Preparing for Part Time Work in the Limelight
The exhibitors attending this event will be offering a range of jobs across a variety of employment sectors, so hopefully there’s a job that appeals to you!
Be open minded, there may well be some jobs you have never considered doing before, but once an exhibitor explains what the job involves, you may suddenly realise, that this is the job for you. So visit all the exhibitors before making your decision which job(s) to apply for.
Ask the exhibitors some questions, such as:
- Explain about their company
- The role(s) you would be expected to fulfil
- The hours of work options
- Their recruitment process and what recruitment methods will they use
- If there’s a training period involved before starting and is there ongoing training provided during the job
- How many jobs are on offer
- What skills or experience they they’d expect you to develop during your employment
- Whether or not you have the chance to progress
- If you want to return home during vacation periods – can you be transferred to work in a branch in your home town (if they have one)
Be prepared to answer their questions as well, e.g.:
- What relevant skills & experience do have (if any)
- In general, what skills & experience can you offer
- What type of work have you done before
- What did you get of your previous work
Don’t apply for a job on the rate of pay they are offering, the best paid job may not necessarily be right for you. Apply for a job that fits in with your other commitments, for the skills & experience you are expecting to develop/gain that will contribute towards enhancing your future employability prospects.
The jobs on offer will vary, in terms of the length of employment. Some will be:
- All year round employment – you will also be expected to work during university vacation periods
- Term time only employment
- Temporary employment, ie, just a couple of days or a few weeks of work
- Casual employment – they only need you to work on a ‘as and when required’ basis
The jobs will also vary in terms of the amount of hours you are expected to work and also the timing of those hours - they could be daytime, evening or weekend hours of work.
Make sure you only apply for those jobs that fit in with your university commitments & any other commitments you may have. Your main reason for working might be to earn money, so it becomes tempting to apply for a job that requires you to commit to working more hours than you really want to. Don’t let this influence your choice! Be sensible and don’t over commit yourself! You need to be fair to your course, the employer and to yourself - time management is everything!
Enjoy the day!