June 9, 2015, by Laura Estrop
10 things employers will love about your part-time work
By Laura Estrop, Social Media Officer
With exams finished, you’ll be ready to take a well-earned break. Once you’ve had to chance to relax and catch up with family and friends from home, how are you going to spend your summer? Have you thought about doing some part-time work?
Not only will you earn some cash, a part-time work in a bar, office or store is a great way to demonstrate to a future employer that you have the skills and potential they are looking for. I worked at well-known store for over a year and a half and although there were some ups and downs, it was overall, a great learning experience. So, if you’re undecided about applying for a part-time job, let me show you some of the important skills you can gain.
Gain practical and transferable skills employers will love
During my part-time job, I gained and strengthened my skills. These skills included, but were not limited to:
- communication and interpersonal
- team-working
- verbal selling and marketing
- customer service
- learn new tasks quickly and think on my feet
- be proactive
- remain calm under pressure
- cash handling
- taking responsibility for my own workload
- flexibility and being dynamic
What employer wouldn’t value any of these skills? Not only are these vital for anyone looking for a job, they’re also easily transferable and can be used for and in hundreds and thousands of job roles.
Develop yourself
In addition to building skills, the role can also allow you discover more about yourself. Working in retail or any type of customer service role allows you develop a thick skin and the ability to remain professional in circumstances that are out of your control. I quickly learnt not to take everything to heart; it really wasn’t my fault that we didn’t have any of a particular size in the store, but depending on the customer, you can feel a bit bad for not giving them what they wanted. It takes time but afterwards, you’re much more able to be more creative and offer an alternative or solve their issue in a different way.
My role also allowed me to become a much more proactive employee. Usually in the mornings the store was really quiet, so I took it upon myself to clean the mirrors, empty the shop-floor bins and refold clothes. It looks good in front of your manager and when you ask for a reference, they’ll mention it, which is gold-dust to a potential employer.
Finally, it will also make you appreciate friendliness and gratitude in a way you never would have previously thought. I’ll never go into a store again and not respond to a sales assistant who says hello. It honestly never killed anyone to say thank you, but from my own personal experience, there are quite a few people who really believed it might.
Where should I start looking?
If you’re feeling inspired, don’t forget that a part-time job, doesn’t just mean retail or bar work, it can be anything! You could work in an office, become a cleaner or work at an event, don’t limit your search! If you’re staying in Nottingham, Unitemps is a fantastic place to start your search. They are open all year-round and are always looking for candidates. I signed up to their email job alerts and have found many great roles and opportunities as a result. Another good way is to search for a specific company and look on their website to see if they have any current vacancies.
It doesn’t have to be short-term!
Even though it may start out as a summer job; it doesn’t have to end when summer does. The longer you stay at a place, the better it looks on your CV. It shows that you are a trusted employee who is consistent and reliable. All of this looks great on a CV and employers value applicants with wide and varied skill sets. Give it a go, you have nothing to lose and everyone loves some extra cash right?!
If you would like to find out more about part-time work, visit our website or search for jobs on the Unitemps website.
Image source: “Thank you for visiting my page’s photostream” by Cross Iron Mills The unnamed sports store.
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