What You Need
Working while you are here is an excellent way to make friends and improve your English while you make money. Many students in the UK work part-time. If you have a student visa, please check your working entitlement before seeking a job.
There are a few things that you need before you start looking for a job:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV): There are many websites which give you a template which helps you write your CV. There is also a Microsoft Word Resume Wizard (resume is American English for CV). Some employers prefer you to fill in an application form, but having a CV will still be useful to help you with the form. Your teacher or Kenny will be able to help you with this.
- National Insurance number: You will have to apply to your local Benefits Agency office as soon as you start work. While you are waiting you will be given a temporary number which will be your date of birth and your gender (F for female, M for male) e.g. TN140778F. It can take a long time to get an N.I. number. You have to get an interview (you might wait up to 10 weeks for a date) and you have to take a lot of identification with you – passport, proof of address, a letter from your company confirming you work for them and pay slips. You will eventually get a plastic card with your number on it.
- Home address/passport: Many employers want proof of where you live or who you are, particularly if you will be handling money in your job. You should also get a letter from the school confirming you are a full-time student.
For details of tax, please check the Inland Revenue website.
Where to Look for Work
There are a lot of things that you can do to find work:
- Networking: This means talking to all of the people you know (classmates, friends, landlord, people you meet) and telling them you are looking for a job.
- Newspapers: The Daily Record has jobs advertised every day, while the Evening Times has a weekly job section. The Glasgow Herald advertises professional jobs on Fridays.
- Agencies: There are many agencies, particularly in catering, which employ foreign students. You need a CV or to fill in an application form and you should have an N.I. (National Insurance) Number. Some agencies try to charge money for finding you a job. This is illegal. If an agency asks you for money, don’t use it.
Some popular agencies in Glasgow are:
- Jobcentre Plus
- Kelly Services
- Manpower
- Websites. S1jobs and Monster have a range of jobs, from temporary to professional level. You should also check out Gumtree for jobs and everything else from flats to computers.
- Cafes, pubs and restaurants. The vast majority of students work part-time as a waiter or barperson. If drop your CV in, most places will give you a call if they have vacancies which you are suitable for.
Volunteer Work
Live Language can assist students in finding volunteer work through Globaliveation. It is great way to improve your English while helping the community and meeting new people. See our section on the website or contact the school for further information.
