Making the most of your part-time job

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Why professional behaviour in your part-time job counts – big time!

You’ve finished school and begun the next step of your life journey, be it studying full or part-time, or perhaps taking a gap year. Maybe you’re even looking for a full-time job and it’s taking longer than you thought. Either way, you have time to spare and too little (if any) money coming in – what should you do?

part-time job part time job for students

Google is a great help when researching part-time or student jobs. There are many options available, depending on your skills and interests. If you are outgoing and sociable, you might consider a job in promotions, as a waiter, or in retail. If you like teaching others and are confident in your ability to do so, you might consider tutoring, and if you like caring for children, au-pairing may be an option for you.

part-time job part time job for students

Regardless of which option you choose, it’s important for you to take your part time job seriously.

Here’s why:

  • It is a chance to gain valuable work experience. Even if it is not in the field of your studies and part-time job part time job for studentsfuture career aspirations, it’s still valuable. This is important for you to start building your CV and to set you apart from your peers with nothing on their CVs. 
  • Gaining work experience will give you references for your CV. This is important when you start applying for jobs. You can only get good references for your CV if you have displayed professional behaviour in your part time job. You need to impress your employer, from being polite and professional when addressing them, to carrying out your tasks on time and to the best of your abilities. If you are always late, unreliable, don’t follow company policies and aren’t committed to your responsibilities, you cannot expect to get a good reference letter.
  • Part time work teaches you valuable life skills necessary for survival in the adult world. Time management, commitment, reliability, speaking to different types of people and teamwork are just a few of these skills.
  • In addition to life skills, you will develop job skills like following  instructions, administrative processes and practical aspects of the type of work you’re doing.
  • Personal growth will happen if you have the right attitude towards your job. You will grow in confidence (after all, someone had enough confidence in you to hire you, even without experience) and grow in your ability to relate to other people.

part-time job part time job for studentsHaving a part time job builds character.

Your part time job might have an impact on other people’s lives: for instance, a committed and engaging tutor can help someone achieve their goals, while an unreliable tutor can negatively impact someone’s academic future. When your actions have an impact on the future of someone else, it becomes especially important to be committed and reliable.

Your part time job might just be a source of income to you, but it can be so much more. If you work hard, engage in your job and commit to doing your best, even a part time job can have a far-reaching impact on your future, and even on the lives of others.

Find out why tutoring is the best part time job, or apply to be a tutor!

Written by Natalie Wilke, BrightSparkz Staff & Blog Writer

Tutor of the Month: March 2018

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Tutor of the month best tutors BrightSparkz tutors

Zandi P is our March 2018 Tutor of the Month!

Zandi matriculated in 2009 from Hyde Park (IEB) with great results all-round. She then went on to complete her Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance and Management through the University of the Witwatersrand, and is currently studying her CIMA Certificate while working part-time. In her spare time she enjoys running, playing soccer and hiking. Zandi joined BrightSparkz last year, not only as an expert Accounting tutor; but also as a concessions facilitator. With her endless patience, warm personality and willingness to help – Zandi soon became one of our most recommended concessions facilitators and tutor. Over the past year, she has assisted over 10 clients all with positive feedback. Zandi is an excellent tutor and we are so proud to have her as part of our BrightSparkz family. 

ADD/ADHD in Girls

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Did you know that the signs differ to those shown by boys?

Your daughter studies hard, takes hours with her homework, and is a diligent learner. Yet these excellent traits are not reflected in her school grades. You may be left wondering about possible reasons for this. An often-undiagnosed reason for this could be that she may have ADD/ADHD.

ADD in girls ADHD in girls

Three times as many young boys as girls are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. It’s thought that this is because the signs are more obvious in boys, and the associated behaviour seen as less acceptable. Young boys who are always on the go, don’t follow instructions and are disruptive in the classroom (or indeed, wherever they go), are easy to recognise. Young girls who are always involved in many activities,;often volunteer to be teacher’s helper and are chatty and social on the other hand; are unlikely to be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Yet this type of behaviour may be amongst the signs of ADD/ADHD in girls and it is usually under-diagnosed. The behaviour is not seen as disruptive as is the behaviour displayed by boys.

Undiagnosed ADHD can lead to problems later in life, such as teen girls engaging in risky behaviour, substance abuse and depression. Some reasons for under-diagnosed ADD/ADHD in girls include the fact that they are more likely than boys to try to meet societal (and their parents’) expectations, and the fact that expectations of the behaviour of girls and boys differ according to societal and family norms. For instance, a boy who is disruptive in class and doesn’t follow instructions is more likely to be seen as a trouble-maker or as having attention difficulties than a girl who displays the same behaviour.

ADD in girls ADHD in girls

Some potential indicators of ADD/ADHD in girls which are easy to overlook are:

  • Spending a lot of time on homework and studying, yet her school grades never reflect the effort
  • Poor time management skills; being easily distracted by social media or the internet, and then having to stay up late to complete assignments
  • Struggling with friendships and appears a little socially awkward, because she does not follow conversations well and misses social cues. Her peers may reject her for being “strange” as she does not fit in, which she desperately wants to do.
  • She is forgetful and often leaves items she needs at home
  • She does not pay attention to detail and may miss important instructions in tests. As a result, she doesn’t always understand what she is reading.
  • Often starting projects that she doesn’t finish
  • She talks – a lot, all the time, even in class when she should be concentrating!
  • Getting involved in a lot of extracurricular activities and always being busy
  • She exhibits noticeable mood swings – one minute over-exuberant and the next severely crushed because of a careless comment that someone has said. She may also seem hyper-sensitive.

ADD in girls ADHD in girls

These are only a few of the signs of ADHD in girls. Some additional signs are shared with boys: a general lack of concentration and being easily distracted. Looking at the signs mentioned above, most do not seem too terrible. Some may be seen as cute or endearing, or even be taken as personality quirks. However, taken together (and with others not mentioned in this article), they do cause a negative impact in a girl’s life.

What can you do to help?

If you recognise some of these signs in your daughter or are concerned in any way, you may want to take your daughter for an assessment. For more information, read the full article here.

If you suspect your daughter has ADD or ADHD, it’s important to get advice from a medical professional. Among the ways that you can help your daughter is to provide personalized tutoring, tailored to her specific learning style. BrightSparkz Tutors has many experienced tutors trained to work with students with ADD/ADHD. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help!