Balancing study and part-time work
Twenty-eight per cent of students feel that the work experience they gain while at university helps them get a full time job afterwards. But finding the right balance between study and part-time work isn't easy so how do you start?
The total cost of attending university in the UK is now estimated to be around £13,000 per annum (costs and tuition fees), and the average student debt has risen to £5,760; this is an increase of nine per cent since 2006. Parents stump up an average of about £4,000 per annum but that still leaves a big gap for most students to find funding for. (See Unite 2007 Student Experience Report) When 1600 students were asked in a TNS survey what they considered to be the worst aspects of university life 47 per cent of said that it was having little money and 45 per cent said it was being in debt. This means that many of you need to get a part-ime job to make sure that you have enough beans for the beans – and to enjoy yourselves! In itself, this is a big step towards taking responsibility for yourself, but finding the right balance between study and part-time work isn’t easy – so how do you start?
The dash for cash
Students can obtain funding from grants, bursaries, student loans and parents. But before you rush off to the bank make sure you have claimed any allowances you can, ask you Student Union for advice. And when you do seek a loan, check out the charges and facilities of different options.
Twenty-eight per cent of students feel that the work experience they gain while at university helps them get a full-time job afterwards
To help you achieve a work/study/life balance the most important thing is to organise your time. Carry a diary or enter information onto an e-diary so that you know when important course dates are coming up, what dates and times you have agreed to work and what key social events you don’t want to miss. Plan to study intensively for a while and then devote yourself to your part time work at other times. Try to have a structured work pattern so that you know you can do this and don’t agree to work at a time when you have lectures or tutorials scheduled. Perhaps it would suit you better to work more during the holidays and devote yourself to your studies during term time, though often students do a mix of these two things.
Keep everyone informed
On average students work about 14-20 hours a week, some even longer. In a TNS study, 48 per cent of students said that their employer appreciated their course commitments and tried to be flexible and 38 per cent said that their employer valued their contribution. There will be times when you have to focus on your studies, during exam time for instance. If you work regular times, give your employer as much notice as possible that you will need more time during this period and try to negotiate a solution. University staff also appreciate fully that money is an issue and recognise that students need to work. If you do find yourself struggling to produce coursework on time seek advice and support as early as you can from your tutor. Often deadlines can be extended in exceptional circumstances.
Take care of yourself
Don’t beat yourself up. There are only 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week and you need time to unwind and relax. Be realistic about what you can do and don’t promise something you can’t deliver or people will be less sympathetic to your needs another time. You can rush around from pillar to post for just so long but eventually you need to get enough sleep. In the end, your health is the most important thing.
Added benefits
The benefits of the experience and skills you will gain are huge and say a lot about you as a person. Work experience will help you to sharpen up transferable skills such as teamworking, leadership and negotiation.
28 per cent of students feel that the work experience they gain while at university helps them get a full time job afterwards. 89 per cent of recruiters say that they consider relevant work experience an important part of a CV and 13 per cent say they would not interview a candidate without relevant work experience. Remember that everything you do at university counts. Even if your work is voluntary you may still be gaining key skills, so make sure you log all your experience on your CV.
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