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Working, Jobs & Earning
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Finding a Job

You will probably have thought of asking in local shops and bars, but here are some other ideas you might consider:

Market Research. This does not just cover interviewing in the streets, as there are many jobs which involve being a 'mystery customer'. Posing as a bona fide customer, you have to buy specific products in a shop, and then fill out a form about the visit afterwards. Assignments can be chosen to fit in with the days you are free.
Local advertisements. Placing an advert in your local newsagent or supermarket's board might not be very successful, but there are quite often people requesting baby sitters, gardening help and so on, which you can answer.
Travellers magazines. Magazines aimed at travellers, many of which are handed out free at stations or are available in pubs, have sections of jobs in the back. These range from bar work through a variety of odd part-time positions which are aimed at foreigners but due to their flexible nature are well suited to students too.
Large pub chains. If you are not having much luck with the local shops and bars, large pub chains such as JD Wetherspoon and similar take on a pool of part-time staff, as they have several pubs in a small area.
Posing for art students. If you are confident and don't mind taking your clothes off in public, this can be a regular job paying good money for a few hours of work. You will need to sit still for two or three hours at a time, although the students may chat to you! It doesn't matter what you look like. Schools, sixth-form colleges, and your own university may have vacancies.
Student union jobs. There will be a variety of jobs available through your student union, mostly bar work or stewarding union events. They have the advantage that they will pay a fair wage, and follow the same termly schedule that you do. The disadvantages are that while your friends are drinking, you have to be sober, and clean up afterwards. While the pay is fair, it won't be astronomical.
There will be other (external) jobs advertised in your university.

Other Options

If you can't get a job during term time, don't forget there will be Christmas season demands in many shops and bars.

Some students try medical research, e.g. being paid to catch a cold or give blood samples. There are no stories of this being a good earner because of rules about who can be used, or not being able to return within a few weeks of various assignments. However, there are adverts for these positions in most universities.

Do NOT try homeworking or door to door selling- these are highly labour intensive, and commission based. Many of the homeworking jobs are scams. They just do not pay off. There are several websites attesting to this, for example members.tripod.co.uk/homeworking/scam.html.

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