Trying to find work this summer - nightmare!

goaround

Hi guys, this is a request for some advice as well as a bit of a rant:mad:

I finished classes on 2nd of June and I had a job lined up which started on the 3rd of June, but it fell through at the last minute and I was left high and dry:mad::mad:. I hunted around for a bit without much luck, and ended up going to an agency (Office angels) and since then I've only had 3 days work from them. I'm still looking around for jobs with no luck and its really getting me down. almost cried with frustration earlier just at how rubbish this situation is

One other thing, I worked for 3 days and got paid 150 quid, but i got taxed 36! is that normal? considering I haven't worked at all this year so far and its the only work I had all month, it seems like a lot to take when i'm earning so little. I really don't know all that much about tax and stuff so if anyone has any advice, it would be welcomed!


Any other students suffering at the mo? I can't be the only one!:o

Lokolo

Its worked out on PAYE. So if you work for a month, it calculates it on the monthly basis. If you paid tax, but then overall didn't go over your personal allowance, you will be able to get a refund.

Waitrose were looking for people in my area, so were Sainsburys. Try a few supermarkets.

Try more than 1 agency too.

MSE also have a job running if you're near London....

atypical

goaround wrote: »

One other thing, I worked for 3 days and got paid 150 quid, but i got taxed 36! is that normal? considering I haven't worked at all this year so far and its the only work I had all month, it seems like a lot to take when i'm earning so little. I really don't know all that much about tax and stuff so if anyone has any advice, it would be welcomed!

You should have filled in an P38(S) form which is specifically for students who work only during the summer. It ensures income tax is not deducted from earnings. But even if you used the standard P46 form tax shouldn't have been deducted if you ticked option A (this is my first job, haven't been on benefits).

National Insurance would still be deducted in your case as you earnt more than £110 in a week. You can claim tax owed from your local tax office. This page might be of some use.

goaround

Thankyou so much, that information is invaluable. I'll print off the form and send it in to the agency. :T

goaround

Lokolo wrote: »

Its worked out on PAYE. So if you work for a month, it calculates it on the monthly basis. If you paid tax, but then overall didn't go over your personal allowance, you will be able to get a refund.

Waitrose were looking for people in my area, so were Sainsburys. Try a few supermarkets.

Try more than 1 agency too.

MSE also have a job running if you're near London....

I'm nowhere near london unfortunately

I've been trying Tesco as they're the only supermarket near to me, but they have said they don't have anything available. total nightmare.

jdan9

What part of the country are you in?

Naykon

You need to be in a tourist hotspot to stand the slightest chance this summer (I.e the coasts)

too many people not enough jobs...i think its about time we took a leaf out of Australia's book and closed our damn borders.

I graduated last summer.... Believe me there's very few jobs right now and it's EXTREME competition for graduates.

WolfSong2000

It's doable, just takes some searching...I'm in America (Nashville, TN) at the moment on a student summer visa and the place I am currently working, despite being desperate for staff, hasn't actually advertised anywhere (to my knowledge...certainly not shop windows, etc). I only found out through pure luck (happened to mention to the guy at the till that I was looking for work). It's not great ($7.50 per hour, apparently...have yet to get paid), but it's work...also have an interview for another place tomorrow for a potentially excellent job, again, not advertised - not even on the company's website (it's a well iknown venue in Nashville).

You just have to get out there and pound the streets and ask. Go in positive and upbeat, be friendly and explain that you're a student after some summer work - a lot of touristy places will be hiring extra help for the summer, for example.

Oldernotwiser

Naykon wrote: »

You need to be in a tourist hotspot to stand the slightest chance this summer (I.e the coasts)

too many people not enough jobs...i think its about time we took a leaf out of Australia's book and closed our damn borders.

I graduated last summer.... Believe me there's very few jobs right now and it's EXTREME competition for graduates.

Racist remarks blaming immigrants for employment shortages sit very badly from someone who was unemployed because he gave up a job voluntarily because he didn't like it!

goaround

JDan I'm in Northern Ireland, Belfast to be exact. I really have been trying, I went into town just before 9am yesterday and went round all the agencies, the Job centre, shops, cafes.... no luck. Came home at half three in the afternoon throughly fed up!

I was considering going on JSA in the mean time, but I've never done that before and I really have no idea where to start. Do i just go to the Jobcentre?

Jigsaw220

Yeah i've been looking for work for about a month and still havent found anything. Need to see if we can set up a forum for us students to help each other out on here.