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Peer Tutor / Academic Tutor
Your University · Various campuses
Tutor first-year students in subjects you excel at. Most SA universities run official peer tutoring programmes — you earn a stipend while building teaching experience. Check your university's Academic Support unit or Student Representative Council (SRC) to apply.
Retail Assistant
Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Checkers, Clicks
Major SA retail chains hire students for weekends, school holidays and festive season. Pick n Pay and Woolworths regularly advertise student positions. Walk into your nearest store to ask about vacancies or apply online via their career portals.
Call Centre Agent
Teleperformance, WNS, Merchants SA
Call centres are one of the most accessible student jobs in SA. Shifts can work around your class timetable. Agents handle customer queries for banks, telecoms and retail companies. Matric certificate usually sufficient to apply.
Online Freelance Work
Fiverr, Upwork, PeoplePerHour
Sell skills online — graphic design, writing, data entry, social media management, video editing or tutoring. Create a free profile on Fiverr or Upwork, list your skills and set your own rates. Students earn R500–R5,000+ per month depending on skill and effort.
Campus Student Assistant
University Admin, Library, IT Help Desk
Most universities hire registered students as admin assistants, library assistants, IT help desk staff and residence assistants (RAs). These jobs are designed to fit around your studies. Check your university's HR portal or student career centre for current openings.
Food & Hospitality
Restaurants, Cafes, Hotels, Events
Restaurants, cafes, hotels and event catering companies regularly hire student waiters, kitchen assistants and event staff. Walk in directly to restaurants near your campus or university area and ask about weekend or holiday work. Tips can significantly boost income.
Social Media Manager
Small Businesses, Startups
Many small SA businesses need help managing their Instagram, Facebook and TikTok pages but can't afford full-time staff. If you're good at creating content or understand social media, offer your services locally. Create a small portfolio from your own profiles to show potential clients.
Events & Promotions Staff
Promotions Agencies, Event Companies
Promotions agencies hire students to represent brands at events, shopping centres and product launches. Work is usually weekends or specific campaign periods. Register with promotions agencies like Studentwise Promotions or Brandex to get on their database.
Bank Teller / Financial Services
FNB, Absa, Standard Bank, Capitec
Major SA banks hire matric graduates and current students for teller, customer service and sales positions. Capitec and FNB are known for hiring young people. Apply directly on their careers websites — these roles offer good growth opportunities.
IT / Tech Support Graduate
Tech Companies, Government, Corporates
IT graduates and students studying Computer Science or IT are in high demand across SA. Companies like Dimension Data, EOH, and various government departments hire junior IT support staff. Entry-level roles often only require your matric and basic IT knowledge.
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Top Job Boards for SA Students
The best free platforms to find student and entry-level work in South Africa.
Careers24
careers24.com — SA's biggest job board
South Africa's largest job portal. Filter by "entry level" and "student" to find suitable roles. Set up email alerts so new jobs come to you automatically.
PNet
pnet.co.za — Professional job listings
PNet lists thousands of SA jobs daily. Use the "part-time" and "entry level" filters. Create a free profile and upload your CV to get found by recruiters.
Gumtree Jobs
gumtree.co.za — Local & casual work
Gumtree is great for finding local part-time, casual, and tutoring work near your campus. Employers post quickly without formal requirements — good for students who need flexible work fast.
LinkedIn
linkedin.com — Internships & graduate roles
LinkedIn is essential for internships and graduate programmes. Build your profile while still studying — include your subjects, projects and any work experience. Companies actively recruit students on LinkedIn.
Learnerships & Internships
Funded training programmes that pay you a stipend while you learn. Open to matric graduates and current students.
Learnerships are free to apply for. Never pay a placement fee. Verify programmes on the official SETA or company website before applying.
Corporate Learnerships
Apply directly on each company's careers website
FNB Student Learnership
Banking & Finance · 12 months · Stipend paid
Absa Bank Learnership
Banking & Finance · 12 months · Open to matric graduates
MTN Learnership Programme
Telecoms & IT · Various durations
Eskom Learnership
Engineering & Electrical · Technical focus
Shoprite Learnership
Retail Management · 12 months · Nationwide
Department of Health Learnership
Healthcare Admin & Support · Government funded
SAP Learnership (W&RSETA)
IT & Systems · Free SAP certification included
Toyota SA Learnership
Automotive & Engineering · Stipend paid
SETA Learnerships
Government-funded Sector Education and Training Authority programmes
CETA — Construction Learnerships
Construction, engineering and related trades
FASSET — Finance Learnerships
Accounting, bookkeeping, finance admin
MICT SETA — ICT Learnerships
IT, software, digital media, telecommunications
ETDP SETA — Education Learnerships
Teaching, training and development sector
AgriSETA — Agriculture Learnerships
Farming, agri-processing, food technology
CV & Interview Tips
How to get hired as a student with little to no experience.
01
Keep Your CV to 1–2 Pages
As a student, a 1-page CV is ideal. Employers scan CVs in under 30 seconds. Include only what's relevant: contact details, education, any work experience (even informal), skills and references. No need to pad it out.
02
Lead With Your Education
If you have little work experience, your education section should come first. Include your school name, matric year, subjects and results. If you're at university, include your degree, institution and current year of study.
03
Tailor Your CV for Each Job
Don't send the same CV to every employer. Read the job description and adjust your CV to highlight the skills they're looking for. This takes 5 extra minutes but dramatically increases your response rate.
04
Use a Professional Email Address
If your email address is something like "[email protected]" — create a new one. Use [email protected]. Employers judge applicants on small details like this.
05
Include Volunteer & Community Work
If you've helped at church events, coached sports, volunteered at a soup kitchen or tutored classmates — include it. Employers value initiative and community involvement, especially for students with no formal work experience.
06
Get 2 References Ready
References should be a teacher, lecturer, family friend or religious leader who can speak to your character and work ethic — not a family member. Always ask permission before listing someone as a reference.
Interview Preparation
How to walk in confident and walk out with the job.
🔍
Research the Company First
Before any interview, spend 15 minutes reading about the company — what they do, their values, recent news. Interviewers almost always ask "What do you know about us?" and prepared candidates stand out immediately.
👔
Dress One Level Above
For a retail or call centre job, wear neat casual — clean jeans and a collared shirt. For a corporate role, wear formal. When unsure, it's always better to be overdressed than underdressed. First impressions count.
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Prepare for Common Questions
Practice answers to: "Tell me about yourself", "Why do you want this job?", "What are your strengths?", "What are your weaknesses?", "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" Write answers and say them out loud before the interview.
⏰
Arrive 10 Minutes Early
Never be late to an interview — it immediately disqualifies many candidates. Arrive 10 minutes early. If you're running late due to an emergency, call ahead. Being early shows respect for the interviewer's time and reduces your own anxiety.
❓
Ask a Question at the End
When asked "Do you have any questions?", always say yes. Good questions: "What does a typical day in this role look like?" or "What qualities does the most successful person in this role have?" Never ask about salary in a first interview.
📧
Follow Up After the Interview
Send a short thank-you email within 24 hours of your interview. Thank the interviewer, reiterate your interest in the role and mention one thing you discussed. Very few candidates do this — it makes you memorable.
CV Checklist
Tick off each item before sending your CV to any employer.