5 Ways to Make Money at University to Catapult your Future Career

There are many ways that you can earn a living when you’re at uni, from bar work to retail, there’s no shortage of opportunities. But if you’re serious about carving yourself a future career whilst studying then there are ways you can step onto the ladder without having to sacrifice your entrepreneurial quest.

Your tuition fees may have you waking up in a cold sweat every night, but these money making schemes are not just a quick fix to settle your student loan, but jobs that can help you get on the fast track to finding your feet once university is over.

Blogging

The ‘blogosphere’ has boomed over recent years, and although it’s a heavily saturated market with every man and his dog blogging about contouring to life hacks, there is always room for more.

Admittedly, you may never make the millions that pours in for internet sensation Zoella, but you can earn a comfortable living from putting your fingers to the keyboard.

Setting up a blog is free, and even the blogging gadgets required will most likely be in your possession already.

Once you’ve begun publishing regular content and spreading it across social media, sponsorship and advertising can enable you to start earning a living that can pay for the jaeger bombs and foam parties.

The best part is blogging is now seen as skill, and many future employers have begun to see this as an added bonus alongside your qualifications.

It really doesn’t matter what you write about, it’s about showing off your skills and being dedicated.

Photography

Do you envisage yourself to be the next David Bailey?

Then you’re in the right place at the right time.

The world is obsessed with a great looking picture – hence the domination of Instagram and Snapchat.

But even if you don’t have a professional camera, the high quality of camera phones is beginning to rival that of many of the current camera’s on the market.

Get snap happy and upload them onto sites such as Istock, Shutterstock and Fotolia.

The bigger the image size the more money you can sell them for.

In a world where image is everything, advertisers and social media marketers are constantly searching these sites for images they can use in their campaigns, so making money from your photographs can be a profitable project.

There are many step-by-step guides, such as this one, but ensure to setup an Instagram account also and document your work using the appropriate trending hashtags. This will help to amplify your social media presence and make you look like a pro even if you’re still playing amateur.

Ebay vs Etsy

If you haven’t heard the story of Nasty Gals CEO Sophia Amoruso then you must have had your head in the clouds.

Practically broke, Sophia would purchase vintage fashion items, rejuvenate them and sell them for a higher fee on ebay. From small beginnings, Sophia now owns a multi-miliion pound fashion brand that has taken the world by storm.

You may not be into vintage glad rags, but with the rise of Ebay stores and the craft cult of Etsy, it doesn’t matter what you turn your hand to, you can create a business from your dorm room in a matter of minutes.

As long as you do your competitor research and offer a product that has a specific unique selling point, then you could well be on your way to retail domination.

Tutor

Teaching can be a fulfilling career, but one that can take time and hard work.

However, you don’t need to sit back and wait until exams are over to know if it’s the thing you want to do.

Tutoring younger students on a subject your well educated on can be a profitable way to make it through uni alive, and help to give your CV a boost in the process for any future school placements you need for your teaching course.

There are tutoring agencies out there, but they may take a small percentage of your fee.

It may be more profitable to offer your services to any family friends or relatives so that you can gain a glowing reference and not have to cough up any fees once your pay check comes in.

Extra

The world of acting is one of the hardest industries to break into, and we’ve heard the horror stories.

But whilst your waiting tables or getting bar work don’t forget that being an extra can also help to get your foot in the door and boost your bank balance.

Ricky Gervais famously made his way into showbiz by being an extra, so there’s no reason it can’t work for you.

Sign up to a few ‘extras’ agencies and you’ll soon find yourself standing around on a film set and getting paid for it.

With the possible opportunity of good pay and rubbing shoulders with the celebs, it’s safe to say we swap celeb spotting over drunken customers any day of the week!

Tags: make money

Category: College and Careers