Finding An On-Campus Job

Besides classes, the first few weeks of school is often when Middlebury students look for on-campus jobs for the semester. But as the Student Employment Office (SEO) listings dwindle, some students might be wondering where have all the jobs gone? What are the “good jobs”? And who is getting what job?

The truth is that while the SEO listings are a good place to start, many on-campus jobs are not listed there. Why? Well, rehires are common. If you had a job last year and didn’t royally mess it up, chances are good you’ll be offered the same job this year. Secondly, many jobs are specialized and are appointed. For instance, you probably would have to be a senior Economics major to grade problem sets for Introduction to Microeconomics. Similarly, language table waiters would be hired through the language department. These types of positions bypass SEO’s website.

Student Employment Coordinator Dee Gilbert wrote in an email last spring, “We encourage students looking for work to continue to check the online posting and to talk their friends who have jobs on campus as well as to their professors and coaches for opportunities of which the SEO might not be aware.” I would venture to say that some of the best jobs on campus are those you learn about through upperclassmen friends or close staff mentors.

I’ve seen a rise in experimentation with student staff toward more “intern-type” positions rather than the clerical work (i.e. do homework at a desk for a few hours). With departments restructuring due to financial challenges at the school, it seems natural that student workers would be in a position to take on more responsibility. JJ Boggs in the Center for Campus Activities and Leadership (CCAL) consolidated six to seven front-desk workers answering phone calls to three “intern” positions with higher pay but more responsibility. She sees this as an opportunity for students to do meaningful work. The Admissions office is continuing its Senior Fellows program started two years back. The Career Services Office (CSO) also concentrates on finding a few dedicated students to work closely with on specific projects. But specialized intern positions mean less number of available jobs overall for students.

Last spring, we saw some reduction of hours or elimination of student employment positions at various locations around campus. In particular at the Bookstore, students reported “layoffs” for up to eight student workers who didn’t prove themselves by working during any non-class time during the first week of class. The Grille, perhaps in a less drastic manner, dropped hours for many of its student staff.

It remains to be seen if students this Fall are finding work if they want it, but also finding more meaningful/useful work is increasingly important for both the College and students alike.