Finding a job whilst at university, whether in Leicester student accommodation or Loughborough accommodation, can be tough especially when a lot of your peers will be applying for the same job as you. You'll be after a perfect job that will allow you to do your studies, pay enough plus give you enough free time to enjoy university. Check out some of our top tips on how you can make your CV stand out from the crowd!

1. Pay attention to your cover letter
Your cover letter is the first thing an employer sees when they open your email/application, so this is why it’s super important to get it right. Having an amazing cover letter means the employer will want to continue reading your CV. Focus on what you can offer, what your career goals are and what transferable skills you have.
Secondly, make it unique. It’s easy to talk about what you can offer, but go into a little bit of detail, customize your message to the company you are applying with, plus don’t just say what you ‘can’ offer but mention what you ‘will’ offer.
The key? Use examples to back up your claims, but don’t overdo it. Sum up the specific skills and experience that make you perfect for the position but remember keep it short and sweet. Keep it between 150-175 words, which is roughly 4 lines.

2. Find your USP (Unique selling point)
Like mentioned earlier, job hunting is extremely competitive. Most applications the employer will receive will have a similar skill set to you, so you need to stand out. Using your USP can help you out, that could be your own blog, social media influencer. side hustle or if you do volunteer work, make sure you load your CV up with anything you believe will make you stand out. Include as many links, and portfolios as you can too!

3. Don’t forget the basics
Your CV won’t stand out if you don’t have the basics down, it’s important your CV is clear, easy to read and thoroughly spell checked, make sure you check your grammar too! Condense your CV to be no more than two pages where possible, only keeping relevant information that really screams wow. Test different layouts, you can even go with one that has a pop of colour. Some people like to add their picture also, this is totally optional. Check out https://zety.com/uk/blog/free-cv-templates for hundreds of amazing CV layouts and templates.

Now you know some key points surrounding making your CV let’s talk about how you can gain experience whilst at university.

Join a club
This can be an excellent addition to your CV, not only does this show you are committing to something you love, but also you are a team player. Ask staff if there is anything you can help with around the campus. Check in with your accommodation manager to see if there is anything you can help with, this is a perfect time to practice your skills, tell them why they should consider letting you help, this can be down to maintaining communal areas, helping with admin bits. Honestly, the list is endless.

Pop into your local cafes, pubs and shops
As we are mid-way through a pandemic many places which would normally be perfect for students to work are closed now, or just starting to reopen which means they might not be looking to hire anyone, but you can always offer your services for free to gain experience working in different industries, remember USP!

Strive for academic awards
The skills you are learning for your degree will be useful throughout your career, let your academic record shine by being selected for an academic reward! Depending on the course taken, some offer prizes, special awards and more for outstanding work and individuals. Some can be self-nominating, don’t be shy to nominate yourself, you deserve it.

Now you know the top tips, it's time to start applying. Check out Jooble to find a fantastic range of part-time jobs perfect for Students.