InnoBlog: A guide to part-time (ing) in Europe

Most part-time jobs in Europe pay on an hourly basis. Depending on the role you are performing and the country you are located in, this pay will vary vastly. While it could help support some of your monthly expenses, this is not a guarantee for every job that is advertised out there. Furthermore, it can be enticing to pursue part-time roles, take some time to settle into your university and see if you would have the time to manage both. If you are a foreigner, do ensure that your VISA allows you to have a part-time job. Some countries such as Netherlands has a strict 10-hour a week maximum for part-time jobs taken up by students.

Companies are usually looking for students who could potentially help with simple coding exercises that could develop towards end of project time. Generally, start-ups and small-medium enterprises provide such opportunities. The skills most commonly seen being looked out for are HTML, SQL, Java and/or Python. Pick these skills up or brush them over in order to be eligible for such roles. Best would be to have a portfolio of projects that you have worked on, to stand out from the other applicants. If you do have prior experience with such projects, a good idea would also be to look for work-from-home jobs in your home country.

While some companies may require you to be physically present at the office, marketing and communication roles usually allow for flexibility, both in terms of working from home and in terms of the hours. Knowing the local language will definitely be an advantage, as you will have to create content or communicate in both English and the local language of the country. Beware though, these jobs are very popular hence in some of the cases the companies do not pay any stipend for this role.

While time consuming, doing part-time work for your university can be rewarding and well suited for engineers. Take the time to talk to your professors to gauge the requirements in the lab and courses, to try and find a suitable role for yourself. Such roles are not advertised, but given out on a personal preference basis, so do not forget to get in touch with your favorite professors! Being a lab assistant will definitely mandate strict schedules, without any flexibility in terms of working from home. 

Several mobile application companies, such as food delivery services, ride sharing and electric scooter vehicles require volunteers to deliver food, collect (and charge) e-scooters or perform other ad hoc services. These jobs are also paid on an hourly basis, but can be physically strenuous in cold countries.

Other technical jobs catering to your field of study might be difficult to find part-time. Internships in Europe require 35-40 hours weekly commitment and are generally not flexible for part-time. You can however work as a full-time intern in the summer, and convert it to part-time later, when your second year begins. While it is important to stay connected to the job network, don’t forget to take some time off to travel, relax and enjoy the beautiful student life Europe offers!

by Malavika Venugopal, Master's in Renwable Energy