4 September 2018
Alex Dant
As the deadline for paying for classes approaches, students may find financial concerns coming to the forefront with a desire to reduce commute distance. One of the easiest ways to blend school and work is through student employment.
An email interview with the director of Student Employment, Shannon Cable, shows the various benefits of working on campus. Cable said that benefits can include an on campus location that respects class schedules, the ability to network with peers and faculty and skill development.
“Students who work on campus also tend to report higher academic success in the classroom,” said Cable via email.
At UCCS, there are around 1,800 student employees according to Cable. Each of these jobs helps students to afford college and the expenses which go with it. There is a wide range of positions with varying locations, responsibilities, and skill requirements available to a wide array of students with various skill sets and schedule requirements.
One of the easiest ways to find a job on campus is through the student page on the UCCS website; with listings under “Find a Job,” made available with standard student login information. Through the Student Employment Assistance Network, also known as SEAN, students can find employment information, salary, and hours are all posted with each listing, and students can search for specific jobs that match their needs within the system.
“SEAN is the place to find any on campus job,” Cable says. “[A]ny department in need of hiring a student will post in SEAN.”
Student employment also has listings for numerous jobs off campus and even provides students with multiple resources to find an off-campus job. Along with job listings, Student Employment provides templates for resumes and cover letters, listing events like job fairs, and for those working on campus, the student employee handbook provides a guide for success.
The inclusion of off-campus job postings is not without risk, leading to a need for caution on the part of students. Fake job postings can be posted, and because these jobs are not overseen by UCCS they do not need to be verified by the university. It is up to students to make sure that they do not give any personal or financial information to any potential employer unless students are certain of the employer’s trustworthiness.
Students should also be cautious of any potential employer asking for money, or offering unsolicited jobs. Any unsolicited job offers should be reported to the IT help desk at [email protected].
If a student has already responded to an unsolicited job offer with any personal information, or if a potential employer wants to utilize wire transfers or otherwise asks for money, contact Detective Martin Toetz with UCCS Public Safety at [email protected] to report the incident.
There are around thirty part-time on-campus listings available to students through SEAN. Some of the biggest potential employers listed include the Kraemer Family Library, Dining and Hospitality Services, and the Ent Center for the Arts. There are several positions within each of these departments, as well as several teaching and research assistant positions in the School of Public Affairs, in Disability Services, in University Development, and in the College of Education.
“The Office of Student Employment also offers a job fair each semester where students can come meet the some of the on-campus employers who have open positions on SEAN,” said Cable via email.
The most recent fair was on Aug. 28, and the next one will be held in January to kick off the Spring Semester.
Student Employment is not only a part of paying for college and making it easier for students to do so, it is also a part of how the college experience is enhanced for each student, through spending time as a teaching assistant, working on archives for the library, or spending time as an intramural sports official. Applying to jobs like these is one of the first steps towards creating a better college campus, as well as a better college experience for everyone.