The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

THE BENEFITS OF WORKING A PART-TIME JOB

AS A STUDENT

Student: HO DINH LAN PHUONG

Student code: 20DH710262

Supervisor: VUU TIEN VI ( M.A.)

The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

05/2021

DETAILED OUTLINE

Topic: The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

I. INTRODUCTION:

Hook

“You reap what you sow” (the New Testament of the Bible, Galatians
6:7). The students who have part-time jobs are more likely to bring the
differences to their harvest. Nowadays, the number of students who are seeking
a part-time job while attending college is increasing by the day. The central
question, therefore, becomes: Are part-time jobs beneficial or detrimental to a
student? Apart from certain negative effects, part-time job has played a
significant role in students’ lives and jobs since it provides students with
several advantages.

Background information

 According to Wikipedia’s research (2022), a part-time job is defined as a

form of employment that has less hours per week than a full-time job and
often has rotational shifts. Another article published in 1990 by Thurman
and Trahs states that part-time job is regular wage with less hours worked
than usual.
 Historically, part-time jobs have been associated with youth, but more
parents and elderly professionals are adopting part-time work to achieve
work-life balance. In 1982, Rotchford and Roberts claimed that part-time
employees have been dubbed the “missing person” of organizational
research though part-time employees make up nearly one-fifth of the
workforce, relatively little empirical research has focused on part-time
employees.
 According to an International Labour Organization poll conducted in 2010,
the number of part-time employees in most industrialized nations, except
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

the United States, has risen from one-quarter to a half in the last 20 years.
The results of a 2012 survey by RecruitiFi suggested that the majority of
American workers would rather choose the flexibility of a part-time
position than the decent salaries of a full-time job.
 Part-time job is important since it is the path to success and can help anyone
at any stage of life.
 It could offer training as well as experience. In particular, it provides
students with three primary benefits: soft skills, financial support, and job
opportunities.

Thesis statement:

In conclusion, the benefits that a student gets on deciding to engage in

part-time jobs are endless. As a result, students should work part-time during
their university years because they would already be winners once they
graduate.

II. BODY
1. Main idea 1: Soft skills
 Supporting idea 1: Time management skills.
+ Encourages students to improve time management skills which are difficult
to develop without activities outside the colleges or universities.
+ If students have this kind of soft skills, they treasure every time they get and
use it efficiently.
+ In detail, it will help students to show how they are capable of keeping a
balance between their study and their work and ensure that they spend enough
time on their academic commitments such as homework or exercise
assignments. As a result, their time management skills will be developed.
 Supporting idea 2: Communication skills

+ If students are good at communication, they will have more chances to

become a part of the company they want to work for.
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

+ Nowadays, many employers will not only appraise a student's application

based on the grades, but they will also expect the future employees to have
some soft skills, especially communication skills.
+ According to Syed, S (2016) shared: “As you are able to communicate well,
you are also portraying a positive and professional image, helping you to pave
your career paths better and more successfully.”
+ For example, if the employer instructs the employee to give a monthly sales
report or the employer needs some employee to answer their questions,
therefore the teenagers need to learn how to communicate well to avoid using
abusive or incomprehensible words by the employer.
 Supporting idea 3: Working under pressure skills

+ "People under pressure don’t work better, they just work faster." said
TomDemarco.

+ The ability to work under pressure is an extremely valuable quality.

+ Students can gain these necessary skills by attending in part-time jobs when
they have to balance between work and study, deal with an emergency in work,
etc.
+ Effective planning and time-management (to mitigate or allow for
unexpected problems for example) can reduce the likelihood of some
pressurized situations occurring but will not eradicate them completely.
+ Maund (2001:299) states that “individuals exhibiting high stress within the
workplace will affect the organization and the achievement of Organisational
goals”.

Concluding sentence: It is undeniable that having a part-time job as a student

would help them in developing some necessary interpersonal skills which a
college or university can’t teach.

2. Main idea 2: Financial support

 Supporting idea 1: Know the value of money in their early life.
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

+ Since it helps teach students the value of money, they learn how long it takes
and how much effort they need to put in to save up a specific sum. Shopping
with their own hard-earned cash is a lot different than having parents pay.
+ They will understand that they do not automatically have disposal incomes
and that money comes from hard work. Furthermore, it would encourage them
to spend money only on necessities.
+ When students know the value of money in their early life, they will spend it
wisely.
 Supporting idea 2: Earn income
+ Working part-time may help them have more income to pay tuition and share
the financial burden with their parents.
+ Students who engage in part-time jobs get paid for the services offered hence
the earnings obtained can be used to partly relieve the students’ financial
burden they could have.
+ As evidence of this, a college or university student often spends at least three
years finishing their study syllabus, which substantially triggers a big debt.
+ In fact, there has been an increase in the number of students leaving college
or university because they don’t have enough money to pay for training fees in
recent years.
+ Therefore, it is essential that students work part time to reduce the debt.
- Supporting idea 3: Earning money will develop a sense of accountability that in
turn develops financial management skills.
+ Nobody does budget with the pocket money they got from parents but when
students start earning and spending their hard-earned money, then, they start
thinking about it and plans how and where they will spend their money and
how much they spend as well as save.
+ It is true that when students earn their own salary, they think twice about how
they will spend it. Being financially aware from a young age is very important.
+By taking control of their spending choices, they can decide how much to
save from paycheques towards future education, a new laptop, the down
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

payment for a car, or the new jeans or shoes they want. This type of planning
helps prepare them for financial stability later in life.
Concluding sentence: As a result, having a part-time job would not only help
students improve their financial support but also know the value of money as
well as gain financial management skills.

III. CONCLUSION
Restate the thesis statement
Summary
Suggestion
Prediction

The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

Introduction
First and foremost, part-time jobs have a significantly positive influence on
one’s soft skills. Having a part-time job assists students in developing time
management skills. It can be argued that working part-time can encourage students to
improve time management skills which are difficult to develop without activities
outside the colleges or universities. When students have these kinds of soft skills, they
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

treasure every time they get and use it efficiently. In particular, it will assist students
in demonstrating how they are capable of keeping a balance between their study and
their work in order to ensure that they spend enough time on their academic
commitments such as homework or exercise assignments. As a consequence, their
time management skills will be developed. Furthermore, another necessary skill that
students may gain if they work part-time while studying is communication skills.
Students who are effective communicators will have more opportunities to work for
the firm they want to work for in the future. Many businesses nowadays will not just
evaluate a student's application based on grades, but they will also expect future
workers to have certain soft skills, especially communication skills. According to
Syed, S (2016) shared: “As you are able to communicate well, you are also portraying
a positive and professional image, helping you to pave your career paths better and
more successfully.” In a working environment, for example, if the employer instructs
the employee to provide a monthly sales report or the employer requires some
employees to answer their questions, the teenagers must learn how to communicate
effectively in order to avoid the employer using abusive or incomprehensible
language. When students improve communication skills, they definitely communicate
confidently in any places such as in public, in class and so on without any nervous
feeling. Besides, they also know how to use suitable words to communicate in variety
situations. Thanks to a part-time job, students can gain working under pressure skills
that are difficult to develop without activities outside the colleges or universities. As
Tom Demarco (2010) said, "People under pressure don't work better, they just work
faster.” This indicates that when individuals work under pressure, they do not feel at
ease and want to complete the task as soon as possible rather than spending a lot of
time enhancing the quality of their work or put efforts on it. The capacity to operate
under pressure is a highly useful skill. Students can gain these necessary skills by
attending part-time jobs when they have to balance work and study, deal with an
emergency at work and so on. Effective planning and time management can mitigate
or accommodate unanticipated challenges, which can lower the risk of some tense
situations arising. Maund (2001:299) states that “Individuals exhibiting high stress
within the workplace will affect the organization and the achievement of
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

Organizational goals”. It is undeniable that having a part-time job as a student would

help them in developing some necessary soft skills that a college or university cannot
teach such as time management skills, communication skills and working under
pressure skills.

Secondly, students are able to get financial support when they have part-time
jobs. This remains one of the greatest perks of working part-time while in college or
school. Students may be able to make extra money in addition to the funds provided
by their parents for daily living needs. Working part-time may provide them with
extra income to pay tuition and split the financial load with their parents. As evidence
of this, a college or university student frequently spends at least three years
completing their study curriculum, resulting in a significant amount of debt. Melanie
Hanson (2021) states that there has been an increase in the number of students
dropping out of college or university due to a lack of money to pay for training fees in
recent years. When students have such bills to pay off, having an extra source of
income is definitely beneficial. They may also utilize this money to enjoy more trivial
expenses in life, whether by going shopping, going out, or putting it towards
something useful. Furthermore, they will be capable of doing something as a reward
of their industriousness such as organizing some trips with family and friends.
Students who engage in part-time jobs are compensated for the services they provide,
hence the earnings obtained can be used to partly relieve some of the student's
financial burdens that they may face. In addition, working part-time jobs helps
students have a comprehension perception about the value of money in their early life.
According to a 2018 study released by the UK government's Money Helper service,
the early experiences children have with money might impact their financial behavior
as adults. They know that if they want to expand their financial resources, they have to
work for it. Also, students will comprehend that they do not automatically have
available incomes as well as money comes from hard work. Since it teaches students
the value of money, they learn how long it takes and how much effort they need to put
in to save up a specific sum. Shopping with their own hard-earned cash is much
different from their having parents pay. Furthermore, it would encourage them to
spend money only on necessities and use it wisely. This could lead to a lifelong
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

improvement in their ability to selfp lanning and reflection in their thinking about
money, or they may learn how to regulate their impulses and emotions in a way that
promotes positive financial behaviour later in life. Earning money from part-time jobs
as a student will inspire a sense of accountability which in turn develops their
financial management skills. Nobody does budgeting with the pocket money they got
from parents, but when students start earning and spending their own hard-earned
money, they begin to think as well as plan how and where they will spend their money
or how much they will save the rest. It is apparent that when students earn their own
salary, they think twice about how they will spend it. It is critical to developing
financial awareness at an early age. For example, by taking control of their spending
choices, they can decide how much to save from paycheques towards future
education, a new laptop, the down payment for a car, or the new jeans or shoes they
want. This type of planning helps prepare them for financial stability later in life. In
conclusion, having a part-time job would not only help students improve their
financial support but also help them learn the value of money as well as gain financial
management skills.

Last but not least, brighter future opportunity is one of the most obvious advantages
that part-time jobs bring to students. When teenagers or adult who is doing a part-time
job, they will learn many skills and experiences from their employers which can
enhance their CV and make them more employable. There are just some skills, which
a college or university can’t teach skills such as commitment, time-management,
teamwork, leadership, customer service, communication and organization, problem-
solving, and other components that help someone throughout their career. Students
can actually mention these things in their CV or Resume, as it shows that they have
transferable skills. When writing or updating your CV, showing that they have been in
employment will look good and work in their favour. It will help you when you are
applying for your graduate job, as your work can act as a reference for you. Such
experiences help students to become more rounded individuals, enhance their CVs
when they apply for scholarships or work after graduation and provide employers with
valuable insight into an individual’s aptitude, personality, and ambitions. According to
the American Gap Association’s survey (2020), 90% of alumni who used to have part-
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

time job surveyed told that their part-time job helped them develop skills which
acttact the employer’s attention. Additionally, experiencing part-time jobs will
increase the chances of working in large corporations on the career path in the future.
This is a place where people can show their ability and work in professional
environment with an experienced staff. Working a part-time job allows students to try
a lot of different tasks and refine skills that might help them find their passions. As
you work, you understand the detailed feature as well as the aspects of different jobs
and career paths that might make yours a little clearer. As a result, whether it is
reinforcing your passion for health or your new dream to go into student affairs,
having a part-time job can help make your future a little bit clearer. It means that they
can determine exactly what they like or what they want to do. For an instance, a
student who attended a computer science class, and working as a library assistant can
easily relate how the concepts of computer science classes can help in designing a
library management software. Part-time jobs allow you to try out a variety of roles to
help you make your mind up for a future career. Moreover, you can use your part-time
job to get an introduction to a career or area of interest you desire to go into after
finishing your college. This experience will help you stand out from the other
candidates at interview; you can begin networking with others in your chosen field
because forming professional relationships at this early stage will help your chances of
gaining employment early after graduation. Additionally, relationship is a major
elements and necessary which students as well as others should have in their life.
Through part-time jobs students will have chances to create more relationships with
their friends, colleagues or even the boss. Because in the working environment, they
are compulsory to communicate with many people to work together in a project.
Therefore, they will easily have more new colleagues and friends. For instance, when
people meet colleague at workplace, they have chance to make more relationship.
Through those people, someone can obtain more useful knowledge or skills for
himself. Furthermore, they can share experiences that they overcome to help our can
avoid some bad situations in life. According to Unknown (2019), “A friend is one who
overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden”. Indeed, having
a close friend or partner to share the good times simply feels wonderful.
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

They can achieve all of these precious things from their employers, colleagues or even
team. After that, thanks to these values, they will easily to have a stable job and know
how to apply the experiences into their work. This will help them to promote soon in
the future. According to Indira Gandhi(2018), “ Every new experience bring its own
maturity and a greater clarity of vision”. Indeed, every experience in our lives gives us
something useful to help all of us grow up every single day. The biggest advantage
that part-time jobs bring, people can apply what they learn into the authentic
environment. It can include major knowledge and some skills such as presenting,
communicating, selling and so on. For example, part-time is a good place to give
opportunity to practice communication. In general, part-time jobs not only help
improve skills, but it also help broaden horizon. A person have a part-time job, he can
gain experience, make many new friends and have chance to apply their knowledge
into real life.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that part-time jobs have brought significant

benefits for students’ career path as well as self-grownup. Having part-time jobs as
students are a positive phenomenon, and one of the most effective ways to form
successful life in the future. Besides, through part-time jobs students can improve
as well as enhance some skills. One more thing, they will have more
opportunities in the future such as work in big corporations or have many
relationships with experienced people. Therefore, students should have at least a
part-time job while they are studying in university. However, students should
choose a part-time job that is suitable for their ability as well as their health.
Moreover, they should set up a clear plan to manage their time effectively and
to make everything can be done punctually. This will also help them have time
and energy to spend for their study. The last one is that besides spending time
for study and part-time jobs, students should spend their time for some outdoor
activities to help refresh their mind. It is likely that part-time jobs will become a
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

popular activity, so the students rate have part-time job are also increasing in the
near future.

When society encourages the young people to participate in

part-time jobs, it can reduce the percentage of unemployment in the country. If the
percentage of unemployment decreases, it can boost economic growth and eradicate
widespread poverty among society. However, if society is always selfish and does not
want to advise young people to participate in part-time work, the causes is they will be
lazy and unable to be independent to earn their own income. The country also will
lose
a skilled workforce due to lack of awareness of the benefits of having a part-time job.
In conclusion, the advantage of having a part-time job is a fact countless.
Part-time jobs are a positive phenomenon, and one of the most effective ways to form
successful human capital. When society encourages the young people to participate in
part-time jobs, it can reduce the percentage of unemployment in the country. If the
percentage of unemployment decreases, it can boost economic growth and eradicate
widespread poverty among society. However, if society is always selfish and does not
want to advise young people to participate in part-time work, the causes is they will be
lazy and unable to be independent to earn their own income. The country also will
lose
a skilled workforce due to lack of awareness of the benefits of having a part-time job.

To sum up, a part-time job offers students the opportunities to gain skills and
experiences for their further education and future job.
The Benefits of Working a Part-time Job as a Student

REFERENCES

E.Faber(2020). Best Finance Quotes: Financial and Money Management made Easy
Retrieved from https://fintrakk.com/best-finance-quotes-money-management/

Indira Gandhi(2018). 35 Inspirational Quotes on Experience.

Retrieved from https://www.awakenthegreatnesswithin.com/35-inspirational-

quotes-on-experience/

Jara Jaye Frank(2008). Promotion Sayings and Promotion Quotes.

Retrieved from https://www.wisesayings.com/promotion-quotes