This year, we have noticed that more students than ever are competing for each available position (of which in the current economic climate, there are fewer available). With this in mind, the following tips are here to help you in your quest to find part-time work.
Making applications
· When applying by email, write a brief introduction in the body of the email including why you are applying and what makes you a suitable candidate for the job. Do not just attach your CV to a blank email. Use the name of the contact if you have it (ie Dear Becky or Miss Kellaway) and ensure your text is polite, well written and grammatically correct. Note: It is better to be over-formal than under.
· Is your CV up-to-date? Your CV should be no more than two pages maximum, grammatically correct and free of any spelling mistakes. It should be consistent in style (font, use of bold text etc) and the way it is spaced out. In short, it needs to look professional.
· Have you changed your CV for the particular position you’re applying for? You might want to consider doing this, so that your relevant skills and experiences are at the forefront and therefore easy to find. Different roles will have a greater emphasis on different skills, so it’s worth checking your CV before sending to see if you’ve got this covered.
· Have you considered your transferable skills? You may not have much work experience but you might possess some of the skills an employer will look for. Strong customer service, communication, interpersonal, cash handling, time management and IT skills do not necessarily have to have been acquired from paid employment. If your work experience is limited, be creative when thinking about what relevant skills you may have to impress the recruiter.
· If submitting an application form, ensure that all areas are completed in full. Check the Person Specification (what is required for the role) and/or Job Description (a list of duties) for the vacancy if you have one, to ascertain what the employer will be looking for in the ideal applicant. Try to write a rough draft first or take as much time as possible before starting work on the form.
· If you are writing a covering letter, double-check that there are not any spelling or grammatical errors within it. It should be no longer than one page and include a couple of paragraphs explaining what position you are applying for and why you’re suitable. It should act as an introduction to your CV – which will then expand further on your relevant skills.
General Advice
· Campus jobs are, understandably, the most popular. It is not uncommon for 20+ applications to be received for every one vacancy. If finding work is a priority for you, then your chances will increase greatly if you are prepared to look beyond campus. As a general rule, the further you are prepared to travel, and the more flexible you can be in your approach to working, the greater chance you will have of finding something.
· Not all campus jobs are advertised via jobshop@kent. We try to get most departments to use our service but invariably some do not. Kent Union outlets will always advertise student positions through jobshop@kent but some others are worth approaching directly.
· Shops, pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants rarely choose to advertise with jobshop@kent as they manage to recruit staff through word-of-mouth or putting a sign in their window. If you are interested in this type of work, look out for adverts in windows when walking through the high street and visit anywhere you would like to work with a copy of your CV.
· Approximately 4,000 students will register with jobshop@kent this year, so there is always a lot of competition for the positions we advertise. Therefore, we recommend that you view our service as just one tool available to help you find employment; to increase your chances of securing work, you should visit local job websites like jobsinkent.com, check in local papers (such as the weekly KM titles) and approach organisations directly.
· In the current economic climate, not only is the competition greater for each vacancy but there is fewer positions to apply for. It is therefore important to apply as quickly as you can, with a professional and accurate application that fully illustrates your capabilities.
· Good luck!
