Future Money Off-campus living Support

Work while you study – finding a part-time job

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Looking for a part-time or casual job? There are lots of opportunities to find work while you study:

As you will have noticed, Manchester is a huge place with loads of shops, restaurants, bars and organisations, meaning that there are plenty of part-time jobs available for those looking. Whether its retail work, hospitality, or administration, there a wide range of part-time jobs in Manchester city centre and the surrounding areas.

Where do students usually work?
Retail, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, tutoring, marketing, student ambassadors, care work. There’s a lot of it available and often it’s not even formally advertised. You just need to be a bit proactive in looking.

If you are new to Manchester, or new to the job search have a look at the Careers Service’s Finding work in Manchester Guide to help you understand what types of businesses & therefore jobs there are available in Manchester.

Jobs on campus
There are a number of opportunities for casual work across the University, however not all the work is advertised widely. Take a proactive approach by selecting areas of the University that interest you and approach them directly. There are often opportunities to work as student ambassadors or events staff for your school or alumni, for bars and catering on campus and as part-time staff at the University’s cultural institutions. These roles are also often advertised at various times throughout the year.

For more information on jobs on campus check out the Careers Service website. Or check out the Student’s Union website for their casual jobs.

City Centre
Many businesses won’t bother formally advertising part-time jobs because they know they will get enough interest. For larger shops and retail chains you can look and see if they are advertising on their own websites.

There’s also the age old method of going into stores and businesses and asking if they’re hiring. Many places around Manchester will advertise vacancies in their shop windows so its worth keeping an eye out when you’re out and about. Now is also a great time to be looking as many stores will start hiring for their casual seasonal staff.

Don’t just look along Oxford Road, where you compete with thousands of other students looking for work. Check the city centre and areas like Didsbury, Withington and Stockport, all accessible via public transport.

Other places to find jobs
You can also look for part-time jobs on CareersLink – the Careers Services online portal for jobs and vacancies (it’s not just for graduate jobs) they also often advertise lots of part-time roles and casual jobs.

The Students’ Union has a JobShop which also advertises casual and part-time work in Manchester. You can filter by vacancy type and location. 

For more information on where to look for part-time jobs, how not to get caught out by scams, and information on getting a National Insurance number check out the Careers Service part-time jobs guide.

Living Cost Support Fund
We understand that even with the best financial planning, you may experience something unforeseen that results in you struggling to meet your day-to-day living costs. Or, you may have a disability or caring responsibilities which means you have additional costs to cover to enable you to study at university. If you are looking for additional support with finances the University’s Living Cost Support Fund could help.

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