The academic year is approaching - how to combine study with studies? How to spend your time? Do it with us.

For many young people, the stage of study is one of the most important in life; it is here that our relationships develop, we gain experience, our brain is in the phase of scientific work, which allows us to maintain critical thinking and acquire new skills. At the same time, many students want to reconcile university attendance with gainful employment. How to connect these two spheres?

How to start?

Be sure to ask yourself what your strengths are and how time-consuming and scientifically demanding your studies are. It is worth starting your job search by thinking about your skills, interests and what gives you real satisfaction. It is important not to consider work only as a source of additional income, but also as an opportunity to develop and gain experience that will be useful in the future. A good starting point is also to check if our ideas for the services or products offered have real market value (that is, whether there will be people willing to pay for them). Once the direction of activities is determined, you can proceed to the active search for offers: from portals with announcements, through university career offices, to groups on social media. It is also worth taking advantage of Career Offices colleges.

However, the first job can be a challenge. Students often encounter unclear provisions in contracts, various forms of accounting of hours or lack of experience in conversations with employers. That is why it is so important to carefully read the content of the contract and understand the rights and obligations arising from taking up the job. This will avoid misunderstandings and feel more confident in the new role. But about this in the next paragraphs:)

It is worth remembering that working while studying gives more than just money, because it allows you to earn valuable soft competences, such as the organization of time, teamwork, coping with conflict situations or the ability to delegate tasks. According to a study by psychologists from SWPS University as part of the SWPS project Innovations for McDonald's, already the first work experiences, especially in the catering industry, favor the development of the skills most demanded by employers. Up to 80% of students take up employment during their studies, and those who work at least half a year are more organized, assertive and cope better with responsibility than their peers without work experience. These results show that the first job is not only a chance to make money on the student budget, but above all an investment in the future and a way to build a strong foundation for further career.

Where to look for work?

You can search for a job online, ask your friends, search Facebook or even directly call the companies you are interested in. Check out what we have for you in Jobs Door - a platform designed for young people entering the labour market. You can set up your own profile, which acts as a business card for employers - the more extensive and refined, the greater your visibility and the chance of receiving attractive proposals. Jobs Door also offers the largest database of job offers of all the portals, so you can easily find ads that match your skills and expectations. It is enough to enter a keyword to receive proposals that correspond to your profile, and an additional convenience is the ability to suspect the business card of the company and see what the organization offers its employees.

In addition, it is worth using other sources; universities can be helpful career offices, which often have access to offers aimed exclusively at students and graduates. Social media groups, ads published on Facebook or LinkedIn and industry portals where employers are looking for people with specific qualifications are also increasingly popular places to look for jobs.

What to look out for?

Before a student takes his first job, he should keep in mind a few basic points. The main thing is to know your own rights! It is worth at least familiarizing yourself with the Labor Code and knowing what duties are imposed on the employer and what rights the employee has. It is equally important to understand the type of contract to be signed - whether it is a contract of employment, commission or work, since each of them gives different privileges and restrictions. You should also pay attention to additional benefits, such as private medical care, sports passes or flexible hours, which can be of real importance in the student's daily functioning. Finally, it is worth learning conscious salary management from the beginning and the first payment is a good time to start saving and planning your own budget. Thanks to this, work during your studies will become not only a source of extra money, but also an opportunity to learn responsibility and independence.

How to organize time?

This part seems like a big challenge, because in the end, reconciling study and work is really a lot. The question of organization is not only a refined schedule, but also conscious choices - also those concerning rest and regeneration for the sake of one's own well-being. An elastic schedule is definitely something worth paying attention to, so part-time casual work may be the best option. Another idea is to take up remote work that we will be able to do at home. However, remember the risk of transferring your job to university! Mixing these two spheres may seem harmless at first, but in the long run it can make studying for exams more difficult and therefore your work and study organization will deteriorate.

Combining study with work is a challenge, but proper planning allows you to maintain balance and avoid overload. Many students start by analyzing the lesson plan and look for such solutions that will allow them to use their free hours to gain work experience. In the case of part-time or evening studies, this is relatively easier, while full-time students have to better adjust the schedule to find time for both study and work.

summary

Combining study with work is not easy, but proper planning, knowing your rights and using the tools at hand make it as possible. It is an investment in the future - first work experience allows you to acquire soft competences and better prepare for entering the labor market. With Jobs Door and other available job sources, you will gain an advantage that will help you combine learning with professional development.