Students are notorious for being lazy lay-abouts, penniless and up to their eyeballs in debt. One way to ease the financial pressures of university is get yourself a little part-time job. We’ve compiled a list of helpful tips to put yourself ahead of the competition.

The start of term can be a scramble to find a part-time position that will fit around your university studies. Many universities offer their own students work on campus and you’re bound to find some work at the union. However, often many other students will be in the same situation trying for those same jobs. Take a look at our tips below to make a good impression:

1. Sort Yourself a CV

An employer is often expecting to see a CV from all candidates, possibly with a cover letter. It’s important to make sure that your cover letter and CV show why you are the right candidate for the job. Make sure your CV shows that you meet all the requirements of the job description (but don’t tell lies!). Before sending your CV out get spell check on it and get someone else to read it for any errors – the last thing you want is a simple spelling mistake losing you the job.

2. Get Out There

You’ve written your CV, now what? It may seem obvious but you’ll need to get your CV into the hands of those employers. Take time to print out a few CV’s and go to your local high street handing them out to the managers of the places you’d like to work. If you’re desperate for work you’ll probably be handing CV’s out to every place on the street. If the manager is free to talk, stay around for a little bit and speak with him/her personally – this way you can show them your eagerness to work and communication skills.

3. Don’t Lose Hope

You’ve just received a letter from that job you really wanted. They didn’t feel you were ‘suitable’ for the position – oh well – pick yourself back up and get straight on to another job. The worst thing you can do after being knocked down is stay down. It’s important to think why you may not have been ‘suitable’ and correct it.

4. Appearance Matters

After countless CV’s being sent out and given to shops, bars, offices and cafes you’ve finally received that golden reply – “we’d like to invite you to an interview” – result! Now what to wear? How to have your hair? If ever in doubt it’s always best to dress on the smarter side, a good rule to remember is to dress for the position one higher than you are going for – not only will this impress, it’ll show the interviewers that you are ambitious and driven.

5. Follow Up

It’s been a few days after the interview and you are not entirely sure how it went. You thought you answered the questions well but you can’t be certain that you’re what they are looking for. The best thing to do no matter how the interview went is send them an email if possible. In that email you should look to thank them for their time and the opportunity to work with them. Don’t act cocky or arrogant – otherwise it may work against you – act sincere and honest. Employers look  for people who have initiative and the willingness to get involved and be responsible.

Follow these steps and they will hopefully help to find you a great part-time job.

Got any tips you’d like to recommend, leave them as a comment…