8 best student jobs you probably haven’t considered
Forget retail and bar jobs – there are plenty of great part-time jobs out there for students that probably haven’t even crossed your mind… yet.
Working a part-time job while you’re at uni is a great way to boost your CV, meet new people, and (most importantly) rake in some extra cash. And it looks like you agree with us – according to our National Student Money Survey, 66% of students work part-time.
But entering the competitive world of the part-time job hunt can be super daunting. Every student and their dog is looking for a way to supplement their Student Loan, which often barely covers the rent.
So why not increase your chances of landing something great by looking where others don’t? Here are some part-time job ideas for students you probably haven’t considered yet!
8 best jobs for students
Here are some of the best jobs for university students:
1. Student brand ambassador
Working in PR is a perfect option if you’re an outgoing, enthusiastic, and social person. A lot of brands are interested in hiring student ambassadors (or ‘Student Brand Managers’ as they’re also called) to promote them online. And, as a student, you have something totally invaluable to brands: access to the student market. What does a student brand ambassador do?
Often brands will ask you to post about them on your social media accounts to generate interest from your friends, or they’ll simply ask you to spread the word in exchange for a bit of commission. Doing PR for clubs and student nights (where you get paid a small commission for every person you get into the club) is also a popular option for students, and this can be as easy as creating a Facebook event and inviting everyone in your halls, or flyering on campus.
2. Personal tutor
Parents will pay big money to help their kids get decent grades, and if you’re confident in your subject, that money could find its way straight into your pocket. Private tutoring not only makes good money, but it’s also an ideal job to do remotely as you can teach on video calls.
What skills do you need to be a tutor? You’ll need top grades, patience, and a fair amount of confidence working with young people to be good a good tutor.
3. Resident Assistant
If you live in student halls and hate the idea of moving out next year, becoming a resident assistant (RA) could be the perfect job for you. What do resident assistants do?
RA roles basically involve being a live-in supervisor for your building – you’ll be the person students come to if they have an electrical fault, they’ve found a wasps’ nest by their window or there’s a fire in their kitchen.
4. Babysitting
Use your many years of experience bossing about your younger siblings to earn some extra cash. Lots of working parents need someone to pick their children up from school or nursery and keep them entertained until they get home, and that’s where flexible uni timetables come in handy.
If you’re good with kids this is a great option, and the money is usually pretty decent too. What skills and experience do you need to be a babysitter?
5. Working for your university
Sometimes the best opportunities are right under your nose – there are heaps of different jobs available within universities to help you earn some cash. You could work at your uni, both during the term and also as a summer job.
What jobs do universities offer? Jobs at student unions are an obvious choice as you’ll get to see your friends while you earn some money (although this can also be torture if you’re desperate to join in the fun!).
Most universities are keen to hire students to call up alumni and ask for donations – and, as uncomfortable as this work can be, it does tend to pay well (and shifts are normally in the evenings so they won’t clash with classes).
6. Working as a film or TV extra
Rather than spending all your time watching Netflix, why not be on Netflix yourself? Ok, we can’t guarantee that you’ll definitely end up on Netflix if you become an extra, but there’s certainly a chance of it happening, and that’s good enough for us. How do you become an extra? In terms of qualifications and experience, you don’t actually need any to become an extra – just a good work ethic and a patient attitude! The hours can be fairly long, and you’ll often be asked to work at fairly short notice, but depending on the job, you could be earning well over £80 a day.
7. Temp work
If you’re not interested in turning up to the same place every shift, it could be a good idea to sign up to temp agencies that provide staff to businesses looking for an extra pair of hands for the day. What are the benefits of temping? The good thing about this kind of work is that there’s loads of variety in the jobs you do, you’ll get to meet lots of new faces and the money is pretty decent. You also won’t have to deal with the commitment of a permanent job, and you can choose when you’re able to work and when you can’t. The pitfall of temp work is that, unfortunately, you won’t be entitled to the same employment rights that part-time workers get – find out more here.
8. Pet sitter
Love pets and want to get paid to spend time with them? Then becoming a pet sitter may be the perfect university student job for you. Because you can set your own hours, it’s easy to balance this job with your university classes, and you could end up earning £40 or more each day.
What does a pet sitter do?
You’ll simply be looking after someone’s pet when you’re not able to – if they’re at work, for example. This way, owners don’t have to use a cattery or kennel, and sometimes it works out cheaper for them too.
As a pet sitter, you may be responsible for feeding them, walking them, playing with them, and making sure they stay safe.
If you’re unable to commit to a full day (or even overnight stays), you can also consider becoming a dog walker for a few hours per week.
