What do student jobs on graduate CVs signal to employers?

•In line with previous studies finding a positive relation between student employment and labour market outcomes, we find that student work increases both the probability of being invited for a job interview and the probability of being hired for the job.•Including a student job on one's résumé always signals a better work attitude, a larger sense of responsibility, more maturity, an increased motivation, and a larger social capital.•On the other hand, we find that student employment does not signal more knowledge, and especially not when this student employment was performed during the academic year.•Moreover, only student work in line with one's field of study is a positive signal of increased skills and trainability.