Students the world over have a dubious talent for working all summer in foreign climes and coming home rich with experience, but no money. Hence the manic rush to secure part-time work come the start of the college year.
Despite our free college education system, thousands of students have to rely on part-time jobs, not just for beer money, but also to subsidise the basics such as accommodation and groceries. As a result of the accommodation shortage, any flat or room a student manages to secure can cost anything from £50 to 100 a week.
What with rent, travelling expenses, groceries, books, clothes and of course money for going out, the average student would need a heavy subsidy without a part-time job.
Luckily, these facts alone are not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of the average student, and part-time jobs have become part and parcel of university life. It would be a very sheltered student who had never collected beer glasses, answered phones or waited on tables during their college career.
Obviously the trick is in securing a job that is accessible, well-paid (needless to say, a rarity!) and a bit of a laugh. It often transpires that while you are delighted to sweep the floors of a bar in Ios or empty dishwashers in trendy New York eateries, the same does not apply when you touch base in Ireland. The lustre of these jobs, with all the camaraderie and late-night drinks on the house, quickly tarnishes when it becomes apparent that the Irish don't tip, that transport home means either the last bus or a lengthy wait in the rain and that there isn't even a chance of getting a tan on your day off.
To save you some time we give an idea of the availability and suitability of various part time jobs:
Bars:
The most attractive of student jobs, as it can potentially combine fast cash, easy availability of hours, mates your own age and a good working atmosphere. The downsides are the two hours of clean-up usually required of staff, the arbitrary nature of the work rota and the distinct possibility that if you get landed working every Monday night the customers may not be in the mood to tip.
Bars all over Dublin are at present looking for staff, so you can afford to be a little choosy. Find out how many nights you're likely to get a week and ensure your job won't vanish when the regular staff return from holidays. Also, make sure management have an arrangement regarding transport home once public transport stops. Also note whether the tips are pooled or kept individually.
Availability: very good, most bars are short-staffed at the moment.
The going rate: £4.40-£5 an hour, plus tips.
Restaurants
Much of the same applies here, although restaurant work can be that bit more onerous because of the extra training required. But the benefits can make it worthwhile. Most restaurants will provide staff with a meal during their shift, and the tips can be a lot more generous than in barwork, although these are often pooled with all the staff. Waiting tables has the added attraction of involving less cleaning up than bar work.
Availability: very good, proliferation of "Staff needed" signs all over town.
The going rate: £4.40-£5 an hour plus tips.
Babysitting
Many of us never want to face this particular job again after whiling away hours of our youth watching Disney videos with sticky-faced kids, but in case you are tempted, many hotels now have babysitting panels. You will usually need to have an interview with housekeeping staff and of course a comprehensive curriculum vitae. Once on the panel, the hotel can contact you at any time to see if you are available for work. The obvious downsides are fractious babies making strange in a small hotel room, but the work is well-paid and usually includes money towards a taxi fare, if you babysit after 11 p.m.
Availability: very good, there is always a need for this service, especially with the new hotels in town eager to establish their own panel of regular babysitters.
The going rate: Varies, from £5 an hour with taxi fare included after 11 p.m., or a flat rate of approximately £10 which includes taxi fares.
Grinds:
If pounding the pavements to look for a job doesn't appeal, then be resourceful - what have you got that others would want? Maybe you have a certain dexterity with the piano or perhaps you miraculously managed to learn that German grammar. The education officer in your university will be able to inform you about the possibilities of giving grinds. Or you can stick up a notice in your local shop and quote your rate.
Availability: very good and will continue to be as long as there are Junior and Leaving Certificate students on the verge of panic.
The going rate: £10-20 an hour.
Sports skills
These part-time jobs have specific requirements, but the rewards are good. Possibilities include working as a lifeguard, coaching tennis, sailing, football, rugby or any sport for which there is a demand.
To get work as a pool lifeguard you must have either a Senior Certificate from the Irish Lifeguard Association or a Bronze Medallion from the Royal Life Saving Society. The requirements for beach work are higher and include Rescue and Resuscitation Awards. The local authority employs lifeguards for beaches, lakes and public pools. Needless to say the attractions of working as a beach guard wane with the summer heat, but if you are interested apply to your local authority.
If swimming in ice-cold water does not appeal, then apply to leisure and health clubs. Most clubs will allow you to use their facilities at a reduced employees' rate. Ideally, working in a large pool is better, as there are a few lifeguards on at the same time, so you have company and the responsibility is shared. You may also get the opportunity to make extra money with some coaching.
Availability: Good. The going rate: Approximately £4.40£5 an hour for the public swimming pools, can be higher in the leisure centres, but varies from place to place.
To get work as a tennis coach, approach local clubs and hotels. If the thought of instructing a class seems a little daunting, put up notices in the local clubs for individual coaching. To get work as a football or rugby coach, approach the schools and clubs.
Availability: Varies according to Ireland's success in sporting events. Usually an abundance of eager learners after Wimbledon and the World Cup.
The going rate: £1520 an hour for individual coaching, £10-15 for a class.
Modelling:
Not an option for all of us, but for the genetically blessed it can be a great money spinner. The obvious attractions of glamorous locations, luxury freebies and very well-paid work make it a great part time job for students.
Most of the work seems to be for advertisements, and guys can get as much work as girls. The practical side of getting modelling work can be a little more mundane and involves going to castings all over the city, where models audition for advertising or fashion show work. You must be with an agency to get work, and it can prove expensive because of the pricey portfolio of photographs needed. A portfolio can cost anything from £100 to £400. However, you might get lucky and be spotted by the agency talent scouts who trawl the country and take in the student fashion shows.
Availability: There is always a demand for new models.
The going rate: Varies according to the work.
Universities
Every university has an administration department and they are often in need of temporary staff to do some urgent filing or a few weeks' secretarial work. The work can be tedious, but very handy if you need money fast. Drop in your CV, and you will be put on file. In general, though, universities are great places to work as you are surrounded by your peers and can spend dissolute lunch breaks in the bar playing pool or playing weird computer games. Other places to which to apply are the shops or tourist attractions on campus. Summer work is also available cleaning the residences for visiting tourists.
Availability: Always a chance of a few days work.
The going rate: £57 an hour.
Shops
Like bars and restaurants, the majority of shops are very short-staffed at the moment. Shop work involves long hours on your feet, short breaks, dealing with large sums of money, credit card transactions, cheques, gift tokens and probably requires the most training of all part-time jobs. If you are lucky enough to get work in a shop you like, you can benefit from any available staff reductions. Also, some shops operate on commission, so if you enjoy the work, the profit margin can be high. The smaller the shop, the more pressure there is to give a hard sell to customers; and the more staff there is, the better the Christmas party!
Availability: Very good, always a demand for extra staff at Christmas.
The going rate: £510 an hour, the higher end of the pay scale usually applies to overtime or Sunday work.
Chambermaiding
Possibly the most gruelling of part-time jobs, so it comes as no surprise that there are always vacancies. But the positive points of being a "house assistant", as they are now called, is that the hours are regular, the pay is much higher than the minimum wage and hotels usually provide a slap-up breakfast to start the day. However, the work is physically exhausting and not for the faint-hearted. As well as lifting king-size mattresses, putting starched linen on the beds and hoovering, bathrooms must be cleaned, rooms dusted and the magazines arranged. Most chambermaids work in pairs and are given an average of 10 bedrooms a shift.
Availability: Very good, will get even better when all those trendy new hotels are completed.
The going rate: Usually £7 an hour.
