Benefits of Having a Part-Time Job When You’re in Sixth Form

There are many reasons why you should think about getting a part-time job in sixth form - and not just the extra money to spend on ASOS!

Whatever your interests or current skills there are plenty of jobs available to you and some more specialised roles will help you gain more relevant experience which will help you in applying for uni and in your future career.

Here's what having a part-time job in sixth form can do for you…

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Boost Your CV

Having a part-time job will give you valuable skills which will help pad out your CV. These skills will include: time management; team work; problem solving; customer service; leadership; and many more, all of which will prove to be extremely valuable in the future.

You will also be able to get references from your employer which can come in useful when applying to jobs in the future, and will help to put you ahead of the competition! When applying to universities, having a part-time job is going to show that you can take initiative and are self-motivated. All things that look great on your UCAS application!

Prepares Yourself

Having a part-time job will prepare you for the world of work. So, once you finish your studies you’ll be used to the working environment and have more of an idea about what to expect, which is certainly going to boost your confidence.

Earn Extra Money

Whether you want extra cash to splash or to save up for a big purchase such as a car, a part-time job will allow you to do this. Or if you’re starting university in the coming years, you’ll be able to save money whilst having a part-time job so that once you move to uni you will feel a bit more financially stable.

It’s more rewarding earning your own money than having to live off money that your parents give you and will give you a greater sense of independence

Meet New People

A part-time job will allow you to meet new people outside of your school friendship group, and build your social circles. You might meet someone at work, whether this be a colleague or even your manager, who you can keep in contact with and secure more hours for when you’re on break from school or you might even secure yourself a full-time job once you’ve completed your studies!

It’s worth keeping the contact details even when you leave your part-time job as you never know when you might need their number in the future!

Don’t Overstretch Yourself Though...

At times, you might struggle juggling your school work and your part-time job, but it’s important that you put your studies first. If you don’t wish to work during term time, summer or holiday employment is an excellent alternative as it won’t interfere with your studies and will provide you with a constructive use of your free time.

Types of Jobs You Could Do

While this list is not inclusive, here are some popular part-time jobs for students:

Retail

A part-time job in a shop will help you improve your customer service skills as you’ll be working in a customer facing environment. During the summer and Christmas periods retail stores are always looking for extra staff to help out!

Restaurants or Coffee Shops

Whether you are interested in being a waiter/waitress, cooking or cleaning, restaurants and coffee shops offer a variety of different roles. It will help you to improve your customer service skills and will prepare you for working in a fast-paced environment.

Babysitting

If you love working with children and have aspirations of working with children in the future babysitting is a great place to start!

Volunteering

If it’s not money that you’re interested in there are a lot of great charities that are looking for employees to help them with fundraising, which is another fantastic way that you can gain experience.

Where to Look

So, where do you get on of these job things from? There's loads of places to look...

Search Online

A simple Google search will lead you to plenty of sites that offer part-time jobs, many companies also post their vacancies on Facebook so it’s worth keeping an eye out for this.

Or you can search online search websites like Student Job.

Recruitment Agencies

This is a popular method of finding a job in hospitality, catering, office and events work. They will assist your search in finding a job by matching your profile to suitable vacancies.

Friends and Family

Your friends might already have a part-time job and they might be able to hand your CV to the manager, or your family members might know someone that works for a company that has part-time/summer vacancies.

High Street

There’s no harm going round high street shops and restaurants and handing over your CV, sometimes managers prefer this as you are seen as taking a pro-active approach to your job search and they will get a chance to meet you.

Maintaining a part-time job whilst in sixth form can be challenging, however if you are self-motivated and are able to balance your studies with a job it is a great way to gain experience and prepare you for your future career.

NEXT:

- More sixth form advice

- Other ways to boost your uni application