Nowadays, the fact that senior grade students combine full-time studies and job wonders no one. Sometimes, this choice is of need: the student has to pay for their study or to help family by giving additional funds. But the reason which can be called the most often is simpler. Guys just want to be known as adults, and they don’t wish to take pocket money from their parents.
The reason why you decided to start working during your studying doesn’t matter. What matters is that you will have to deal with both job and studying, and what’s the most important, they shouldn’t interfere each other.
Let’s speak about what to remember before you start combining job and study.
If You Don’t Have Job Yet
I bet even if you haven’t thought about finding the job seriously, you told your mates or friends a few times something like that: “I’m gonna find some job”, “It’s all about theory in the uni, time to find the job and to go for practical skills”, “I want some job, school irritates me already”, “Time to go for a job, I could earn money there at least” – there can be different ways to express it, but the point is always the same.
Possibly, you didn’t even think seriously about finding the job during studies, but you wished to look cool and adult human who thinks about professional career already.
But here it is: you put empty talks away and start finding a job seriously. Where to start?
Don’t Look for The Job “For Students”
Once somebody visits a “Job for students” section, there is no way to stop being upset. Waiters and advertisement promoters – here are positions high school students might pretend on, that’s what vacancies say.
You study at the high school, you are in the process of getting a degree in the branch you like (that’s how I want to think) and are going to continue building up your career in future. So why should you waste your priceless time on a totally unneeded activity? Try to find the job according to your future specialization.
You’ll think: “I don’t have skills, I can do nothing, I’m uncompetitive and shouldn’t think about climbing that high”. Get rid of this feeling of uncertainty in yourself and your own abilities ASAP, because if you don’t, you’ll live with it during the whole life, both student years and the time after them.
Dare and want more. You study law, journalism, finances, et cetera? It is time to start getting your practical skills. Look vacancies according to your profession, and don’t be too confused of the lines about “higher education required” and “1 year of job experience”. There is an old joke:
To find a job, I need an experience. To get experience, I need a job. Can’t decide where to start, you know.
About the vacancy requirements again: they’re inflated in most cases. So, don’t give up while you haven’t even started to try. Of course, you shouldn’t lie to your potential employers by describing yourself as a mythically skilled and gifted worker. Showing yourself as a young specialist who is ready to learn a lot of new things is completely another deal.
Don’t Refuse Job Chances Offered to You At The University
No, it’s not about a position of an assistant at the high school (though sometimes it is a good chance, too).
Starting from the junior university years you’ll visit different facilities for practice. And if you’ll show yourself well, you might receive a job offer. Don’t refuse it at once.
There often is a chance to find a position “with protection”. Sometimes, the employers themselves ask high schools to advise some good students for them. And sometimes graduate year students look for somebody to replace them on their position as they want to move to another city or just change their job.
Remember this to be a good chance, and refusing good chances is silly.
Go For The Job In Summer
The first month will be one of the most difficult. You need to get used to your new responsibilities and to your colleagues. You don’t have classes, exams and other student activities in summer, so this is a time you could devote yourself to your job totally.
So, if there is a chance, try to employ in summer. You’ll save lots of your nerves and energy you’ll obviously need in autumn, when you’ll have to combine job and studying.
If You Are Already Employed
First, And The Most Important – Don’t Complain
You’ll be proud of yourself. And of course, you’ll want somebody to have pity on you.
We like to complain, and there is nothing bad in it. Sometimes, it is just necessary. But, once you comply on being tired of balancing between job and studying; of not having time for your private life; of wishes to send it all to hell, think: do you really want someone to feel pity on you?
Do you want to hear something like: “Oh, you poor child, you have to work and study at the same time! It must be not easy, you probably don’t have free time at all, do you?” I bet that’s not what you want to hear. You’d like to hear this: “Wow, you’re so hard-working, you can both work and study and you handle it all perfectly! You’re so cool/I’m proud of you” etc.
You want somebody not to feel pity on you, but to tell you compliments.
That is your real goal. You want the others to see and to recognize your achievements. You’re proud of yourself, and you want the other people to be proud of you, too.
Of course, we find that strange to approach someone and say: “Hey, man, I’m going to tell you how cool I am, and you’re going to tell me some compliments after. Yet try it at least once, ant you’ll stop thinking it is something unusual and shameless.
Everyone wants their achievements to be recognized by the others, it’s nothing to be ashamed of here.
Is It Worth to Tell You’re A Student To The Employer? And to Your Lecturer About Work?
It is undisputedly worth it to tell your employer that you are a student. Remember that there are exams, serious lectures you can’t pass, or important events you need to visit at the working hours. Don’t forget you’re not simply surrounded by other workers. You work with the team where every element might be critically important.
Yet telling your lecturers you’re employed is not always worth it.
Many teachers have a negative attitude to the student’s employment. Yet things differ here. You might know the characters of your lecturers, so decide yourself, but think about the consequences first.
Remember You Can Stop Any Time
You didn’t sign your job offer with blood. You aren’t chained to a university desk. It’s your life, and you can refuse something what is not needed once you see it starts interfering your regular life.