How do you get a job that's relevant to your studies?

Do you want experience with specific kinds of tasks, or would you like to go exploring and find out what kinds of things you enjoy and are good at in a particular field?

Student jobs lead to higher employment

The main reason to take on a student job is that student jobs can give you better opportunities to find your way into the labour market once you've finished your education. The effect that student jobs have is clear from the statistics. Just one year after graduation, the employment rate among students who held student jobs is about 20% higher than it is for those who didn't hold student jobs.

That means that a student job can help jump-start your career. It teaches you what books don't, and it helps you build your future network.

1. Think about student jobs from the beginning

Consider student job opportunities from the very beginning of your education at uni. What do you think might be exciting? What do you think you'd be good at? Keep an open mind and don’t get bogged down in the salary details.  Your considerations about what you want to get out of a student job are a step on the path toward a clearer picture of who you are and what you're capable of professionally.

Use your school network — such as tutors, older students, and counsellors — to learn where you can find jobs relevant to your education, how to apply to them, and if there's anything in particular you should be aware of when applying.

2. Keep your eyes and ears open, and use your network

Student jobs are posted in various places. The easiest thing to do is to ask older students in your same course of study where they found their student jobs. They might be able to give you some tips.

Apart from that, check LinkedIn. Postings from large businesses and privately owned companies are especially common there. You can also check online job portals and find out if your university has a job bank.

Read more about job portals and what they have to offer

3. Visit potential employers and send unsolicited applications

If you'd like to get into a particular field or particular workplace, you can send in an unsolicited application. You might try calling to ask what opportunities there are, and who you should talk or write to.

Read more about unsolicited applications

4. Be ready to seize an opportunity when it appears

When an employer is looking for a student, they often want to fill the position as quickly as possible. Make it easy for potential employers to see that you're a good candidate. Create a LinkedIn profile to show them what you're capable of. Let them know that you're ready to solve practical problems, too. If you're quick behind the counter or service-orientated from your time working at a bakery, that can only work in your favour. Also, make sure that you can afford to have employers google your name.

Can you afford to be googled?

5. Spend time on your cover letter and your CV

When writing a cover letter and preparing for an interview, be certain of your characteristics as a professional and what you have to offer. What do you have to offer potential employers? If you're certain of that, it makes it easier for others to see, too.

Read more about how to write a good cover letter

As a student and member of DM and MA, you can get help having your cover letter and CV reviewed.

Come to MA for open feedback (in Danish)

6. Prepare for the interview

Are you nervous or unsure of what will happen in the interview? You're not alone in that regard. Consider that the interview is also for you to find out whether a particular place and job are right for you.

Read tips for preparing for an interview

7. Remember that you have a lot to offer

Volunteer work and non-academic work experience count, too. There, you gain the tools and experience you need to work as part of a team, take responsibility for particular areas, and maybe even take on a leadership role during holidays. Those are all things that employers are looking for when choosing someone to hire.