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During one of my Human Resource Management Lectures I asked my students how many of them are working while studying, only one student raised his hand. His name was Xiu. He took up a job as a Café Assistant at Caffe' Nero, a popular coffee bar shop. To be honest, if I compared him with his peer students I could already notice the difference from the first lecture.

He was more confident and his experience allowed him to make useful verbal contributions during my lectures. It was also noticeable that he was more stressed than his peer students. Sometimes he turned up a bit later than others and that was understandable, since coping with work and study requires time and organizational skills. But I could see that he was better organized, alert, smarter and more efficient. As he was employed - he could relate very easily to the theory that was taught to him during the HRM course (personnel planning, hiring, selecting and training staff, performance appraisals etc.). He was able to see the relevance of what he studied and didn't have problems to suggest strategies while discussing case studies and coming up with solutions.

My Personal Advice

Remember to concentrate first on academics and then the job. So, make sure you have settled down properly (in your class, accommodation etc.) Once you are familiar with how everything is working and you want to gain some experience and earn some money, look for a job. But don't threaten your study by getting too distracted by your job. Your main focus should be your degree, however, take also your job seriously. It would be really a pity if after three years you would fail in your course just because you earned some pocket money.

Think of your skills and what you would enjoy doing. But also try to find a job which is somehow related to what you are studying. That might not always be an easy task, however, try it! Find sources that offer jobs particularly for students. At your university they might have a Jobshop or careers advice office in which they might help you. Find out whether you are allowed to work and how many hours a week you can do so in the country you are in. Then don't hesitate to apply for a job and all the best in getting it!!!!!

There are a lot of choices depending on your skills and preferences.

• Dogwalker: Do you love dogs? Are you maybe missing your own pet from home and you would like to look after another person's dog? Sometimes professionals are very busy, go on holiday and would appreciate it if there would be someone who would look after their dearest friend.

• Babysitter: Have you already looked after a child? Or do you love children in general? Or would you like to get a taste as to how it is to look after a baby/child once you are older and a mother yourself? There are many busy parents who would need help for some hours on certain days and they would be glad to find a responsible person who can do the job. If you are experienced I would say it is certainly a plus!

• Mystery shopping: I've never done it myself, but apparently it works. Companies pay you in order to test products, eat in restaurants, review movies, etc. Giving sincere feedback on your customer experience is the idea behind it. In the internet there are lots of ads in this regard.

• Call Center Operator: If you like talking on the phone, have some sales and customer service skills, then you might gain some interesting experience in this sector. There are many companies looking for such kind of people.

• Driver: Are you mobile with a bike, a car or a van? Or do you have a driving license? Then why not try delivering newspapers or distributing telephone books or even delivering pizzas to households and companies? If you are reliable and familiar with the city/town etc. then this might be the job for you.

• Market researcher: If you speak a certain language, are able to handle a phone and a computer, know how to persuade people to answer your questions, have friendly manners and are target-oriented then you would find it easy to work for a market research company. These jobs usually are always of short periods since they are projects which need to be completed within certain timeframes. This job might allow you to earn more if you perform above average.

• Proofreader for students' assignments: If you have excellent language skills and are familiar with a certain subject then proofreading could be a flexible option for you. Reading through other students' assignments, term papers, dissertations etc., giving general feedback and making sure there are no spelling and grammar mistakes would be a job you could do in your own time.
  

• Writing articles: If you have excellent language and communication skills and some talent in writing, this could be another option to earn some money. It would allow you to add published articles also on your CV, which might impress your future employer.

• Library Assistant: Do you love books? Do you have administrative, organizational and IT skills? Then this job might be worth a try. Furthermore, it might help you to come across some books which might be helpful for your own research when it comes to writing assignments, dissertations etc.

• Assistant in your Student Union: You might not have to look far to find a job…. Have you ever considered looking or applying at your university's student union as a retail assistant, pub assistant, etc.? Keep your eyes and ears open, you never know sometimes a good opportunity might come up!

• Street Fundraiser: There are lots of charities and other organizations which are looking for students who are able to raise funds for important causes, for example cancer research, etc. My personal tip: take up this job only if you are a patient person, willing to approach people on the street or going from door-to-door, no matter how the weather conditions are and how many people don't want to listen to what you have to say.

• Retail Assistant: There are many retail stores which might look for students. I would suggest a good time would be Christmas to look for a job like this, since this is a particularly busy time. And if you are lucky and they are satisfied with you, you might have chances to get your contract extended.
  

• Hotel Porter: This job might be more suitable for male students. If you don't have any problems working in the night, you are a reliable person, and studying Hotel Management then I'm sure that this job would allow you to make some interesting experiences.

• Event Steward: If you would like to work for a short period only, helping out as an event steward could be suitable. If you are a great organizer, you love interacting with other people and have an outgoing personality than I would say Give it a try!

• As an alternative and if you feel particularly confident and are fearless then why not setting up your own business? For example by offering a cleaning service, car service, web development, PC maintenance service, catering service, home tutoring, painting services, yard maintenance service etc.

What NOT to do …

A job I would not take into consideration would be to participate in paid medical trials. They might offer you quick and easy money but there is a high risk in it. There have been cases in the past in which the health of young people has been severely harmed. Instead, do something in which you can learn something, even though you would have to work a bit harder for it.

Should I work or should I not?

I would say that it's a good idea to take up a job, either during summer or term-time. You need to decide what suits you and how badly you want or need it. Don't expect big salaries, usually they might just pay you the minimum wage per hour. However, if you

are still not sure whether you should work or not …

then bear in mind the benefits you would gain from it:

• YOU stand out from the crowd compared to other students who are just focused on their study. Your CV will be more impressive if after completing your studies you can also prove that you took initiative, looked for jobs and gained valuable experience.

• YOU develop skills which employers value (for example, balancing work with your studies and your social life will make you an expert in time management)

• YOU find out about the work environment

• YOU discover whether the sector you are working in is one that you would consider also in the future

• YOU can test career options

• YOU can learn how businesses work

• YOU gain valuable contacts for permanent posts (think in terms of references)

• YOU learn about your own strengths and weaknesses

• YOU can (possibly) put your academic learning into practice

My personal thought: Whatever work experience you make, it will give you a taste of corporate life, customer relations, working in a team, time management and much more. Thus, don't underestimate the benefits it will bring you in the future. Remember that very often companies recruit one or more of their part-time students as permanent staff.

Image credits: Steve Deger, Joe Shlabotnik, yummyporky