Finding part-time work

Clare Dawson, Head of Employability, University of Brighton (10/22)

We’re all hearing every day about the cost of living rising and the impact this is having on students. This means that managing your finances well at university is more important than ever.

One way to make sure you don’t get into financial difficulties is to do a part-time job alongside your studies. Brighton and Eastbourne have plenty of part-time work available in a range of places and we wanted to share our tips for finding something.

We have opportunities right here on campus in our hospitality outlets, libraries, sports centres or by being a student ambassador. You can also find more specialist paid opportunities such as being an Inclusive Practice Partner, a Wellbeing Champion, a Careers and Employability Ambassador or a Student Residential Adviser. These can be really convenient and easy to fit around your studies and you can find ‘on campus’ opportunities on the university careers database – Careers Connect.

It takes a couple of minutes to register to access this database of opportunities. Careers Connect also has opportunities outside of the university in Brighton and Eastbourne and around Sussex, and you can search opportunities by the type of role you want. Log on, go to ‘opportunity type’ and select ‘part-time’ or ‘casual work’. These are updated constantly, so keep checking to see what’s there.

As part of Brighton Works Week 22, I will be delivering an in-person workshop with tips and information to help you find part-time work during your studies. We’ll look at opportunities on and off campus and discuss the best ways to find something that’s suitable for you. We’ll also consider how to make successful applications. Check here for more information and to book your spot.

You will receive a fortnightly Jobs and Opportunities bulletin from your Careers and Employability team in your inbox and tailored to your academic school. This also has information about part-time opportunities that can supplement your income.

There are many opportunities for part time work in Brighton’s busy hospitality outlets and a number of these will advertise roles in theirs windows. Have a wander around the city to see what’s available and take your CV along. If you don’t have a CV or want to make sure it’s up to date, you can read our CV guide or one of our Career Development Advisers can help you with this. Make an appointment to see an adviser here.

You can also check social media for opportunities. Follow places where you’d like to work or groups such as the BNBA Brighton Bar Tenders Association on Facebook to get regular updates about who’s hiring. LinkedIn is also a great place to look for work. You’ll need to develop your profile and connect with people. Use our helpful guide to doing this.

You might want to find work that’s more directly related to your degree such as working in a caring setting if you’re studying Health Sciences, a gym if you’re studying Sport Science or working in video production if you’re studying Film Studies. Make an appointment to speak to one of our Career Development Advisers if you’d like help with finding something in a specific job area.

You can also find a number of part-time roles on the government’s ‘find a job’ website.

Many of our students also create their own opportunities through buying and selling things online or starting up their own business alongside their studies. For support and ideas about how to do this you can speak to our Entrepreneurship team – Beepurple. Book an appointment on Careers Connect or use their online resources here. You can also take a look at our guide to Starting a business, social enterprise or going freelance.

Part-time work not only brings you some much needed income but it can enhance your employability for the future giving you the opportunity to develop sought- after Graduate Attributes through opportunities to communicate with customers or service users, working in a team and solving problems. It can really boost your confidence to be developing yourself in a part-time role. It is important to get the balance right though and don’t work so much that your studies suffer. Developing good time management and organising your schedule are also key skills for your future!

It’s not always easy to manage your finances and the University can provide lots of advice about budgeting and tips to make sure you manage your money well. Have a look at our Money Matters blog for more info. If you do get into financial hardship our Student Advice team are here to help you. We recommend you plan ahead and think about whether you might need an extra income. Don’t leave it until the last minute. Even when you start work it can take a few weeks for your first paycheque to come through.

Good luck and remember we’re here to help.