with UCAS season providing more opportunities for Student Ambassadors to work at events. However, it is always worth talking to your line manager as roles such as content creating on Unibuddy & The Student Room may be available.
If you already have a job at home and are moving away to study, I’d recommend asking management if there is any possibility of a transfer within the company, as this can take a bit of the pressure off of an already busy time!
It’s also worth noting that depending on where you’re studying there may be job benefits of certain jobs that may be appealing! For example, I currently work in Greggs and get 50% off and I know that workers who work within the Liverpool One shopping zone get 10% additional discount in other shops within Liverpool One so it’s definitely worth looking into!
Lastly, I would recommend leaning on the support that your University offers in terms of careers advice and financial support from both the careers and finance teams. I think sometimes there’s a bit of stigma when it comes to asking for help, but universities have these teams set up for the sole purpose of providing help and support to students - whether this be by helping to create a CV, improving employability skills and encouraging confidence and self belief in an interview setting or by providing scholarship opportunities, bursaries and making hardship funds accessible to students who just need a bit of help.
I hope that this may answer a few of your questions, if there’s anything else anybody wants to ask please do! 😊
Billie
3rd Year Sociology Student
Liverpool Hope Student Ambassador