working on your side hustle

​​Here at Push, we’re always the advocate for earning while learning - the idea of, if it’s right for you and your circumstances, you get ahead of the game with a part-time job.
 
This can be anything from office work to bartending to shelf stacking to running your own side hustle online empire.
 
Even if you’re not particularly tight for cash (though it’s quite the student stereotype, and who would turn down a rainy day fund?) it’s a great personal investment, in terms of gaining experience and having that X Factor to put on your CV or personal statement.
 
Not sure what we mean?

Well, that evenings-and-weekends job you’ve got going proves you’ve got lots of soft skills. We’re talking time-management, dedication, people skills, teamwork, organisation, commitment. 
 
All things potential employers or admissions tutors love to see. 
 
But the Independent have recently published findings from the Resolution Foundation’s research that show ‘the proportion of teenagers with Saturday jobs has almost halved over the past two decades’. 
 
Part-time employment rates in under 18s has fallen from 48% in the late 90s to only 25% in the last two years.
 
Why? The Foundation states this is likely due to young people focusing more on their school and college work rather than juggling a weekend job on top.
 
Laura Gardiner, research director at the Foundation argues that “with young people today expected to end their working lives at a later age than previous generations, it's understandable that they want to start their working lives at a later age too.”
 
However in a saturated job market, this can bring up issues further down the line. As Laura suggests, “this lack of work experience can create longer-term problems, particularly if [young people] hit other life milestones like motherhood or ill-health before their careers have got off the ground.”
 
So, if it fits in around your studying demands, your timetable and your commitments, finding part-time work might be a head start on the career ladder and a solid investment in your future.
 
Want to know a bit more about part-time work, the dos and don’ts, the ups and downs, and how to find it? Head to the Jobs section of our website for everything you need to know.

Author

LUCY HARDING is an English Literature grad and an MA Publishing student at UCL. She is passionate about international relations and cultural diversity, having worked closely with her university’s Erasmus society to support European students. She also spent a year abroad studying at California State University: Long Beach