How to Find Work When You Are Studying

Guest post: Ann Lodge

Finding work when you are a student is a great way to gain valuable, relevant experience and potentially earn some money in the process. However, finding opportunities for student jobs can be tough. Becoming aware of the lesser-known opportunities around part-time job hunting can help to significantly increase your chances of finding work while you study. These tips are also relevant if you’re a graduate trying to find work in your specific industry. Take a look at our tips on how to find work when you are studying, and unearth some potential employment opportunities.

Use Advanced Search on Google

Google allows you to apply filters to your search so that the field of results is narrowed. This cuts out a huge amount of time trawling through job site results pages, and reveals results that might have otherwise been missed. This is a particularly good tactic if you want to find industry-specific jobs. Read the advanced search definitions page so that you understand what each search term means.

Example searches:

• In-site search: (website of company you want to work for) + "vacancies" or "internships" or "hiring now"
• In-text search: "summer internship" + "city you want to work in"
• Internship site: (website of the company you want to work for)

Examples of advanced search terms:

• In-text: summer internship "leeds" + recruiter
• Site: www.company.co.uk "internship"

It’s also worth bearing in mind that recruiters will copy and paste content from job vacancies advertised on company websites straight onto their own site. If you'd rather send your application straight to the relevant people, without having to deal with a recruitment consultant, copy some of the text and paste within the "     " search term. Google will then return pages which include that exact content; chances are one of them will be the original vacancy posted by the hiring company.

Follow your ideal employers’ Twitter accounts

Twitter is an invaluable resource when it comes to job hunting. Not only can you follow companies you aspire to work for and discover who and what they are looking for, you can also set up a notification for whenever they tweet. Twitter accounts are often used to promote a company’s successes and new job openings. Being aware of this news stream puts you one step ahead in the job hunting game. Understanding what certain companies need when they are hiring for certain roles will also help you to discover what work experience would be most relevant to your dream job. It’ll also provide you with up-to-date information on the company if you get to the interview stage; showing this kind of initiative is sure to impress!

Use Advanced Search on Twitter

Just as you can use advanced searches on search engines, you can also do so on Twitter. Twitter’s advanced search allows you to narrow down your field of search and find work opportunities and companies you might have otherwise missed. Searching through tweets means you get insights into each company’s attitude, recent wins and environment. Internships or work experience schemes are often advertised this way, so this is a great tactic for finding work that will boost your CV. 

Check out events in your area – a good source of student jobs

If you’re studying in a large city, it’s likely there will be conference centers and lots of seasonal events happening. Events such as festivals often need temporary staff to help out. This is a great way to earn money and meet new people – you may even get to see some live music in the process. If you’re stuck as to how to find work at events in your area, use the advanced search methods mentioned before and focus on live events, with your area as the regional qualifier. You can also go directly to the organizing company’s site and search there for part-time jobs, as some don’t use recruitment sites to advertise opportunities.

Use our guide to student jobs

The TopUniversities.com guide to student jobs may also give you some inspiration when looking for work as a student. In the guide you’ll find the following helpful information to help with your job hunting:

• Details on general student jobs opportunities and the best sectors for part-time jobs
• Specialized student jobs that can help improve your CV
• Advice on how many hours you should work alongside your studies
• An estimate of how much you can earn when studying

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Ann Lodge is the Joint Chief Executive of Downing Students. Having been with the company for over 25 years, Ann has a wealth of experience in the provision and management of student accommodation. Her expertise is specifically in estates and facilities management, and is applied to all aspects of the business including development and design, marketing, recruitment, maintenance, administration of tenancies and pastoral care. With responsibility for marketing and business development, she has been instrumental in establishing the Downing brand and developing the company’s reputation across the UK.