Part-time jobs: how to balance work and play A Whether you're currently a student looking to take on a part-time job to cover your living costs or a graduate needing cash to tide you over while you get on the career ladder; getting part-time work can be essential to keeping your finances in order. However; you mustn't bum yourself out and become ineffective. It's easy to take on too much and suddenly find there's no time for fun. B And stretch... We all need to stretch ourselves to reach our potential, and that includes funding our way through university and after university. This is also something that future employers wish to see. By getting a part-time job you're learning important transferable skills that you can make the most of later, You ’ ll also earn yourself a bit of extra cash. C But be realistic While stretching to reach your full potential, make sure you're realistic about what you can physically manage and what other commitments you have. Remember that the National Association of Student Employment Services suggests a sensible work limit of no more than 15 hours per week. If you're still at university, write a priorities list with how many hours you need to spend in lectures, how many you need to spend on coursework and how many you realistically need for yourself. Whatever's left over can be put to good use in a part-time job - it's certainly more productive than watching day-time TV If you're job hunting for your graduate career then you need to put time aside to actively look for work and this can be very time-consuming. Don't lose sight of your end goal and become so engrossed in your day-to-day part- time job that you forget what you're doing it all for! D Money, moneys money Once you have a part-time job and your hours are set, it can be very easy to think only about the money if you're offered extra shifts. While a little more cash might be welcome - and good for your bank account - make sure you don't take on more than you can handle.The last thing you want is to spoil your work-life balance or miss out on a proper full-time graduate job because you couldn't say no to another £30. E Paying tax Taxes can get very complicated as a student or part- time worker and you need to stay on top of things to get the most out of your part-time job. If you're a student and working in your holidays, you won't need to pay tax - you just have to ask for a P38S Student Employees form from your employer to prove you're exempt. However; if you're working during term time or are a graduate trying to earn some extra cash while job-hunting, you will have to pay tax, but only if you earn more than your Personal Allowance. Read our guide to taxes if you're unsure - being aware of the laws surrounding your own taxes could save you a lot of money. F Time to relax The most important thing about working part-time is to ensure there's still at least some relaxation. If you're studying or looking for work all day and then having to go straight into a long evening shift, you'll quickly resent the fact that you've got no free time. If you're desperate for the cash, see if budgeting better can help to reduce overheads and free up some time. Remember those priorities! Questions 1-5 Read the article about top paying jobs on the following page. Choose the correct job for each statement from the list of jobs below. Write your answers in boxes 1-5on your answer sheet. List of jobs A estate agent B firefighter C air traffic controller D salesman E electrician