Have you ever wondered about the experience of working at King's while studying? There are plenty of part-time jobs available for students every year and we wanted to discover first-hand what it's like.
We sat down with Zaina Mirza, who studies BA Liberal Arts, to learn about her experience working in the Careers & Employability team.
Can you tell us about what you do?
I'm a Careers Engagement Assistant on the communications side working with the Marketing and Communications team to handle emails and social media.
I’ve written copy for and designed emails that promote events. Currently I'm working on a video series with the Career Consultants. I handle the filming, editing and weekly posting of these videos every Wednesday.
I am also doing an audit of the Careers & Employability website to see which pictures need updating, sourcing and then collecting the updated ones.
Did you use the Careers & Employability services to find this job?
I actually found this job through King's Talent Bank, which I signed up to when I became a student ambassador. I've used King’s CareerConnect before, mostly to find events, but there are a lot of great jobs and opportunities as well.
I used the Careers & Employability KEATS pages, but I didn't know the full extent of the resources they have available before I started this job. I’d definitely use the Careers Appointments if I was looking for a job now.
What have you enjoyed most in this job?
Definitely the video series. It took a lot to organise and edit but meeting the Careers Consultants has been beneficial from a student perspective because they offered me valuable advice for my future career.
I also like the social media aspects of the role, including the analytics and exploring how you can increase engagement.
The whole job has been rewarding because I want to work in marketing and communications. It's been great to learn about the industry and gain important skills that I'm going to need in the future.
Tell us more about the skills you've developed in this role.
I’ve picked up a lot of skills through this job, especially copywriting, which is vital for marketing and communications. Designing posts for social media is also good experience to have, because I want to do more digital marketing.
How have you found balancing studying and working at King’s?
It was challenging at first, but I found a good balance because it's part-time. It’s 10 hours per week, so I usually do five hours over two days. On Mondays I had a lecture in the evening so it was great that I could come into the office in the morning and then go to my lecture. It motivated me to go to the class.
What are the benefits of working part time at King’s?
You get more involved in university life through understanding how King's is structured. It's been fascinating to learn about professional services because, as a student, I only thought about the academic side, and there's so much more to King’s.
I think having a job outside of King’s can be equally rewarding, but I really enjoyed working here because I can manage it easily with my studies. For example, the office is on my home campus, so I don't have to travel to another location.
What advice would you give to students looking for a Job at King’s?
I would always look out for newsletters because they usually have a section for opportunities. I also recommend becoming a student ambassador to get experience. Once you find something you'll be tuned into even more opportunities, so just get involved.