Jobseeker FAQs
Signing up as a jobseeker
How to sign up
Please click on ‘Register’ on the top menu. Click “Register as a jobseeker”. Once you have filled in the form, you will receive an activation email to the email you signed up with. This will also be your username. By registering you agree to our Terms & Conditions of usage.
For students: you are not automatically registered with creative opportunities when you enrol, so you will need to register first. If you have graduated from UAL, you will need to re-register with a personal email as your university account will no longer be active.
Forgotten password
You can reset your password here. If you haven't activated your account, this won't work. Please activate your account first before trying this. If you have any further difficulties, please contact jobsonline@arts.ac.uk
Applying for jobs and employment rights
I’ve seen a role I want to apply for. What now?
If you find a job or internship you want, apply for it straight away!
Employers do not always stick to the closing date that they have stated. They often remove adverts early if they receive a lot of responses in just a few days. This is common for volunteering roles and open call competitions.
Vacancies only stay online for two weeks. So please make sure you copy/paste or print the details of any vacancies you apply for in case you get an interview and need to access the job description.
Communication with employers
Review your application before sending it. Employers tell us that the applications they receive often include poor spelling and grammar. You must proof read your application, or ask a friend to read it before sending it. When you apply mention you saw the advert on creative opportunities, as this will encourage employers to advertise with us again, increasing the number of vacancies we can offer you.
Balancing financial needs with your academic workload
It is recommended that full-time students work between 10 and 15 hours a week during term time to balance academic workload. International students have restrictions in the number of hours they can work, so please check the legal policy.
About ArtsTemps
Students and recent graduates of University of the Arts London can register for UAL ArtsTemps. UAL's in-house recruitment service, matches students with part-time jobs at the University. You will need to register online and you will then receive an invite for a face-to-face registration interview. You will then start receiving notifications of suitable roles. Please register for these services via ArtsTemps.
Understand your employment rights
In the UK, different employment laws apply depending on the type of contract you have. Whether you’re working in a full-time job, doing casual work or an internship, it’s important that you understand your employment rights.
Employees
There are laws in place to ensure that employees in the UK are treated fairly. It’s important that you know your employment rights and understand what you can expect from your employer. If you are employed by a company in the UK, the government specifies the minimum amount that you should be paid.
Benefits
Full-time employees are legally entitled to a minimum of 28 days of paid holiday per year (reduced if you work part-time). Your employer can include bank holidays within this allowance. If you’ve been employed for long enough, you should also be entitled to sick pay, maternity pay, redundancy pay and other allowances. Visit the government website gov.uk for up-to-date information.
Casual Work
ArtsTemps are classed as casual workers. If you are a casual worker, you only have to work when you want to. The business doesn’t have to offer you work and you don’t have to accept it. When you do work for them, the business will deduct your tax and National Insurance contributions for you.
Self Employed
If you’re self-employed you don’t have the employment rights as employed workers because you are your own boss. If you start your own business make sure that you factor in paid time off work to cover your holidays and sick days.
Internships
If you are doing an internship in the UK you should be paid the National Minimum Wage or higher unless:
You’re volunteering for a charity or statutory body;
You’re doing an internship for less than a year as part of your course;
You’re shadowing somebody else.
Further information on internships can be found on the government’s website: gov.uk
Understand your employment rights as an international student
If you’re in the UK on a Tier 4 student visa, there are restrictions on the number of hours you can work. You are also not allowed to be ‘self-employed’ on a Tier 4 visa, which means that you cannot start a business or take on freelance work.
You should make sure that you understand what your visa allows and do not break the rules, as this could lead to your visa being revoked. If you’re on a Tier 4 visa you can find your working restrictions on your BRP card.
UAL’s Student Advice Service can provide more guidance on immigration and visas.
What do we advertise?
What type of vacancies do we advertise?
We advertise job or internship opportunities that follow:
• UK Employment Legislation;
• Creative Opportunities Terms and Conditions;
• Our Internship Policy;
• UAL’s Equal Opportunities Policy.
All vacancies are specific jobs with a guaranteed salary. We do not advertise jobs that offer equity in a business, payment in kind (e.g. vouchers) or jobs that are 'commission only'.
We also advertise competitions and volunteering roles in line with our policy.
I’m not sure about an employer or vacancy I’ve seen on your site?
While we check the wording of all opportunities we advertise to ensure it meets employment law, we cannot check the details of all job vacancies or internships. This means we work on a basis of trust with employers and expect them to provide us with accurate details and genuine opportunities for students and graduates.
If you are unsure about anything in the advert, it is worth contacting the employer before applying.
If you notice anything that may seem suspicious, please email us.
Applying for jobs
We do recommend reading the following before applying for jobs. For international students, please see above.
• National Minimum and Living Wage rates
• Employment rights and pay for interns
If you are a freelancer, it is advisable to use a written contract once the job requirements and fee have been negotiated.
Students and graduates apply to these jobs vacancies and internships at their own risk. We are not responsible for any costs or damages experienced by applicants during employment.
Unpaid work trials and expenses only opportunities
Unpaid work trials are illegal in the UK. It is unlawful for an employer to ask you to take part in one as part of a recruitment process or to assess your suitability for a role. We do not knowingly advertise vacancies that ask you to undertake an unpaid work trial. Please contact us and let us know if you are asked to take part.
All employers who advertise with us have agreed that they will pay their staff in accordance with UK National Minimum Wage legislation. We have not advertised unpaid or expenses-only internships since April 2012. We suggest printing a copy or taking a screenshot of all opportunities you apply for so that you have a record of the salary offered on the advert.
If an employer tells you that a job or internship you have applied for through Creative Opportunities is unpaid or travel expenses only, please let us know. We will not discuss individual applicants with employers but log and track all concerns received.
Volunteering roles can be unpaid following government legislation.
Recruitment scams
While we screen every opportunity before advertising it, sometimes an advert that looks genuine turns out to be a scam. It is your responsibility to research companies before applying for any vacancies we advertise. If you are suspicious of any employers please contact us to report your concerns. Do not apply for any positions that ask you to pay an application fee and contact us if a vacancy we have advertised asks you to do so. For more information and advice about recruitment scams, visit the Safer Jobs website.
Pay issues and employer complaints
Support for pay disputes as an employee
Please read through the following:
National Minimum Wage
If your employer is paying you less than Minimum Wage you should visit
• National Minimum and Living Wage rates
• Employment rights and pay for interns
for more information about who can claim the Minimum Wage
ACAS
Visit ACAS for advice and information on a wide range of workplace issues. ACAS provides independent advice on rights for part-time workers, employment contracts and holiday pay.
Citizens Advice Bureau
CAB helps people resolve issues relating to benefits, housing, legal, discrimination, employment and immigration. Some offices also provide email advice. Visit the CAB website and find your local office by searching under the 'Find your local bureau' option.
NASES
The National Association of Student Employment Services provides students with information about Employment rights and law and combining work with study.
Gov.uk
To report problems to gov.uk directly regarding working hours or minimum wage issues, you can fill in a pay and work rights complaints form.
Trade Unions
One of a trade union's main aims is to protect and advance the interests of its members in the workplace. Most trade unions are independent of any employer. Trade unions can help you to negotiate agreements with employers on pay and conditions. They can also provide legal and financial advice and help with resolving disputes. Visit the DirectGov website for more info on trade unions.
If you are still having pay issues with an employer, please let us know.
Copyright and ownership issues
Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) is the copyright society for the visual arts. Membership of DACS will help you manage your copyright in the UK and overseas. Services include help with negotiation of fees and collecting fees on your behalf.
Health and safety
Your workplace should be a safe and healthy environment. Visit the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for information and guidance. www.hse.gov.uk
The HSE provides information on workplace health and safety information along with expert advice and guidance.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust provides practical support and personal safety guidance to help people develop skills and strategies for staying safe in the workplace.
Freelance information and pay disputes
For issues on self employment, please see www.hmrc.gov.uk
For information about registering as self-employed and completing your tax return:
National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs (NACUE) is a fast-paced, grassroots charity that supports and represents student-led enterprise societies and young entrepreneurs to drive the growth of entrepreneurship in Universities and Colleges across the UK.
Advice for international students and graduates
I’d like to know more about employment in the UK
We recommend the following links:
UK Council for International Student Affairs: The UK’s national advisory body supporting international students and those who work with them.
Commission for Equality and Human Rights: The Commission have a statutory remit to promote and monitor human rights. They also protect, enforce and promote equality across age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, sexual orientation and gender reassignment.
Prospects
Prospects: Jobseekers from different groups can face unfair discrimination. Prospects, the UK’s official graduate careers website, provides information on the main issues and how can you deal with them.
HMRC - Coming to Work in the UK: Here you will find information about what you need to do before you start work as an International. It also tells you about the documents you’ll need, how you pay tax and National Insurance and where you can get help.