How to Gain Professional Experience at an On Campus Job as an Arts and Sciences student
Working on campus can be one of the best ways to gainprofessional experience as an A&S student. On-campus jobs offer students a flexible way to earn money while developing relevant skills that employers seek in young professionals.
Career Services offers resources to enhance your job search and prepare you for life after college. Consider how to position yourself professionally by gaining experience at an on-campus job.
Step 1: Identify the skills you want to develop
Think about the skills you want to develop for your future job or graduate school application. You can review foundational skills employers typically look for as a great starting point to establish your skill goals. Rounding out these skills will give you an edge in the ever-changing job market.
- Request a skills report to help you determine specific skills you want to build in your on-campus job relevant to your future career interests and A+S major.
- Review the skills you’ve identified, and choose one or two relevant to your on-campus job to focus on for growth. You can’t grow in all skills at once, so start small and continue to build.
Step 2: Talk to your supervisor about your skill goals
Meet with your supervisor to discuss your skill goals. Communication about how you develop skills related to your job and can benefit your work performance. Ask if you can initiate a project or complete a task related to a desired skill.
Explore ideas for developing specific skills.
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Equity and inclusion
- Leadership
- Critical thinking and problem solving
- Creativity and innovation
- Utilizing data
- Integrity and responsibility
- Technology
- Career and self development
Step 3: Follow through on your skill development plan
After your supervisor assigns a project or task related to your skill development, plan how you’ll complete the task or project within the designated timeframe.
- Set small, achievable action steps. SMART goals can be a great reference point to start thinking about these steps. SMART Goals
- Utilize resources to enhance your skill development. Explore LinkedIn Learning for access to online courses related to various skills. For example, searching for “improve written communication skills” will identify various related courses.
- Ask your supervisor for input as you work on your project or task. It’s important to seek feedback to ensure your work aligns with your supervisor’s expectations. You can schedule specific check-in meetings or send examples of your work in progress. Communication here is key and is a skill you are building simultaneously.
Step 4: Add your completed project or task to your resume
Once you complete the project or task, update your resume and online profiles with the new information.
- Write a strong bullet point about the completed project or task on your resume. Highlight the developed skill. Use an action verb to start your bullet point.
- Add the new skill to your LinkedIn and Handshake profiles.
Student-focused and flexible
Unlike many jobs off campus, your on-campus supervisor understands that your primary focus is completing your education. Navigating your academic and job responsibilities can be more manageable as a student employee.
Find on-campus jobs:
- Search the student employment job board.
- Use the on-campus job filter in Handshake.
- Check out student jobs with various departments on campus like the Rec Center, Campus Dining Services, Career Services, Environmental Center, Conference Services and others.