by Matt Klein

Perhaps you don’t need a job to pay for college. Maybe Mommy and
Daddy put everything on their AmEx black card, including a generous stipend to
cover all-night Indian buffets and Prada-related shopping emergencies. Maybe
you’re really, really smart and the College Fairy magically made all your bills
disappear with a wave of her “free ride” wand. But more than likely you’re one
of the millions of college students scraping by, taking out loans and trying to
figure out how to cover next semester’s tuition and pay for some food in your
belly today. You may be a full-time student, but you’re probably going to need
a part-time job. Here’s some basic advice for would-be student workers.ย  Finding a job, whether off- or on-campus,
might seem like a trying process. And it can be. But according to Burt Nadler,
director of the career center at the University
of Rochester, it’s not all that
complicated. “There are three ways to go about it,” he says. “Postings, people,
and places.”

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Every school is
different, of course, but most have offices devoted to student employment
and/or career services (see sidebar below for direct Web links). Generally
speaking, the Career Services Office is more geared towards post-college work,
and the office will help with things like resumes and internships. Mostly, the
campus Student Employment Office will have more to do with part-time jobs as an
undergrad.

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  You shouldn’t hesitate
to use any of these school-provided resources. But Nadler says that in the
digital age, frequently the smartest place to start is the Internet. Most of
the area schools have jobs posted on their website, usually on the career
center or the student employment page. Some allow you to apply directly to jobs
online, others give contact information for employers looking to hire. The same
things that would look good applying to a regular job appeal to campus
employers too: references, experience, and a demonstrated interest in being
hired all help.

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Besides
postings, many schools attempt to place students with employers through job
fairs. Nazareth holds a fair each
fall, with a variety of potential employers of both the campus and non-campus
varieties. Businesses like restaurants or country clubs scout for help, as well
as the traditional campus employers, like food service or various departments
looking for administrative help. Other schools have fairs, with or without
outside employers. Talk to Career Services or the Student Employment Office to
see if your school holds one.

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Beyond that,
there are more traditional routes to employment. Take a bus, a bike, or a car
and look for off-campus businesses that are hiring. Or, if you see some place
you want to work — especially on campus — ask: some people may be willing to
hire a student even if no position is posted.

Before you think about
applying for a job, make sure you explore all your options. In addition to the
on-campus/off-campus dilemma, there’s another thing to keep in mind that you’ve
probably heard about, but might not fully understand: work study.

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Though the name
might suggest it, work study does not mean that you get to study on the job.
Work study is a federal program that gives tax dollars to students with
financial need in exchange for part-time work. It generally applies to
on-campus jobs but can also be used for work at some off-campus not-for-profit
organizations. According to Amy Bauer, assistant director of the CareerCenter at NazarethCollege, the first concern students
should have about work study is whether or not they are eligible. The deal is,
basically, that you have it or you don’t. You apply for it when you apply for
financial aid, the federal government decides whether you get it, based on
need, and notifies you on your FAFSA.

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  If you are
eligible, the process for actually obtaining a job depends on the school you go
to. The UR’s Nadler says that
students have varying degrees of choice over what job they will end up with.
“Some schools give you an envelope with your job,” he says. But at UR,
and many other area schools, the selection process is more open. Schools will
post campus jobs, on paper or online, for both work study students and non-work
study students.

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Because of the
nature of work study, eligible students may have an easier time getting hired.
Bauer says, “the big difference [between work study and non-work study] is
where the money comes from to pay people.” Since the federal government pays a
high percentage of work study students’ paycheck, it’s more economical for
employers to hire those students.

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Besides that,
the application process is not all that different. The last thing to remember,
says Bauer, is that students can’t sit back and do nothing, “because even if
they have work study, they aren’t guaranteed a job.”

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Work study or no
work study, just remember: search, then apply. And if that doesn’t work out,
there’s always Ramen noodles.

n

SIDEBAR:

Student job Web resources

MCC: www.monroecc.edu/depts/careercenter/

NazarethCollege: www.naz.edu/dept/career_services/

RIT: www.rit.edu/~964www/

St.
John Fisher: http://home.sjfc.edu/CareerServices/

SUNY Brockport: www.brockport.edu/career/SE2.HTM

SUNY Geneseo: www.geneseo.edu/CMS/display.php?page=2869&dpt=ses

University of Rochester: www.rochester.edu/careercenter

This article appears in Aug 22-28, 2012.