What jobs are in Manchester for students?

Best student jobs in Manchester

Bar Work

What you’ll be doing:

Working in a pub, club or hotel serving drinks to customers.

Essential skills:

This is a customer facing role, so you’ll need your customer service skills to be on point. It helps if you have an outgoing personality and aren’t afraid to deal with customers who’ve perhaps had one too many!

You’ll also be ahead of the crowd if you have previous experience working behind a bar and mixing drinks.

Expect to earn:

Bar jobs in Manchester pay around £10.50/hour. You could also take-home tips and be brought the odd drink here and there! Expect shifts most evenings and over the weekends.

Barista

What you’ll be doing:

Manchester is packed with coffee shops – the usual chains and lots of lovely independent places too. And someone needs to make that coffee – could it be you?

Essential skills:

You’ll need to be good with people as you’ll be dealing with them throughout the day – it’s a great opportunity to use your customer service skills.

You’ll be on your feet for a lot of the day and will need to be a team player to ensure things run smoothly.

Of course, a knowledge of various coffees and other drinks is useful, but not essential as you’ll learn as you go.

Expect to earn:

Anything from minimum wage upwards. Hours vary from a couple of hours a week to more full-time roles, but expect most demand first thing in the morning, over lunch time and then weekends.

Mystery Shopper

What you’ll be doing:

A mystery shopper goes into a shop or restaurant, posing as a ‘normal’ customer. You’ll be asked to carry out a specific task (often checking a certain product is available to buy) and reporting back what you see. 

Essential skills:

You’ll need to be organised and self-motivated to succeed as a mystery shopper. You’ll have to be discreet and able to take notes or remember what you’ve seen. You’ll need to submit a report at the end of your visit, so good written English is also ideal.

Ultimately though this is a role anyone can do and is a great way to fit flexible work around your studies.

Expect to earn:

This is limitless! Mystery shopping is the ultimate flexible job, as you can pick up as many roles as you have time to do. You’ll often find you get extras on top of being paid for the job – we’ve seen all sorts, including free cookies, soup, ice cream, meals out and even a wigwammer who won big at the bingo!

Hotel Receptionist

What you’ll be doing:

You’ll be on the first-person customers see when they arrive at the hotel. Your role will be a largely customer service one – helping people check in or with reservations and dealing with any issues which may arise. You’ll also find yourself being a bit of a tourist guide, so knowledge of local bars, restaurants, coffee shops and places to go will be a bonus!  

Essential skills:

Excellent customer service skills are essential to succeed in this role! You’ll need to be confident in speaking to people and be able to think on your feet and solve problems.

You’ll also need to be organised and a good team player – and will learn lots of useful transferable skills for your future working life!

Expect to earn:

You can expect to earn around £10.50 an hour as a hotel receptionist in Manchester – although previous experience may mean you earn a little more. This is a brilliant flexible role, as you’ll be working as part of a team with lots of people doing the same job.

Retail Assistant

What you’ll be doing:

Working in a shop serving and assisting customers as needed. There are lots of opportunities for students to find retail work in Manchester – with Market Street, the Arndale and the Trafford Centre being obvious hubs for shops and high street retailers. 

Essential skills:

Another role where customer service is the number one skill. You’ll need to be confident in speaking to customers and dealing with any issues too. Teamwork is another key skill for a retail job. It will also help to be well-organised, with good timekeeping skills.

Expect to earn:

You’ll be looking at minimum wage up to about £10.50 an hour for a retail job. As you progress, supervisor roles are usually paid a slightly higher hourly rate.

One of the main reasons students love retail jobs is the hours usually fit well around studies – and shops aren’t open late night, meaning it doesn’t clash with your social life either. Oh, and that you’ll often get an excellent discount from the retailer you are working for of course!

Waiting Staff

What you’ll be doing:

Working in a hotel or restaurant, taking orders, serving food and clearing tables. It can be hard work, and you’ll be on your feet for most of the shift – so comfortable footwear is an absolute must.

Essential skills:

Customer service is the number one skill you’ll need to succeed. You’ll also need to be hardworking and able to work in a team. Previous experience isn’t always needed – this is a great ‘first job’ and a brilliant stepping-stone into other areas of the hospitality industry.

Expect to earn:

You’ll usually earn minimum wage for a waiting staff job. There are usually lots of hours available, so it’s up to you as to how much you work – and how much you earn!

Of course, there are loads of other options for jobs for students in Manchester – this is just a flavour of what you might be offered. Have a look at our latest jobs in Manchester here!