Residing in London can be extremely pricey. Due to this, many of students at LSE choose to embark on part-time employment in order to support themselves. Here’s a quick guide on working part-time while studying at LSE.
Balancing work and your studies
Learning to strike a balance between your academic work and part-time jobs presents the most apparent challenge. Though, with time, you will eventually be able to master the art of time management. You will be well-served by learning different time management strategies, like the Pomodoro technique or a simple timetable!
Networking
The importance of networking cannot be overstated. Although many of you may believe a part-time job is only a stepping stone to your ideal graduate job, the world is a very small place. One never knows when one might need to work with someone once more. So try to get to know people personally; I can assure you that it will make your workday go by much faster.
Enhance your skills via training and development
Sign up for any training and development programmes your employer may offer, including mentoring! Whatever your age, you can always learn something new. Still, not all skills can be acquired solely through an undergraduate degree.
Taking breaks
Even though it is crucial to learn how to balance your studies and a part-time job, you should never hesitate to take a break if things get too hectic. First, you need to know what matters most to you: your degree. For instance, I frequently took unpaid time off during May and June while I was employed at Harrods to ensure I had enough time to study and prepare for my exams. Additionally, you could accumulate your annual leave and use it around exam time.
Try to save as much as possible
Try to save as much money as possible—this goes without saying. Living in London can be very expensive, and frequently, student loans are insufficient to cover the costs. Well, I suppose you already know that which is why you have a part-time job. Nonetheless, I always try to set aside about £1,000 for a rainy day and another £700 for a cheeky little vacation after exams. Of course, you don’t have to save that much money all at once, but if you set aside some money each month, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much you’ve saved.
All things considered, having a part-time job has been fantastic and will teach you many skills that a university cannot. You undoubtedly develop many novel competencies while working, from gaining broad work experience to understanding how to behave in an office setting, but challenges are involved. If you feel that it’s all getting too much for you, it’s okay to quit. Most importantly, if you need any financial assistance, LSE has several services available to help you out. Click here for more information.
