From: trumpins@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu (Barbara Trumpinski)
Subject: Re: College advice for John
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 11:26:43 GMT




><Jason ponders for most of the day over what John Carney has asked about
>college life, and thinks back on his recent (and not-so-recent) college
>experiences. After a while, he decides how to reply.>

>    Um, John? I guess I -am- in a pretty good position to answer your
>questions. I spent five years in college as a student, and since then have
>worked another eight years or so as a college administrator of the type
>that hires students regularly. For seven years of that time I ran a
>computer lab that had a staff of about twelve student employees. Plus I
>just finished an extensive run through the gauntlet of job searches, so I
>can give you survival advice on that mill too.



>On the other hand, most *on-campus* work was funded by the student's
>financial aid grant. The student is paying back their aid for the year by
>working it off. If your friend is eligible for any kind of financial aid at
>all, and wants to work on-campus, that is where I would look first. They
>can tell a student how much funding they are eligible for, and therefore
>how many hours per week they may work to burn that off over a school year.
>They will also have lists or a tack board or an on-line bulletin board
>system that indicates most of the openings that are available on campus.

[   ]

>To get the -best- on-campus jobs, check for openings *as soon as possible*.
>The good ones go very fast, and if you hesitate you may only be able to get
>work washing dishes, raking leaves or shoveling snow. The very best jobs
>are actually often assigned at the start of the previous quarter, semester
>or school year, going to returning student employees or very good
>candidates who know they will be returning. I had usually assigned about
>1/3 of my student positions by the end of Spring semester, for jobs that
>wouldn't start until Fall. (I would never pre-fill them all, as I needed to
>keep a rotating staff of people who would be around for a few years. It
>would have been a disaster to have to re-train all 12 in the same
>semester). The rest of the openings were all filled within 48 hours of the
>student's arrival on campus for the Fall semester. (Computer Lab Monitor
>jobs were highly sought after).


kitten, who is training 4! new library assistants, agrees.
"work/study, or whatever the program in your area is called, is
generally the best deal...because it saves the department money...and
often people who are less qualified get hired first--IF they have this
aid (i DON'T like this system...but i use it too).

definitely go in person to the department and speak with the person in
charge of hiring for THAT department.  be prepared (your own pen), be
courteous (i almost hired a kid over the phone because he called me
ma'am when he called to ask if i had any positions), be able to talk
about yourself in ways that show how you can benefit the department,
don't say things like..."oh well, i can't come in this afternoon for
an interview...i have sorority rush.  can i come in tomorrow?" and,
be willing to use your friends with jobs to get in...

i much prefer hiring people who know people who are already working
for me....although, i haven't had much luck with hiring my friends.
for instance, i hired tony the first summer i worked at ag(because he
looked like an old bofriend and went to the catholic high school near
my home town...and he didn't act uncomfortable.  he was/is great.  at
tony's recommendation i hired renee...also great, although she only
stayed a semester...and susan, tony's sister, who is still working for
me. "  

kitten has a reputation as a GREAT boss...sometimes. sigh

.......

>If my life is a soap opera, where is the channel changer?

*giggle and grin*

--
***************************************************************************
conan the librarian a.k.a. kitten           /\ /\  barbara ann 
"my life's a soap opera, isn't yours?"      {=.=}
                                              ~   trumpins@alexia.lis.uiuc.edu 
"perhaps _any_ universe becomes real in proportion 
to the number of people who believe in it and spend time there." s. robinson

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