Many postgraduates work around their studies to earn some extra money. At York there are opportunities available both on and off campus.
Part-time work can also be a great way to enhance your postgraduate experience by helping you develop new skills to strengthen your CV and meet new people to expand your network of connections.
Before deciding what work you want to do there are some important things to think about:
There are a number of opportunities for paid temporary work at the University, which are open to all students:
As a Student Ambassador you will help prospective students by giving a fair and accurate representation of the University from a student perspective.
The role is a flexible, paid, ad-hoc position, which you can fit around your study. You'll be offered opportunities throughout the year to work at a variety of events on campus, online and at external fairs.
Each year we look for students to join the YuCall team as Student Fundraisers. They call University alumni to see what they’ve been up to since graduating, tell them about changes at the University and ask if they'd like to donate to any of the University's charitable funds.
Work with our Marketing team to produce content for various platforms. Throughout the year there will be opportunities to write blogs, film and edit videos, feature in photoshoots, create social media content and more.
Additionally, some departments offer paid part-time opportunities to some of their students. If you're passionate about what you're studying and want to get more involved, ask your department if you can do some paid work for them.
The city of York is home to a range of businesses, many offering the potential for employment.
As a popular tourist destination, jobs in the hospitality and retail sectors are a common option for students at York. It also means there can be seasonal opportunities.
There's more to York than what's within the city walls though; Clifton Moor, Monks Cross, Vangarde and the Designer Outlet host a range of retail, hospitality and entertainment businesses, just a short distance from the city centre.
When it comes to searching for a job, being open-minded is key. Excluding whole categories of work from your search is likely to make it harder to get a job.
Remember that jobs that aren't in the industry that you plan on working in once you graduate can still provide the chance to develop transferable skills in things like customer service, time management and communication, while gaining a general sense of commercial awareness.
Another option is to go self-employed - as long as you're not on a visa (since student visas don't permit self-employed work).
It's more complex in terms of tax, National Insurance, contractual obligations and time management. But these are all important skills you'll develop and take with you into your future. And some people prefer the freedom of working for themselves.
Whether you decide to tutor or launch your own business, at the University of York, working for yourself doesn't mean you're by yourself. We offer support and funding to students and graduates looking to develop their business ideas and build the skills and confidence needed for starting a business through Enterprise at York.
