Finding a part time or Saturday job

Looking for part time or ‘Saturday’ work

No matter what your motivation is, and money might be the main one, you can get a lot out of part-time work, on Saturday or any other day. You can learn a lot about yourself, the reality of working life, and pick up some new skills too.

First things first

If you’re still at school and under sixteen, check the hours that you can work. Your school will have information on this from your local Council. As a general rule, you must be at least thirteen years old to get a part-time job. If you are between thirteen and sixteen years old, you should apply for a work permit. Your school or Council office will have copies of the application form.

Once you are 15 you can work for up to eight hours a day on Saturdays (two hours on Sundays or school days), and for no more than 35 hours per week during your holidays. You can’t work full time until after your official school leaving date.

Find that job

It’s not always easy to find a Saturday job. But you can do a lot to improve your chances. And remember, these days a lot of people are working more flexible hours, so you may have to be ready to be flexible as well.

Here are a few tips:

• If you really want a Saturday job, the best chance you have is to call in at local employers to ask if they have any vacancies. Local shops, cafes and restaurants are good places to try. A lot of people find work by ‘word of mouth’ because many jobs are not advertised. Ask your friends, neighbours and relatives. Look in shop windows for adverts as well.

• Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae). This will tell employers about you, what you have to offer and how to contact you. Use ‘Easy CV’ in PlanIT Plus at www.planitplus.net to help you with this. Make sure you mention the days and hours you are available. Then get plenty of copies to hand out.

• If you are 13, 14 or 15 there are by-laws (these are local laws) that usually state that you can only be employed doing “light work” at these ages. This could be delivering newspapers, stacking shelves in a supermarket, gardening, working in cafes, restaurants, corner shops, offices, hotels or hairdressing salons. You are also limited in the hours that you can work.

• Decide on the type of work that you’d like to do. This will help you to focus on contacting the ‘right’ sort of employer. Talk about this with friends and family as they may be able to give you suggestions. Write all your suggestions down and make a list.

• Think about the time of year. The weeks before Christmas are a good time to get started as lots of shops, hotels and restaurants look for seasonal staff to cope with the Christmas rush. Maybe they’ll be able to keep you on for longer if you do a good job.

• In the summer months there may be more gardening opportunities, or the chance to work in jobs that depend on the tourist season.

• If you do visit an employer, try to speak to the manager, because they will know if new staff are going to be taken on over the next few months.

• You need to make a good impression, so dress smartly and be prepared to talk. You might have an interview there and then! So don’t take a crowd of friends with you!

• You could also phone employers, especially if you're contacting big companies. You might be asked to send in your CV, be given an interview time or told to try again another time. This is a good opportunity for you to find out whether the company does take on part-time staff. So be prepared with a list of questions that you want to ask.

• Keep a note of the people you give your CV to, and their phone number, so that you can phone them later. Some firms will keep CVs for a few months, but others don’t.

• If you are under school leaving age, there is no minimum wage that your employer must pay you. But, if you are sixteen or over (and above school leaving age) you are entitled to earn the National Minimum Wage. The current rate for workers aged under the age of eighteen is £3.53 an hour (from 1 October 2008). For workers aged between eighteen and twenty-one, the rate is £4.77 an hour (from 1 October 2008).

·         Think carefully about any job you are offered before you accept it. Getting up at the crack of dawn to deliver newspapers in the middle of winter isn’t for everyone.   

Cracked it!

Don’t forget that, as well as the money you’re also getting a lot of valuable work experience. With luck you’ll also be getting some training. Remember to mention all of this in your CV, or college and university applications.

And finally, once you find a part time job don’t be tempted to overdo it. It can be easy to get carried away by the prospect of working extra hours for more money, but if it starts to affect your studies you need to stop and think about your long-term interests.