In France, the status of student is granted to any person engaged in a course of higher education. This includes people who are studying in one of the following places:
- at the university ;
- in a high school (BTS, BTSA, preparatory classes);
- in an IUT ;
- in schools (medical, paramedical, architecture, etc.) or Grandes Ecoles (Sciences PO, engineering, etc.).
The two statuses of student and temporary employee are legally compatible. This also applies to students with a grant. They can work as a temporary employee and still receive their full grant, because it is the parents' income that counts. Income earned by the student as a temporary employee must only be declared if it is more than 3 times the SMIC.
This is one of the advantages of temporary work: being able to combine a grant with an income, which is not possible, for example, when you are registered with the Pôle-Emploi and a student.
Temporary employment is a perfect fit for students. Here are the main advantages of opting for temporary work as a student.
Temping agencies offer jobs that can take as little as 5 or 10 hours a week. This makes it possible to be compatible with taking courses.
Temporary work can also be done only at weekends, in the evening or during school holidays. Students may also be interested in short, one-off, daily temping assignments.
Once you have registered with a temporary employment agency, you can receive job offers that meet your expectations. You do not necessarily have to actively canvass anymore. The temporary employment agency has all the necessary documents for you to sign a possible contract without you having to hand them in every time.
Temporary work is very well regulated in France. By working as a temp, you can be 100% sure that you will get your money on time. Employment contracts are also carefully drafted to ensure that workers' rights are respected.
In many sectors, there are a lot of temporary assignments in the summer. This is often the ideal time to work as a student. Finding a temp job in a nice place can be a way to combine earning money with a sense of change.
Once they have finished their studies, students who have worked during their studies have a head start over others. Indeed, having had some work experience as a temp while studying is highly valued by employers.
Temporary work allows a smooth entry into the world of work to start building up professional experience and a professional network.
But what do young people really think of temporary work? According to a Prism'Emploi survey, 77% of young people think that temporary work is a good option for building their career path (source: Prism'emploi, Opinion Way, Les jeunes et l'emploi, Baromètre 2020).
Here are the steps you can take to easily find a temp job online.
1/ Go to a general search engine such as Google
2/ Type the right keywords according to what you are looking for. Some examples: "interim batiment gers", "interim auch", "agence interim gers".
3/ Avoid clicking on the first links placed in the advertisement but rather look at the first results not highlighted by the advertisement
4/ Visit websites that seem to match what you are looking for
5/ Apply online for the positions you are interested in
6/ Send an email to the agencies you are interested in by making a spontaneous application
For this to work, you will need to spend at least 1 hour on your research. The more agencies you contact and the more jobs you apply for, the better your chances of getting a temporary job. However, be careful not to rush your applications. Even if they are made via the internet, they must be personalised every time.
Spelling and formatting must be impeccable because this is the only way your interviewers will be able to form an initial opinion of you.
The main interim sectors that are likely to hire students are
- tourism, hotels and restaurants ;
- factories (order preparation, handling, packaging);
- the building ;
- administrations;
- events.
Of course, students can potentially apply for jobs in all sectors.
Prospecting can be done via the internet, by browsing the search engines of the large temporary employment agencies. Alternatively, you can go to temping agencies in your locality. This will allow you to apply for jobs locally but also in other localities, as temping agencies often have several branches.
There are no particular steps to take with the state, even if you have a scholarship. As a temporary student, you do not have to take any more steps than an ordinary temporary worker.
The temporary employment agency offering you the job will simply ask you to provide administrative documents for your registration (identity card, proof of address, bank details, etc.). Once you have registered, you will no longer need to provide these documents.
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