By Vladimir Stroe ’16
In our past blog post on building resume depth we’ve talked about how campus clubs and activities can not only be a way to be social, have fun and challenge yourself but also to get valuable experience that can be applied in a professional context.
Another great avenue for gaining experience is through on-campus jobs. These jobs are not only a great source of additional income, but allow you to explore and learn more about career fields that interest you in a positive environment. Taking an on-campus job is an additional responsibility which will challenge your ability to schedule and spend your time efficiently. But think of the positives: you’ll already be equipped to handle any challenges that the work world throws at you if now you’re able to balance academics with work!
There are a few ways in which I’d recommend starting an on-campus job search:
The BRIDGE is a great source of information regarding any part-time job. On the first page after logging on to the BRIDGE, if you scroll down until you reach “one-click searches”, clicking on campus jobs or work-study jobs (for jobs that are eligible for the work-study program) will give you a list of all of the available openings on campus. Detailed job descriptions and instructions on how to apply can be found there.
Another, especially if you have a high degree of confidence of which field you want to profess in, is to find the on-campus office that best corresponds to your interests. For example, if a career in the Arts is something that interests you, some of the options that spring to mind are the Samek Art Gallery or the Weis Center for the Performing Arts. Contacting those offices directly might lead you to opportunities that are not even posted on the BRIDGE, as well as positioning you as a strongly interested candidate even before interviewing. Some of the offices that regularly hire students are: Admissions, Annual Fund, KLARC, Physical Plant, Dining Services, Library&IT, Bookstore. The CDC also hires in February/March for the following year.
There are still opportunities to apply even in March or April, but even if hiring is over for the semester, expressing interest will allow you to learn more and prepare yourself for the next hiring session. Typically jobs are accessible to all class years and starting earlier is a great opportunity to learn about your career preferences.
Part 3 in our series will be about volunteering – stay tuned!