Hello everyone! this is my very first post :)
I am starting my PhD in September (so excited and scared at the same time) and luckily got a scholarship for my tuition fees but nothing for my living expenses.

I am now trying to approach my 2 supervisor to enquire about any opportunities there might be available for me to work part time as their assistant...

I am just wondering if this is a formal procedure usually, which would mean I have to formally submit an application for a position or whether it is common that supervisors give some paid work to their students?

Also, from previous posts it seems like students are expected to do assistant work for their professors without being paid.... which leaves me a bit hopeless!

and one last thing - anyone knows the hourly rates for such a job (in a British university)?

Thank you for your help! I am delighted to finally be part of this community!

By the way my PhD is in Management

Hello and welcome to the mad world of PhDs :-)

I work as an RA on a project my sup is running but it all depends exactly what yours has ongoing at the moment - they don't all have projects ongoing all the time that they need assistants for. As for whether its paid or you have to apply, again, it differs. I didn't have to apply for mine, but then I'm only on short-term contracts - if its more than 6 months it needs to go through the full application process (in my uni anyway). Again, pay is tricky - I get paid on the RA scale equating to just under £15 an hour, but it all depends what you're doing, what scale you're on, whether its an official position (mine is) etc etc. You can also be limited on the amount of hours you can do - scholarships tend to affect that - I'm on one so can only work a max of 10 hours per week.

Sorry to be so vague but its getting close to a 'how long is a piece of string' question :-) All sups are different, all expect different things from their students and I'm not sure that the rates of pay are standard depending on the nature of your work :-)

I can't help but wonder if a supervisor needs an assistant wouldn't they have hired one already? And if they need one in future it could be open to lots of people. I applied for an RA post during my Masters, and there were about 50 applicants. I was incredibly lucky to be one of two interviewed. And I got it. I didn't know the person who would be my boss, and later became my PhD supervisor, so it wasn't a case of a job that was basically mine, and they were just going through the formalities.

But maybe your supervisors will have more opportunities :-)

Rather than being an RA there might be teaching and marking work instead? It worked out around £17 per hour of teaching, or the same for a certain amount of papers (3 equalling an hour).

There wasn't an official call for applications as such just a general email sent round asking if anyone was interested. Then if they select you it was just a case of submitting a form with a CV attached to confirm it all.

Like Peljam, my Uni is very informal about advertising jobs for research students - generally just an e-mail sent round for things like invigilation (although this is obviously seasonal) and subwardening. There's a fair few things out there and probably quite a lot of people in a similar position.

hmmmm... that is all very interesting! i guess it will all come down to how lucky I am and whether there will be a position available.
One of my supervisors is new to the University, perhaps he will be in need of an assistant?

I know that I can always look for a job outside Uni but it would be best if I could be involved with academia a bit more

The PhD administrator said I may be able to get something and that I am allowed to work up to 20 hours per week, which sounds ok considering the workload...

anyway, will go for a visit to the university and will find out soon!

thank you all!

p.s. i have been reading the forum for the past few months, it is so good to finally be part of this