Best paid reatil jobs

takethehighroad

Wonder if you can help me here. I've got quite a bit of experience in retail work, but at the moment I am only earning minimum wage. I can't particularly afford to live on this, especially with the tax man wrongly taking £140 a month (I'm a student) and so I'm looking for a 20 hour a week job to do alongside uni.

But what i wanted to know was which companies are the best payers on the high street, in terms of both and hourly wage and also benefits? I know mobile phone retailers pay well, and only high end fashion does, but is there anywhere I'm not thinking of? Opticians for example, or travel agents? Also, what jobs did everyone do during uni, I've even applied to be a receptionist in a medical centre and looked into escorting!

Any help will be welcomed, as well as money saving tips.

Neilums

I hope you're going to claim back the taxes.

Anonymous

Aldi.

They pay really well.

hells

If you work as a waiter/waitress in a pub or restaurant you will get minimum wage but also tips. Pizza hut paid poorly but I got alot of tips plus free piza for an 8 hr shift. Tesco paid well and gives 10% discount to staff. Mcdonalds paid poor but were the most flexible about working hours when it came to exams. During uni I joint the territorial army which pays alright but they are prone to paying you wrong or not atall for looooong periods of time, also you cant rely on your Ta pay as you cant rely on exercises and training being cancelled due to budget etc perks being military discount, doing soldiery things, great mates and having an extremly cheap bar.

takethehighroad

Neilums wrote:

I hope you're going to claim back the taxes.

Definately, I'm on a running total of a hell of a lot of money at the moment that they owe me, and I expect it all back

Napoleon D wrote:

Aldi.

They pay really well.

Ah I didn't think of them, I was more High Street focused. AND there's one right by me. Good call!

takethehighroad

hells wrote:

If you work as a waiter/waitress in a pub or restaurant you will get minimum wage but also tips. Pizza hut paid poorly but I got alot of tips plus free piza for an 8 hr shift. Tesco paid well and gives 10% discount to staff. Mcdonalds paid poor but were the most flexible about working hours when it came to exams. During uni I joint the territorial army which pays alright but they are prone to paying you wrong or not atall for looooong periods of time, also you cant rely on your Ta pay as you cant rely on exercises and training being cancelled due to budget etc perks being military discount, doing soldiery things, great mates and having an extremly cheap bar.

I did think about bar work tbh, but I know a few people who went into it and it turned them into not very nice people. Not saying I would too, but it's put me off a bit.

Pizza Hut or somewhere is a plan as well though.

And the TA's would laugh me out of there, I have impeccable levels of unfitness!

redddraggon

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

And the TA's would laugh me out of there, I have impeccable levels of unfitness!

The TA's?

It's OK, The Territorial Army (or simply the TA as there's only one) give you plenty of chance to build your fitness.

downfader

Sainsburies and tesco pay about £6.40 or near abouts a and Lidl are about 20p over them iirc. Had a look at retail jobs recently myself and most have been "reduced" in pay down to around £5.80/minimum wage if you're looking at some of the big chains (Debenhams iirc for one example and many corner shop franchises)

0scar

Don't write off bars to quickly - if you find the right one it can be great. Avoid the corporately owned though - I worked at Browns for my first year of uni, minimum wage, never saw any credit card tips or service charge, no breaks/meals/discount, cash tips of four or five quid max for a 10am - 2am - even on New Years Eve. If you felt your future was tied to a job like that I'm sure the soul damage would be extreme - which is possible what happened to your friends - but if you find the right bar it's great. I'm working part time now in an independent now, I do Friday 4pm - 1am and Saturday 11am - 1am, I get at least £150 a week with tips for a day and a half's work, and there aren't many workplaces other than bars that can offer you that rota

blakef111

if you're looking for a well paid retail shop, stay well clear of bikeshops!

Ollieda

I'm working at clarks (the shoe shop) at the moment. Pay is £5.90 / hour and you should be able to agree a minimum hours per week level. I'm only on 5 hours a week for my contract but I normally do about 10 or more. At my store they have the work there if you want it so I could work nearly full time around my uni days if I wanted to....I've been led to believe most of the clarks stores are like that too.

Benefits are good or not great depending on how much you like clarks shoes! You get a 33% discount and then a "rarer" discount of 75% to buy some work shoes as you are supposed to wear their shoes to work. I say "rarer" but its pretty much a case of when you need new work shoes your manager should allow you a new pair. If you personally don't wear clarks shoes then the discount isn't useless as there's always people who would like a pair of shoes for birthday/Christmas: mums/dads/grandparents/girlfriends/boyfriends/other friends.....the list goes on

Vino

Eees reccomend get on game. haf found site with meny students earning lots is calling the site adultwork . Meny students are using like employment agenceeeee.

Ave Pimp Calves

disgruntledgoat

redddraggon wrote:

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

And the TA's would laugh me out of there, I have impeccable levels of unfitness!

The TA's?

It's OK, The Territorial Army (or simply the TA as there's only one) give you plenty of chance to build your fitness.

ANd the best bit is the Uni have to take you back after the six month tour you WILL be doing in Afghanistan, due to that little trip, they'll take anyone these days.

hells

Not true students can appeal I don't know any students who have been compulsory mobilised. I'm on a training course at the moment and I won't be mobilised until it's over (2012 at the earliest) and then that will be my choice not forced.

I meant in pub restaurants as opposed to bars. Always got reasonable tips especially when working during public holidays.

Mr_Cellophane

Boots pay above minimum wage + good discount for you and one member of your family. Downside is the are strict on time keeping and hoildays.

As you are at uni, I have heard that Pizza Hut will look after you and find you a restaurant near home so you can work during the holidays as well.

nolf

If you feel up to doing higher level work there are opportunities to do some proper office work part time and full time dureing holidays.

Generally pays a lot better and (I think) a more pleasant working environment. Some high street banks look for part time staff, temp office companies may be able to provide you with a part time contract to work in an office. Will need to see when you're free though.

Best paid option is to go for a paid internship (placement), if you give a fantastic impression they may ask you for some extra work during the term.
I have a friend who does this. Occsaionally he visits the office or sits in on careers fairs, but most of the work is done via e-mail, independantly and at any time of day he wants. The pay is far better than anything you could get normally, but the work is very challenging and certainly uses up a fair bit of his energy.

Although these jobs are more unusual and harder to find/harder work, post grad you can pretty much walk into a job with that company.

nolf

Oh, also think about doing some work with your department, if you are liked or aren't hated within your department, try asking around if theres any paid research opportunities available during the term. Generally paid fairly well, and it's work within your subject so vaguely relevant to your degree.

Chec with your careers office to see if there are any uni jobs available as well. Part time work in the library at night is the best! You can basically just do course work at your job, little to do, but they need someone keeping an eye on things just in case. Get paid to do seminar work, whats better than that?

ride_whenever

It's a tricky one, when i was an undergrad i coached rowing, made a tidy packet, but had no time to spend it.

Doing less coaching now, but don't get paid nearly as much :?

bails87

Try asking for receptionist type jobs at uni. Or answering phones in the careers office/finance/accommodation. There's normally a few jobs going like that.

Anonymous

Bloody students.................

teagar

I wouldn't be too picky.

It's not the easiest climate to find a job.

You'll be competing with plenty of graduates who are taking those kind of jobs as a stop gap for a proper graduate job. Their advantage is that they can work full time or very flexible part time (and spend the other parts applying to other jobs).

S'what the majority of my friends who are graduates are doing.

Depending on your union, the student union can be a good bet.

I know at Sheffield uni there are plenty of reasonably paid part-time jobs in the union.

alan_sherman

It used to be that Boots paid fairly well. I used to work (only) Sundays and got a higher hourly rate for that (also I did the photo development stuff and it was quite interesting looking at people's holiday snaps!)

Also look at night time roles at superrmarkets as they used to pay a higher hourly rate due to the antisocial hours - again whether they still do is another question.

disgruntledgoat

alan sherman wrote:

It used to be that Boots paid fairly well. I used to work (only) Sundays and got a higher hourly rate for that (also I did the photo development stuff and it was quite interesting looking at people's holiday snaps!)

Also look at night time roles at superrmarkets as they used to pay a higher hourly rate due to the antisocial hours - again whether they still do is another question.

In my holidays I used to work as a dogsbody at an LEA run outward bound centre. £7 an hour weekdays, time adn a half saturdays, double on sundays adn triple on bank holidays and that was in 2001-3, worth investigating I'd say!

passout

I know someone who cleans at a University and the pay is good. Well over seven pounds per hour I think. I'd rather be in retail or hospitality myself though. An up market restaraunt might be a good option. In hospitality though you don't always get the tips e.g. credit card tips at Marriot do not go directly to the staff member. It varies and is worth asking how they split up tips if at a job interview.

soy_sauce

alan sherman wrote:

It used to be that Boots paid fairly well. I used to work (only) Sundays and got a higher hourly rate for that (also I did the photo development stuff and it was quite interesting looking at people's holiday snaps!)

Also look at night time roles at superrmarkets as they used to pay a higher hourly rate due to the antisocial hours - again whether they still do is another question.

they still do and you are talking about £8-£10 per hour for the over-night shift.
there was a placement student who i worked with been doing that for a few year.

Ollieda

hells wrote:

Not true students can appeal I don't know any students who have been compulsory mobilised. I'm on a training course at the moment and I won't be mobilised until it's over (2012 at the earliest) and then that will be my choice not forced.

I meant in pub restaurants as opposed to bars. Always got reasonable tips especially when working during public holidays.

It's rare to see compulsory mobilisation in the TA now anyway. Using the new "intelligent mobilisation" system you have to pretty much volunteer to be mobilised and if there were a situation where there was compulsory mobilisation then if you have sufficient reason to stay behind then an appeal is possible (i.e. vital member of your civi job and you going away would cause problems etc.) As for students you should be classed as Cat B anyway as you're in full time education so should never be mobilised (unless we were really in the poo poo and the whole country was being conscripted!)

When you hear of students going off on tour it is most likely they have taken time out of uni themselves (i.e. a gap year) and removed themselves temporarily from full time education. I've had a few friends do this, plenty of money for the beer fund when they get home....but if it's just the money your after it's probably not the ideal job

frenchfighter

Try and get a job in the Union - ridiculous pay, near tenner/hour.

Agency catering works pays okish 6.50/h and is very flexible (you ring when you want to work). In London the one i know off the top of my head is High Society, but they aren't the best payers.

takethehighroad

Cheers for all the info, it will deffo come in handy. I'm getting my CVs out there, like I say I have work atm, just would like something that makes things a little bit easier to live off