More and more students prefer to combine work with studying. This is caused by the difficult situation of young people on the labour market. Persons aged 24-35 are the largest group of the unemployed in Poland (28.8%), and younger persons aged up to 24 account for 17.5% of all unemployed persons. This rate has remained on the similar level in the last few years.
‘The high unemployment rate among young people results, among others, from the discrepancy between the education system and the requirements of businesses,’ says Krzysztof Inglot, Director of the Market Development Department in Work Service. ‘A number of new jobs emerging on the market is still hard to find in the educational offer of Polish schools of higher education. For this reason, the acquisition of professional experience during studies is one of the key elements of the improvement of the situation of students and graduates on the labour market. If the situation in the higher education sector does not change, the acquisition of experience during studies will soon be the only alternative for many students, particularly in human studies.’
Most offers in call centers
Most job offers for students can be found in call centers. Working as a telephone customer advisor, students can earn the gross amount of PLN 12-16. Being employed in such a place, they can develop such skills as teamwork, customer service (also in foreign language), communicativeness or work under the pressure of time.
Job candidates are also sought regularly in banking and finance sectors, where the primary requirement is a command of foreign language. Here the rates range from PLN 12 for a clerk or a customer advisor to PLN 19 for a support consultant in the financial department, where an advanced command of English and relevant studies are required. According to career management specialists, work in the banking sector develops analytical thinking skills and expands knowledge in the field of finance. In many cases, these skills can serve as a basis for the further development of career.
Where to look for job offers?
If you are looking for a job, you can find support, e.g., in the Academic Career Centre. The primary task of this organisation is to help students enter the labour market. Here you can acquire information about available training courses or current job offers. Many companies looking for employees among students publish advertisements only in such institutions, which means that young people can find offers addressed particularly to them.
Another solution is to register in the local Labour Office. Apart from acquiring information about available job offers, the student may also consult a professional advisor, who will help him to prepare a professional CV and suggest a relevant individual career path. However, the Labour Office addresses its support only to extramural students.
Work is also an opportunity to serve internships
More and more students look for a job directly in job agencies. Co-operation with an agency gives the possibility of employment in many companies, which translates into rich experience and familiarity with specific features of various professions. Young people most often decide to work occasionally as a waiter or a telephone consultant. Many persons find also a job that corresponds to their field of studies and offers a prospect of longer employment.
‘We help students very often to find a job where they can complete a student internship and make a practical use of knowledge obtained at the university,’ says Krzysztof Inglot. ‘This opportunity is used most often by students of economic fields.
Young people can also look for job advertisements in the press, on the Internet or in career-related social media.
Satisfied employers
What employers appreciate most in young people, is their dynamism, openness and creativity. Students are much more mobile and flexible than experienced employees, who may be restricted by family commitments. In addition, young people often contribute a fresh look to the company and can prepare alternative solutions.
Employing a student gives an employer measurable financial benefits, such as the paid social security benefit (ZUS). Companies usually conclude mandate contracts with young persons, as this type of contract does not require an employer to pay remuneration for the period of illness or holiday and does not provide for a period of notice. This applies to employees who are not more than 26 years old.
