Tips To Find Christmas Temp Jobs for Students

Christmas is nearly here! Santa is on his way, and we’ve already got the tree up and the Christmas films on the laptop to get into the festive season early this year at Essential Student Living.  

As a student, you’ll want to make the most out of the festive period, by going out with friends and enjoying the Christmas activities in your town.

What happens though if you are running low when it comes to your student budget?  

Looking for Christmas and January temp jobs for students could be the perfect solution.

A short-term, part-time job that works around your studies and gives you that extra little bit of cash to enjoy yourself this Christmas – you deserve it! 

We’ve put together a guide and some tips to help you fully understand temp jobs for students over the festive period.  

Why A Christmas Temp Job Is A Good Idea

You might be wondering why you should go looking for a temp job at all, student life is hard enough at university as it is, right?  

It is, and you should never look for a job that will take up too much of your time, leave you with burnout issues and a job that compromises your ability to study and do well at university.  

However, there are some good reasons to go looking for a temp job this Christmas and into January, and they could matter to you in the right circumstances – find out below!  

1. Demand For Temp Jobs Available

During the run up to Christmas and in January, there are more temp jobs available, especially in the retail and hospitality sectors.  

There is plenty of demand in both these areas, so temporary staff are taken on to help sell more stock, or to help manage the influx of Christmas parties and drinkers in pubs, bars, and restaurants for a month or so. 

2. Gain Valuable Experience

No matter what course you are studying at university, or what future career you have in mind, hands-on experience in any job is valuable to you.  

It helps you to see what it is like to work in different environments, to take instruction, to work as part of a team, and to face the challenges of customer service.  

3. Boost Your CV

Adding to your CV with practical experience alongside academic achievements is always the ideal scenario for any student.  

When it comes time to apply for a job when you leave university, or further education, showing that you have the willingness to work hard and to learn new things in different areas of life is always a positive thing for a potential employer to see on your CV. 

4. Look To A Future Career

You might be lucky enough to find temp jobs for students within an industry or specific company that you want to work for in the future.  

Keep an eye out for temporary jobs and part-time work with a company that you see as an ideal fit for your post-university career.  

Also, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask directly for temp work or work experience.  

5. Meet New friends & Have Fun

Getting a temporary job is a good way to meet new people, to build your self-confidence, and to have fun.  

You’ve worked hard at university, and even though you’ll be working over Christmas in a temp job it is a completely different scenario, away from the stress.  

You might even be lucky enough to become a Christmas elf and help Santa give presents to children this Christmas, how much fun would that be?! 

6. Stretch Your Student Budget

The biggest reason for many students looking for temp work over Christmas is to stretch your student budget before the next student loan comes in – it feels like a lifetime away right now, eh? 

Temp jobs for students are designed to be useful for the employer, as it fills the staff numbers up quickly and easily, whilst giving the temporary staff some extra cash at a time they need it the most. 

What Christmas Temp Jobs Are Available For Students?

Most temp jobs for students over the Christmas and January period will be based in retail and hospitality.  

It’s the busiest time of year for both sectors, and as such, you will find a whole host of potential temp jobs to apply for.

Whether you are staying around your university town over Christmas or going home and looking for some short-term work back there.  

There are loads of different specific job roles available around this time of year.

In bars and clubs, employers are looking for staff behind the bar and glass collectors, whilst in restaurants and cafés there might be a need for extra pairs of hands to add to the waiting staff team.  

In supermarkets, seasonal jobs to stack shelves at various times of the day and night are appealing to some students searching for temp jobs, whilst call centre work is also available and a popular short-term choice.  

Delivery drivers and warehouse staff are big opportunities during the Christmas rush for present buying across the country.

Plus, if you are excited by Christmas-specific roles, look towards the job listings for Christmas markets, ice rinks, and the like in your local area.  

You might find a job helping to sort through Christmas post, become one of Santa’s little helpers, or a gift wrapper in a department store.  

There is such a HUGE variety of Christmas temp jobs out there for you to search for! 

Ask For Help From Temp Specific Recruiters

If you are desperate to find temp jobs for students this Christmas, we’d say the first thing to do is to ask for help from specialists.  

Spread the search as far and wide as is possible for you, as there are so many different areas looking for extra staff each year (as you can see above).  

Use job websites such as Indeed and use recruitment agencies with specific Christmas listings.  

What You Should Know About Temp Jobs

Most temp jobs for students over the festive period will be at times you would not usually work in a daytime office job – the traditional 9-5 this is not.  

Depending what part of the Christmas period you are working, most employers will expect temporary staff to work at least one day out of Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day, especially in retail and hospitality settings.  

You must be sure that you are available (and willing) to work these days and hours before applying for a job.  

The hours might be unsociable, working at night, weekends and even across the Christmas holidays. 

 If you are taking the temporary job for the right reasons, and you also make time for your own mental health and wellbeing you’ll enjoy the time. 

Apply Early For Student Temp Jobs

The earlier you can apply for a temporary job this Christmas, the better.  

There are some industries that require staff from mid-November right through to after Christmas, whilst others might need help in January with the sales.  

If you want to get in early and work up until the Christmas break at university, start looking now.  

The Application Process

Searching for temp jobs for students is just a short-term measure, whether you are after hands-on experience or just some extra cash in your pocket.  

If you end up frustrated and stressed over the application process it might not be worthwhile at all – this isn’t an exercise in making your life more difficult.  

Some companies will favour an online application where you upload your CV and answer a few questions.  

For some jobs, such as hospitality and retail, you might be asked to go for an informal chat or interview in person.  

It is important to put some character into the personalisation of your application though.

You always want to make a great first impression with your cover letter to make sure you have the best chance of being selected for an interview! 

References Are Still Important

You might think that for a temp job it isn’t worthwhile (or needed) to find references to go on your application.  

Most jobs will require you to include good references.  

Make sure that you have some good references lined up before you put together your application letter and touch up your CV.  

This could be a manager in a previous job or one of your tutors or lecturers from university.  

Whatever job you are applying for, a seasonal temp job or a full-time position, you’ll need to showcase what is good about you, the skills you have that are relevant to the job at hand and have references that talk of your character and ability to work.

Stretch your student budget for the festive season by finding a temp job to suit you.  

You’ll meet new people, add relevant work experience to your CV, and earn that extra bit of cash that can go towards Christmas presents and nights out, or just to help you save some money for the future.  

Remember though, you shouldn’t let a job get in the way of your studies, although the end of the term is fast approaching, you’ll more than likely have work you need to complete and assignments to do over the festive season.  

We hope this guide has been helpful to you, let us know how you found your own Christmas temp job as a student @essentialstudentliving.