Top 10 insider tips for student jobs

Finding a job in Copenhagen as an international is tough work in itself. Spending a long time looking for work can be disheartening, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to help you earn some money, get experience, and meet people during your time abroad. Pooling the collective experience of several of our reporters, the University Post has put together a list of tips. Here’s what to look for:

10. Companies related to your own country

The easiest places to find a job as an international student are places which somehow bear a relation to your own nationality. For example: if you are Italian, an Italian restaurant. It could be restaurants serving dishes from your own country, bars or clubs, but also companies or any other institutions in Denmark from your country.

Hit up the embassy of your country in Copenhagen for info. And Google.

9. Clean, clean, clean

With the government’s aim to get nearly everyone in Denmark a higher education, there’s a severe shortage of cleaners: There’s a grand total of eight cleaners in all of Denmark (neeearly), so this is a job where everyone is more than welcome.

Cleaning staff are required not only in hotels, but also in private homes, offices, hospitals, etc. Ask and search around, and you will have yourself a cleaning job in no time.

The advantage to this kind of position is that, in most of the cases, you are not going to be asked for Danish language skills.

8. Career fairs and events at university

All students and alumni from the University of Copenhagen are welcome to participate in different fairs that the university organises every year.

At a career fair, you will meet different companies and have a chance to sweet-talk them into hiring you.

Keep an eye out on this site for dates or ask your university career advisor.

7. Look for signs. And tourists

We’re not talking about reading tea leaves or rodent entrails: Look around you, in the literal sense: Walking the streets of Copenhagen, you will find many shops, cafés, and restaurants with English-speaking personnel. Notice the signs that are written in English outside a café, and keep an ear out for other languages in shops and restaurants. Pop-up restaurants and stalls in places like Papirøen, Torvehallerne, and Kødbyen are good bets.

And find the tourists! During the summer, especially, you can find walking tours and canal tours, and see which cafés and shops tourists frequent. Tourist attractions means that English is a must! Apply to those places where you can use your background knowledge of another language and/or another culture.

6. Take part in an experiment!

Medical experiments have a bad rep, but are safe (for the most part). Want to spend 4 hours with Viagra in your system and electrodes on your head, monitoring whether or not it induces a headache, for DKK 750? Well, you can: (examples on the site at the time of writing), this medical experiment site has all the latest experiments in the Copenhagen area.

If testing pain medication or eating a lot of beef (actual current experiments) aren’t for you, hit up the Department of Economics at the University of Copenhagen. They’re always running different types of economic experiments. Typical experiments last a couple of hours and they may pay for it depending on your performance in the experiment.

5. Social networks matter

Knowing the right people is part of finding the right job. This makes your network important, as there are many vacancies that are not announced anywhere. You will hear about these from speaking with friends, colleagues, classmates, professors, etc.

Keep your eyes open and ask around!

Make sure you are signed up to LinkedIn and Facebook. These are important networks, so make sure that your friends and former colleagues know that you are looking for a job.

4. Take advantage of your language

There are most likely people in Denmark looking for someone who speaks you language. Many parents, for example, are looking for babysitters who speak a language that their children are learning. Find these opportunities by visiting schools, languages schools … and Google, of course.

Put announcements up around the University, offering yourself as a private teacher of your language.

3. Student teaching assistant

The University of Copenhagen hires people as student teaching assistants in courses they have already taken.

Particularly interested and good at a course? Ask your professor if assistants are required. Some teaching assistant posts are also posted on the job portal of the University.

2. Temping

Temporary job agencies are ideal for students who are not looking for a full-time job. They offer different types of temporary employment, so that you can study and work at the same time. Try them out.

Check with Manpower, Adecco, and Randstad

1. Volunteer jobs

It seems paradoxical that we consider this to be the number one insider tip for jobs, but don’t drop the idea of volunteering. It’s a good way to meet people, have fun, and possibly getting employed for actual money.

CPH Volunteers is a website where you can find many volunteer activities and events around Copenhagen. You will not be paid for this work, but most of the times there are perks such as free tickets for events, festivals, free meals, drinks etc. You can register with them here.

Another option is working at the Student Café, Studenterhuset, where you will get free tickets for drinks. More information here.

Photo courtesy of Café Retro
Write in the comment field if you want to share your own tips with our other readers!

universitypost@adm.ku.dk

Like us on Facebook for features, guides and tips on upcoming events. Follow us on Twitter for links to other Copenhagen academia news stories. Sign up for the University Post weekly newsletter here, and then follow the University Post on Instagram here.