It’s no secret that tutoring is a job that comes with a high wage, flexible hours, and the choice to work from the comfort of your own home. But there are also a lot of other benefits that are not as obvious unless you’ve been doing the job for a few years. We’ve made a list combining these “hidden perks” of the job.
Firstly, let’s make a clear distinction: we refer to travelling here as an extended period away from university. This could include going back to your hometown over the holiday periods, doing a semester abroad or even just a long holiday.
The beauty of tutoring is that its online nature doesn’t restrict you to a certain location in the world. Therefore, being away from your university for extended periods doesn’t have to involve taking a pay cut like it might if you had a job based in the area you are studying in. We aren’t advocating that you work 52 weeks a year, but we would say that you can strike up a great balance that allows you to earn money whilst on your travels, wherever that may be.
Tutoring is an incredibly rewarding job for two reasons. Firstly, there is a level of respect that comes with it as both parents and students understand you are knowledgeable and competent in your subject area. They will look to you for guidance and take on board your advice, and that level of appreciation is rare amongst typical student jobs.
As well as this, there is also the satisfaction of seeing your student progress. This feedback comes in a variety of forms such as their grades, their confidence levels and parent/schoolteacher comments. Seeing the positive impact your lessons have adds huge intrinsic value to the job and is the biggest motivator to make your lessons the best they can be.
There are many situations in university where you need references, whether that be applying to a post-graduation job, a tenancy, or a committee role. As a tutor, getting these couldn’t be easier. Not only will most of your students and/or parents be happy to write one, but they often make them personal in a way that comes across as very genuine. Having a heartfelt reference can make all the difference when it comes to applications.
As a tutor, you get to know a lot of new people, students and parents alike. Working one-on-one with them for such a long period allows you to build a good professional relationship, and, providing you are doing a good job, you are often held in high esteem by both parties.
In a world as interconnected as todays, everybody knows everybody, and with some luck, having this network of clients could pay off in your long-term career. There is always a chance that someone you have worked with is employed at the company you want to get into or is friends with your future boss. Moreover, as we mentioned in the references section, they are almost always happy to put in a good word for you.
In the beginning of your tutoring career, your lessons will require some planning, but rest assured you will quickly become used to the art of improvisation. This isn’t to say as you go on you get lazy with your work, you just become more efficient. We’ve written a guide for how to approach your first ever lesson which you can check out here. Regardless, when you get into the swing of things, you won’t need to do any preparation outside of your classes if you don’t want to. In terms of post lesson work, you may choose to mark any homework you have set the student; however, this is optional. At the end of the day, remember you are being paid for the agreed-upon lesson time, therefore working outside of lessons for a student should not be expected.
