By Sam Woolfe
People choose to work part-time for a number of reasons, such as balancing family and life with work, supplementing a freelance career or business, experimenting with different careers, and starting part-time in the hopes of becoming a full-time employee.
But whatever your motivation, there are some basic things to consider when choosing part-time work. With the following points in mind, you can thrive in your part-time role, and use it as the perfect stepping stone in your career path, whilst balancing it with your studies.
Figure out your finances
If you’re working part-time, then you may need to pay extra attention to your finances. It is, of course, true that some professions can afford you a living wage even if you work part-time, depending on the number of hours you work. Some of these lucrative career paths would include law, programming, and engineering. (Yes, you could very well be able to live in London and work part-time as a software developer if you have the right kind of clients or contract).
If you find you have to work two part-time roles in order to live comfortably, you should work out what your salaries from both roles will be after tax. You then need to create a realistic outline of your monthly expenses – and then add an extra certain amount to that as a buffer.
You may currently be doing a job that you love but which doesn’t pay too well. So, while you may still lean towards another part-time role that seems interesting or exciting, it may be necessary to prioritize pay over passion; at least until you can focus on what you’re passionate about full-time. On the other hand, if you already have a well-paid job, but which you don’t really enjoy, consider what kind of role you’d honestly be thrilled to do. In this way, your part-time job could end up being a launching pad for a more fulfilling career path.
Many students work part-time to help fund their studies. After all, scholarships can be in short supply. If this is what you need to do, consider all the costs involved in doing your degree; not just the tuition but also accommodation, food, books and stationery, going out, and so on. Again, make sure to have a buffer so you’re not adding financial stress into your life, on top of everything else you need to think about.
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