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My part-time job history in Cardiff

6 March 2023
Photo by Clark Street Mercantile on Unsplash
Photo by Clark Street Mercantile on Unsplash

When approaching the idea of going to university, I was hesitant to go straight from sixth-form college to university as I didn’t want to miss out on learning essential life skills required to be prepared for graduate life. I knew that I was drawn to being a student, but wanted to find a balance between student life and finding a way to be relatively independent. As a result, it was important to me that I get a part-time job. On my first day in Cardiff, I managed to secure a job at a bar in the city centre!

My first jobs in Cardiff

I worked at the bar for my first month studying here but decided that the long hours, minimum wage pay and walking home on my own at 4 am was not worth it. In a search for a balance between working and student life, I exchanged the job for a temporary sales advisor role at a skincare store. This role paid well and I really enjoyed learning about the products and interacting with customers. Unfortunately, being required to regularly work more than my contract made it difficult to achieve the grades I wanted and experience being a fresher. After leaving that role, I spent some time working to improve my grades and towards my goal of travelling. Since then I found another role at a retail store as a style advisor, but having a role with a weekly hourly contract is challenging for students. Between visiting family, travelling and focusing on exams, committing to a contracted role is not always possible. 

Seeking more flexible roles
In a reach for more flexible work around my student life, travelling and visiting family, I’ve been seeking flexible work which I’ll explain more about below. 

Venues Assistant, Cardiff Student Union

When thinking about coming to university, I was always advised to get a role at my student union. This is a great role as it is a perfect way to meet other students, no experience is required and it is very flexible. Using a platform called Makeshift, the SU allows you to preset your availability – you will not be allocated shifts unless you have said you are available. There is a requirement of one shift minimum a month, consequentially, it can be totally flexible around university life. You can discover more about working at the SU here.

Stint app

Stint is an app which allows you to book last-minute shifts in bars and restaurants near you. This is a very flexible way to earn money. With no CV or interview required, you simply book the shift and show up with no forwarding commitment. The only drawback is that there is no promise of work so there can be times when nothing is available.

Casual Jobshop shifts 

Similarly to Stint, Jobshop provides a service exclusive to Cardiff University Students to find paid work. Being run by Cardiff Student Union, this is designed to meet students’ needs, with well-paid, flexible roles up for grabs. There are single shifts for offer as well as more regular work. For example, I’ve been offered shifts for concerts at Principality Stadium but have also found slightly longer-term work such as writing for Cardiff student blogs. 

Writing for Cardiff student blogs

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

I’ve recently undertaken this role, writing informative blogs on student life at Cardiff University. Being remote, I can write while visiting family and don’t have to spend time commuting. You can find my blog posts here to see more of what I do. 

There are plenty of part-time jobs and more flexible roles available in Cardiff that are catered to facilitate students. To find these roles, you just need to look in the right places. This blog aimed to give you what you need to earn money and live flexibly while at university based on my own experiences.