Student Jobs

Let’s be honest, being a student often means never having enough money. Why? Well, spending €7 on an iced chai latte, ordering takeaway, or just treating yourself, it all adds up. But we all deserve to indulge a little after a long day at uni, right? And just like that, the student budget starts looking a little… insufficient.

Luckily, finding a student job isn’t difficult, especially in Groningen. Here, in the ultimate student city, it’s quite common to see classmates working in popular cafés, bars, clothing shops, or supermarkets. 

Personally, I started working in my second year, but many of my classmates were already working by their first semester. So, there’s no perfect time to start. It’s all about finding a balance between university, work, and still having time for friends. 

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If you start looking for a part-time job, you will find one. Honestly, at first, I was only applying online, but I barely got any responses. And when I did, they were all rejections. Then a classmate gave me the best advice: just print about 20 copies of your CV and hand them out in person. Simple, but it worked. I had zero work experience and was honestly a bit scared that no one would hire me. But hey, everyone has to start somewhere! 

I applied everywhere - big-name places I’d heard of from friends or that just looked like they might have open positions: Zara, Stradivarius, Bershka, Nike, De Drie Gezusters, Magoya, Mister Mofongo, Happy Italy, Napoli… eeeverywhere. I also told all my close friends I was job hunting and asked them to recommend me if they could. Not long after I properly started searching, the interviews started rolling in - mostly for clothing shops and restaurants. 

However, where I ended up working was just a matter of good timing, or good networking, I suppose. I was on campus with a friend when we ran into someone she knew. He joined us, and when he heard I was job hunting, he mentioned that his restaurant was hiring. I sent in my CV, and they quickly invited me for an interview. 

The restaurant Loetje, a popular Dutch place, had great reviews, and I felt safe knowing I had a friend there to help me adapt. During the interview, my manager asked me two questions I was scared to hear: “Do you have experience?” and “How good is your Dutch?” I had zero experience, and my Dutch was limited to “Hoi” and “Dankjewel” - definitely not enough. But luckily, they reassured me that I would learn over time. 

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Most of our guests at the restaurant were Dutch because of its location, but not speaking Dutch was never an issue. Trust me, you’ll pick up common phrases really quickly just by hearing them all the time. Also, people appreciate it when you at least try to use the words you know. So: “Would you like your steak medium rood gebakken?” And if a grumpy guest refused to speak English, I’d simply refer them to my Dutch-speaking colleagues. Not a big deal. 

Another popular place is Zara. My Hanze bestie works there. She started at the same time as me - about a year ago. She enjoys working in a clothing shop, but honestly, I don’t think that’s for me. The key is to find what suits you best. Some of my other friends work at Appie (Albert Heijn), Nike, Domino’s, and Sunny Beach. There are plenty of options - it’s just about finding the right fit! 

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Probably the best, and main, reason students work is student finance. The Dutch government offers financial support if you work at least 32 hours a month. I think it’s enough to cover your living expenses. At the moment, my parents only pay for my tuition. With my salary and the government support, I can cover my rent and monthly expenses. I receive the basic grant, supplementary grant, and free public transport on weekdays (you can choose between weekdays or weekends). As long as you have a contract and work 32 hours per month, you’re eligible. However, the supplementary grant depends on your parents’ income. And the best part? If you graduate within 10 years, this financial support becomes a gift! If not… you’ll have to pay it back. 

But to be completely honest, the best job I’ve had is being an ambassador! I’ve met so many amazing people who became friends, and I get to be part of cool projects like filming promotional videos, creating content for Instagram and TikTok, participating in podcasts, Open Days, Welcome Days, webinars, hosting campus and city tours, and so much more. 

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It’s great for your CV, and the network you build is something you might not find anywhere else. While it’s a nice extra income for my monthly budget, it’s not enough to fully support myself, but the experience is worth it. You can work as much as you want, and it’s so fun! So, if you want to step out of your comfort zone while earning money and working on exciting projects, becoming an ambassador should definitely be on your student job list! 

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