Reasons to work whilst you study

Many students overlook working part-time due to their busy schedules whilst studying. However, temporary work can be a short-term solution where you have control on work that suits your availability, even if it’s only during the term breaks. There are lots of benefits to temping while you study, and here are just a few: 

Earn regular money  

Going to university is expensive, even before you take into account the cost of living increases we are all currently dealing with.  More than 92% of higher education students reported their cost of living had increased compared with last year, making it even more important to have additional income.   

With temporary work, you can earn regular money that will help you better support your studies, and those extra funds could allow you to afford things that make great memories so you thoroughly enjoy your student experience.  Temporary work is paid weekly and comes with benefits that include holiday pay. 

Schedule work around your studies 

You are fully in control of your availability with temporary work. Clients and recruiters understand that students need to prioritise exams and deadlines, so keeping up-to-date with your plans is essential to finding you the right temporary placement.  

When registering at Huntress, our consultants check your availability to ensure they can send the roles that best suit you and your studies. You will have regular contact with a dedicated consultant who checks in with you for availability and important dates you must keep free. 

Boost your confidence in a working environment 

Starting a new job is nerve-wracking, especially if you’re just beginning your career. The experience you gain from working in different environments and meeting new people will not only add to your work experience but will also boost your confidence for when you start your future career. 

The temporary roles Huntress manage range across a wide variety of industries and companies, some of which are entry-level roles and others that are more specialised for students who are studying relevant subjects at university. There are plenty of opportunities for you to choose from! 

Gain transferable skills and valuable work experience 

Employers look for the best candidates for their jobs.  Not only do they want to see relevant educational qualifications, but they also want to see what soft skills a candidate has.  Depending on the job role, examples of these transferable skills are customer service, communication, organisation or ability to prioritise.  These are often things that employers value and actively look for in any job role whatever the level. 

You will have gained many valuable transferable skills through your work experience, even if that work experience isn’t relevant to your future career.  For example, if you had previously worked in a receptionist role this demonstrates your ability to communicate with different people in a professional manner and might make you a better match for a vacancy where this competency is essential.  

Any professional experience that you can gain whilst studying will show future employers that you are reliable, hardworking, and keen to take on more responsibility, and will help you to stand out from your peers. 

Grow your network of connections 

Taking on temporary work can develop strong working relationships with clients and build your connections for the future.  Who knows where these connections could lead - regular holiday work, a permanent job offer after studying or a recommendation to another contact. 

The connections you make during temporary placements can help you to open doors to your preferred industry, but even if you aren’t sure which route you want to take now in your future career, temporary work gives you the opportunity to experience different industries and positions before your job search as a Graduate begins. 

Figure out what you like to do 

If you haven’t had much work experience before, it’s difficult to know what you like or don’t like.  Temporary work can provide you with plenty of opportunities for to figure these things out.  You’ll get exposure to different companies, industries and job roles while you temp and this will help you to filter down the opportunities that suit you after you have finished your studies.  

You never know, your likes and dislikes could lead you to a completely different career path than you might not have even considered before! 

Increase your pool of references 

Most employers will want references for their future employees and the more relevant they are to the industry or role you are moving on to the better! 

Having a collection of temporary experiences on your CV won’t put your employers off - the nature of temporary work is that it can be for a short period of time. It could be beneficial to you when you look for new roles in your career with an increased pool of possible references who will be able to prove your ability to adapt to a variety of situations and working environments. 

For more information about our temporary roles please get in touch with your local branch: https://www.huntress.co.uk/find-us/