Maybe you identify as a student who has been trying to find another job that will work with your school schedule. Or maybe you have been trying to find a job, but you just don’t know where to begin. Whether you struggle with putting your resume together, filling out an application, or trying to know where to look for jobs, several student employees on campus have shared their advice and benefits of working on campus. 

Where to start! 

Knowing where to look is the first step when trying to find a job. Georgia Southern has several resources on their website that helps direct students, like the “Student Employment” tab on your MyGeorgiaSouthern account.  Under the “Student Employment” tab there is a link Called “On campus employment opportunities.”

The link will direct you to a page where you can find all job openings that are available on campus. The first thing you will need to do before applying is to create your own account so that you can  upload your resume and cover letter. 

Another resource that Southern has to offer to their students is the Job Fair. Every semester, several Georgia Southern departments will come together where they look for potential student employees to hire. 

You can find access to the next available job fair on the Georgia Southern web page where it gives you a list of everything you need to know like dress codes, what to bring and strategies before attending the next job fair.  

Several students spoke about how they heard of their current on-campus job..  

“I heard about my job through the student employment website through Georgia Southern,” said Ariana White, a student employee for research services at Georgia Southern’s Henderson Library. 

“After applying on student employment through Georgia Southern, I called up to Chick-Fil-A to check on my application, and they asked for my name and set up a time to do an interview,” said Jakai McDaniel, a cashier at the Russell Union Chick-Fil-A.

“I went to the job fair where they had several different departments set up,” said Jada Rasheed, a student assistant for the Student Union and Event Services. “I did my interview on the spot at the job fair.” 

“I got an email through the school and applied through the student employment website,” says Alexandria Lee, a student assistant for events and games. 

“I received my job from the job fair Spring of 2019,” says Brandon Gardener, a student assistant for video-marketing on campus. “Preparing for the job fair consisted of me reviewing my resume and making sure it was up to date.”   

The Benefits of Working On Campus

Besides using the Georgia Southern website as a resource to find jobs,  student employees also explained how working on campus works with your class schedule so you’ll never feel like your missing out on your social life, class work or organizations that you are involved in. 

“On-campus jobs are very flexible because they work around my class schedule,” said Rasheed. “The communication between everyone is clear, so that way if I need to change my schedule, I could.” 

“Working on campus is a benefit because my hours are flexible,” said Gardener. “My boss is very understanding of how busy and involved I am on campus.” 

“I don’t know about other people, but I know that my manager takes my class schedule and work around it to make my work,” said White. “I can have pocket money, and, because I work in the library, it makes me study more and can also get to class pretty quickly.” 

“Chick-Fil-A plans around my school schedule, we don’t have to work on weekends and we close at 8 on weekdays,” said McDaniel. 

“Because the office closes at 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, I only work about 13 hours a week due to my class schedule,” said Maya Breeze, a Work Study Student in the Office of International Programs and Services. “Most club meetings start between 6 and 7, so I am able to attend, and my weekends are completely open as the office is closed.” 

“It works well because my classes are right next to the building I work at, so I get to work in between long breaks for my classes,” said Student Supervisor Shawein Smith for Lakeside Dining Commons. 

Student Employee Advice:

Following up after any interview you’ve had or application that you have submitted is important. Student employees gave advice to those students who want to make a great first impression, who want to be noticed, and how to use your own connections to secure a job.  

“When you put in your application, always follow up by calling back,” said McDaniel. “It makes employers look for your application.” 

“There’s a certain time when you should put in an application,” said White. “When people graduate, a lot of positions open up, so the best time is right before or after graduation when all the seniors are leaving.” 

“Talk to people, get familiar with the different job fairs, make sure to get a job that will benefit your hobby and major so you are not bored,” said Gardener. 

“Definitely go to the job fair because they hire you on the spot,” said Smith. 

“My advice to other students is to make sure to apply for every job opening that you can when looking for an on-campus position in order to ensure that you receive an interview for at least one,” said Breeze. “Also, make sure that you treat every aspect of the hiring process with the utmost professionalism.”

At the end of the day college can be stressful. Trying to figure out how to balance your classes, organizations and social life can be very hectic at times. Student employees are proof that you can manage all three and still have time to make a little extra cash.