Harshdeep Singh, MSC Marketing, University of Bath

Landing in the UK for studies? Awesome! But let’s be real, the ‘student budget’ thing? , living costs in the U.K. are at an all-time high at the moment and are expected to rise further as time passes. For many students coming from India, it can be difficult to manage their regular expenses and travel with their parent’s money or maybe an education loan, and for others, it’s their inner drive that gives them an itch to live at their own expenses.

Sure, a part-time job helps with the budget, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about getting to know the real UK, the people, the culture, the whole vibe. It’s a massive learning curve, especially coming from India. And that first UK job? It’s a great deal for your CV. Trust me, employers notice.

Following are a few hacks I used to land upon 3 part-time jobs during my 1 year of master’s degree at the University of Bath:

CV Drop-ins:

CV drop-ins work. Even after new GDPR rules prohibiting stores from collecting in-person CV copies due to data privacy reasons, some of them, especially restaurants, do accept your CVs and only hire from them.

What to do once you have your CV copies?

Just go to the city centre and target all the stores and restaurants you’d like to work at. Visit the cashier’s desk and follow the script, “Hey! I was just checking if you guys are hiring for any part-time roles at the moment.” If yes, continue the discussion, know more about the role, etc.
P.s. Do not ask for salary anytime before the end of your interview. Do not settle for anything less than the minimum pay rate for your age group.

If not, make sure to hand over your CV and keep following up after a brief period of time.

Start from Day 1:

Sustaining a living in the U.K. becomes way easier if you have a constant source of income from your initial days, and you end up saving up a significant amount of money. A right decision I took was to start applying from the very next day of landing in the country. This helped me have an edge over other applicants, and my applications were screened, and I landed upon a job within the first two weeks, while others had not even done their market research.

Tailored and Personalised CV:

Tailoring your application allows you to make a memorable impression, showcasing your dedication and attention to detail. Even small changes, like carefully integrating relevant skills and keywords from the job description into your CV, can significantly strengthen your profile and make it more appealing to recruiters. These personalised touches can elevate your application and demonstrate genuine effort to prospective employers.

Add a cover letter, ALWAYS

In a competitive job market, a thoughtfully written cover letter can showcase your qualifications and clearly demonstrate why you are the perfect fit for the position. Moreover, it helps you stand out, as many applicants skip creating cover letters for part-time roles—but NOT YOU!
If you have the opportunity to upload a PDF or Word document, including a simple, professional header (as shown below) can significantly enhance the impression of your cover letter.

NETWORK:

You being a part of the J2M community already marks the start of your networking journey. Establishing a strong network is essential when settling abroad. Personally, I’ve helped 6 of my friends secure part-time jobs through my references and goodwill, simply because they were part of my NETWORK. Participate in social mixers, parties, Bollywood nights, and embrace every opportunity to say “YES” to plans you come across. Staying visible and engaged, especially during the initial weeks, can greatly benefit you, not just professionally, but in other aspects of life as well.

Just Start:

Having read this blog post, you’ve wrapped up the research phase on securing a part-time job in the U.K. It’s time to move beyond the research loop and the dopamine boost of feeling accomplished—now take action! Begin by crafting a polished CV and a template cover letter (available in the attachment or reach out to me for help). Build a compelling profile on all major job search platforms, and don’t forget to print copies and distribute them to stores around the city. Take the first step toward landing that job!
Securing a job in this country, whether part-time or full-time, has never been an easy task. However, dedicating your efforts and landing that one opportunity can pave the way to achieving your career aspirations. Feel free to reach out to me at bavejeharshdeepsingh@gmail.com and connect with me on LinkedIn at Harshdeep Singh Baveje. Together with the J2M team, I’d be delighted to support you on your Journey 2 Middle.