Collegiate Times

Working while attending college can be a challenging part of a college student’s life.

Here at Virginia Tech there are a lot of opportunities for those looking for work. On campus there are several different service staffs that will be looking for students.

One of the biggest employers of students on campus is Student Programs. Student Programs hires for both residential positions as well as the dining halls.

RESIDENT ADVISOR

The only job for undergraduate students within the residence life positions is the resident advisor. Residential advisers are basically the floor monitors for students living in the residence halls.  RAs do not have to pay for their on-campus housing and they do not have to live with a roommate.

They are there to make sure students don’t do anything against Tech policy. One RA in every building is always on duty in case of an emergency. They also put on several social programs throughout the year and are in charge of move-in and move-out activities.

Students who wish to become RAs must apply the school year before the year they desire to be an RA.

DINING

Dining positions are also available to students. The starting salary for working at a dining hall is $8.25 an hour so the hard work is worth it. Tech students also receive a free meal voucher for every shift
they work.

Students can apply for dining services jobs through the dining student wage pool. These jobs include a free meal for every shift worked as well.

The student calling center is another opportunity that students can pursue. Student callers talk with alumni, parents, students and many others to support Tech and higher education. The starting salary is $8.

The student calling center is located inside the University Mall.

RECREATION

University Unions and Student Activities also has student job positions available. These jobs are mostly based in Squires Student Center and involve working for various services including the ticket office and BreakZONE.

Students can apply for a job within UUSA through the UUSA student pool.

Students can also get involved with the department of recreational sports. Jobs in this department include lifeguards, gym facility personnel, and referees for the various seasonal recreation leagues.

“I’ve worked almost every job on campus except for dining,” said graduated senior Lisa Petersen. “Probably the best thing about working on campus is that your employers really understand that you’re a  student. If you have a really hard test coming up they may give you time off to study. They really give us the opportunity to make the money we need to keep going but still do well in our studies.”

FINDING A JOB

Off-campus work is harder to come by, though not impossible to find.

There are many businesses in the Blacksburg area — some local, some franchise — that need staff in order to keep running smoothly.

If you intend to look for work off campus, start your job search early because students will be returning in mass when the school year begins.

Also consider speaking directly to employers instead of simply submitting online applications.

No matter where you look for work, take time to develop a resume that reflects your skills and experience in order to make yourself attractive to employers.

Working on campus can be beneficial because Tech only allows enrolled students to work a majority of the jobs that are offered to students.

In addition, on-campus supervisors are often more flexible while scheduling around students’ class schedules than many off-campus employers.

Students can take advantage of the Tech-specific job search engine, Hokies4Hire, which is offered by Student Affairs. The site allows students to post resumes for full-time and part-time jobs, internships, co-op programs and work study both on and off campus.

Employers can utilize the site to find current and former Tech students to fill jobs both locally and around the country.

The best advice is to apply as soon as possible and constantly check on your application.