Chicken n Blue Chip

Chicken n Blue Chip Think your part-time job doesn’t relate to your wider career plan? Think again. As Emily Quartly (final year, BSc Economics and Finance) found out, it’s all about transferable skills.   Emily Quartly Being a student is tough enough with baked beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner, let alone trying to fund yourself through the nights out and long days on campus and extortionate student housing. For me, I’ve always worked with the mentality that earning my own money is the best way to guarantee funding for what I want to do. I’ve worked in Nando’s since I was 16 and kept up the part-time job throughout school and University. Nando’s is a great company to work for, the hours were flexible, and everyone I met was hard working and continued to contribute to the growth and success of the restaurant. I never really thought about what Nando’s had given me beyond a payslip and a good Christmas party until I started working in a more corporate environment. I was chatting to a senior manager about my progress and he continually highlighted the fact that I was very approachable…He wasn’t surprised by my history in restaurant waitressing and even said that it’s those kinds of student jobs that give you the best skills. Being an intern you’re told the biggest thing to work on is networking. Networking is another term in my head for a good chat and interactions with each other, which is actually the basis of my waitress job. Interacting with customers, colleagues, managers, and trainees was all key to my student job, especially when it came to handling complaints and general challenges and changes seen in restaurant life. On my last day of my internship with an investment bank I was chatting to a senior manager about my progress and he continually highlighted the fact that I was very approachable and easy to talk to and get along with. Bearing in mind I had spent the best part of 10 hours a day with the team for 5 weeks, it’s so valuable to be recognised as a team member even as an intern. He wasn’t surprised by my history in restaurant waitressing and even said that its those kinds of student jobs that give you the best skills and my transferable skills necessary to progress other areas of career interest. If you’re thinking of taking a job while studying I would highly recommend; it may prove much more valuable to your skill set in the future than you ever thought. I couldn’t agree with him more now! After nearly 4 years I left a great restaurant and joined the Career Zone team, which although a very different job, still gives me networking opportunities and the chance to write pieces like this for other students. I really enjoy working and having some time in the week for something that is special to me and a completely separate focus to my university studies. It teaches you loads of time management, organisation, confidence and integrity as you’re faced with new situations at every turn. If you’re thinking of taking a job while studying I would highly recommend; it may prove much more valuable to your skill set in the future than you ever thought. As for me, I’ll be starting a graduate role at BNP Paribas in September. Find your part-time job here…