Part Time Work Experience

Part-time jobs are an excellent way to gain skills for your future career or explore career options before committing to one. You not only get to work in diverse roles, but also learn professional skills that are appreciated by future employers. Depending on your workload, it is always a good idea to get out of your comfort zone and work part-time. As a biological sciences student, I have gained work experiences and skills in research. However, I always wanted to try out other options and see if I enjoyed myself in these roles. And I cannot stress enough as to how part-time roles have given me a diverse skill set, made me more confident and helped me network with individuals outside my industry (PS - extra money never hurts!). I work as an employability intern (in the Faculty of Biological Science) where I promoted career events through social media, collected student feedback and advised undergraduates with career tips. As a Link to Leeds Ambassador, I have learnt to become confident in public speaking, help prospective students with queries and help students have a better time at Leeds.

So, where do you find these jobs and how do you apply for them? The university careers centre and Leeds University Union Joblink offers various positions for students. This ranges from customer service, bartending to administrative roles. There are also voluntary positions in LUU in roles like engagement, well-being, executive roles to make student-life better at Leeds. Once you have decided whether you want to gain extra skills or polish your current skills and chosen a job, next step is to apply. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the requirements to the job, apply anyways. Employers are interested in enthusiastic learners and as long as you are passionate you should consider applying. If you want to learn how to write the perfect cover letter/personal statement, please refer to the article I wrote, 'How to write a perfect motivation letter.'

Finally, finding the right balance between work and studying is important. You don’t want to be too tired or under pressure and it should be managed along with your study timetable. International students are permitted to work for 20 hours per week during term time, according to the law. These are part time roles with flexible working hours helping me to manage university workload alongside with giving me a lot of free time.

Personally, I love working on multiple roles and feel more energised to study after. I have managed three years of working and studying by following a simple routine. I start my day with finishing difficult tasks (work/academic) first thing between 7am and 10am followed by answering emails, work messages or attending lectures/meetings. I then take a long break and  go for a walk/run, prepare meals, meet friends and then finally study in the evening. This helps me balance both work and social life.

If you want to learn more about my personal experiences, get in touch!