Find the Right Student Job.
Student employment is a great way to gain work experience, expand your skillset, and meet new people in our campus community.
Get hired.
To find and apply for student employment positions:
- Create a resume and save it to your computer.
- Log in to Handshake using your Earlham ID and password.
- Go to the Documents tab and upload your resume. Mark it as a "resume."
- Go to the Jobs & Internships section and filter jobs by clicking On Campus Student Employment under "Job Type."
*Note: There are other types of jobs and internships listed in Handshake, so you must filter for Student Employment.
- Select a job, read the description, and click Apply. Most jobs will require you to attach your resume, and possibly a cover letter and/or academic schedule. Other jobs will take you to a webpage to fill out a form.
- Repeat! It's wise to apply for several student employment jobs in order to have the best chance possible of finding employment. If you're having trouble, talk to a career coach about your skills and abilities and to polish your application documents.
- Wait to hear back! It sometimes takes a few weeks for employers to gather applications and start interviewing students. If you haven't heard back from an employer in a week or more, you can find their contact information on the job posting in Handshake and email them to ask where they are in the job selection process. You can also check the status of your applications by logging into Handshake and going to the Applications section.
Stand out.
It's important to be proactive in your student job. To make the most out of your work opportunity, try Lynda.com's training videos. From Photoshop to public speaking, these tutorials can help you build the skills you need to take your student job to the next level.
To access Lynda.com, simply log in to theHeart and find the link under Information Services.
Don't forget to add your student job to your resume! Schedule an appointment with your Career Coach to learn more about how to talk about your experiences.
Find the Right Student Employee.
Student employment is more than just income for a student; it's a chance for you to provide mentorship and meaningful work experiences.
Hire a student.
- Register as an Employer and post the position in Handshake. Under "Position Type," select "On-Campus Student Employment." HR and CCCE staff will be happy to assist you in accessing Handshake. If your funds for student employment come out of Federal College Work Study, select "Yes" when asked if it is a work-study position. If you have funds outside of Federal College Work Study, such as Work Award or Non-Award, select "No."
*Note: If you are rehiring a student who worked for you previously, you do not need to repost the position; just fill out the rehire form instead at tinyurl.com/earlhamrehire.
- Interview students who apply. You will receive applications via email from Handshake. Notify the students you would like to hire and confirm their start date.
- Log back into Handshake and select your student employee(s). After clicking on your position, you will see a list of applicants. To the right of each applicant's name and information, click the menu button to see the options "Mark as Declined" and "Mark as Hired." Mark all students as either Hired or Declined. The system will email all the necessary information to HR for the students you select as "Hired."
- Expire the job posting. This can be done by logging into Handshake and clicking on the job. This will prevent additional students from applying for your position.
- Verify the student's tax paperwork status by asking the student. If they have not completed paperwork, ask them to visit HR in the basement of Carpenter to fill out the required paperwork before their first day of work. If you're unsure of a student's tax paperwork status, send them to HR.
- Train your student on using electronic time sheets, as well as any other skills needed for the position. If you would like help in conducting this training, contact the CCCE or try using the tutorial videos in Lynda.com. These videos cover everything from social media marketing to customer service and more.
Be a mentor.
Student employees can fulfill a variety of roles on our campus. Our goal is to ensure that they are engaged in work that allows them to build transferrable skills, or skills that can translate into their future careers. We can best serve our students by helping them develop communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and analytical skills through their student jobs. If you would like assistance in identifying meaningful projects or tasks for your students, please contact the CCCE.
Teach life skills.
Lynda.com is an excellent resource for supervisors looking to expand their student workers' skillsets. From Photoshop and Microsoft Office to public speaking and customer service, you can find a wide variety of online tutorials that may be useful in training your student employees. To access Lynda.com, simply sign in to theHeart and find the link under Information Services.
Hire Earlham Work-Study students for your nonprofit.
If you are interested in hiring an Earlham student part-time to work in your organization as part of the Federal Work-Study program, please contact Jana Schroeder at schroja@earlham.edu. You will need to sign a Federal Work-Study agreement and return it to Jana. For returning employers, a new agreement must be signed and returned each year.
Posting Jobs
Earlham uses a job posting system called Handshake. To create an account in Handshake, please review the instructions on Creating an Account.
Use this handout on Posting a Job for step-by-step instructions on posting your work-study positions in Handshake.
*Please Note: When posting your job, pay special attention to the instructions around entering the Departmental Budget code (0311) in the job title, marking “Work Study” for the job posting, entering into the job description that the job is OFF CAMPUS, and choosing how you want the applicant package to come to you. You may hire multiple students from a single job posting.
Hiring New Student Workers
Please contact Jana Schroeder before making a job offer to a student. Jana can provide you with the following information:
- whether the student is eligible for off campus work study;
- how many hours a week they can work; and
- if the person’s tax paperwork is complete with Earlham's payroll office.
After verifying with Jana the student's eligibility, please:
- Reach out to the student to offer them the position.
- Log in to Handshake to mark the student as "Hired."
You will need to mark every student who applies to your job(s) as either Mark as Hired or Mark as Declined. The handout on Posting a Job provides you with visual information around this step.
If the student’s tax paperwork is complete (indicating they have previously held a work study job), they are able to start working for you.
Once you have hired all of the students you need for the semester, please remember to go into Handshake and expire the job posting so students will not continue to apply.
Student Pay
If the student’s tax paperwork is not complete (because they have not previously held an Earlham work-study position), you need to inform them that they cannot start working until they have completed their tax paperwork. Some students cannot complete their tax paperwork until they have been offered a job. You can refer them to the Student Employment page on the Earlham website for information about what documents they will need to present to the Human Resources Office in the basement of Carpenter Hall.
The student may not begin working until all of their tax paperwork is complete. If they begin working sooner, your agency will be responsible for paying 100% of their wage for the time period until they have completed all of their tax paperwork and are cleared to work.
You will receive an email from Earlham’s Human Resources Office letting you know when the student is cleared to work (as long as you have clicked Mark as Hired via Handshake).
Rehiring Students
If you are rehiring a student who worked for you previously, please follow these steps:
- Contact Jana at schroja@earlham.edu with the student’s name. Jana will need to check their work-study status again, as this can change each year.
- After hearing back from Jana about the student's eligibility, you can complete the Rehire Form. You do not need to do anything in Handshake with students you are rehiring.
*Please Note: When completing the Rehire Form, the hiring department is your agency (e.g., Cope Environmental Center). The supervisor’s name is the person who will sign the student’s biweekly time sheets. The budget code for all off campus positions is 0311.
About Student Employment
Who is eligible to work as a student employee?
What is Federal Work-Study?
What are the expectations of a student employment job?
Where can I find the policies for student employees?
Are all student employment positions on campus?
Is transportation available to and from off-campus student employment sites?
How many hours can students work?
How do student employees get paid?
When can I start?
What should I know if I'm an international student on a visa?
Where do I go if I have questions about student employment?
- Finding, posting, and/or applying for student employment positions: contact the CCCE at ccce@earlham.edu.
- Student payroll: contact Pat Houser in Payroll and Human Resources.
- Work award amount: visit Financial Aid on the second floor of Tyler Hall.
Who is eligible to work as a student employee?
Most students are eligible to work; however, students with no Work-Study or Work Award in their financial aid package must take “Non Award” positions and may work up to an average of 10 hours a week. If you do not know your work status, contact the Financial Aid Office.
New student employees may not begin work for Earlham until they have been hired and have completed the necessary employment documents (see Forms) including I-9,W-4, WH-4, Confidentiality Statement and Direct Deposit. Students must know their Social Security number to complete the forms. Identification that is original and unexpired is required for the I-9 form. Photocopied and scanned copies are not acceptable for identification.
There are a variety of student employment opportunities at Earlham. Some jobs may require Work-Study status, but others are open to all students. Check the individual job postings in Symplicity for eligibility requirements.
What is Federal Work-Study?
Students who are financially eligible may receive a Federal College Work-Study or another work program as part of their financial aid award. Work-Study benefits students by helping them to gain real-life work experience as they expand their career network and skills.
Work-Study jobs are not positions that allow time for homework or study. "Work-Study" is simply the name of the federal program that funds these positions for students.
The amount of a Work-Study allocation reflects an earnings cap and is not a guarantee that a student will receive the full amount of the allocation. To utilize Work-Study, recipients must secure a position and complete their tax information forms. These forms are available at the Student Payroll Office or the Human Resources Office in the basement of Carpenter Hall. Following being hired and completing their tax forms, students' supervisors must submit a completed student timesheet bi-weekly to the Student Payroll Office in Carpenter Hall basement. The timesheet should be signed by the student and supervisor.
If you have been awarded Work-Study, make sure you:
- Know your Work-Study amount and hours per week.
- Complete tax forms in the Student Payroll Office in the basement of Carpenter Hall.
- Use Symplicity to find on- and off-campus Work-Study positions.
- Apply and interview for positions! Career Coaches in the CCCE can help you prepare.
Student Employment Expectations
What are the expectations of a student employment job?
As in any job, student employees should be prepared to show up for work on time, dress appropriately and have good hygiene, and communicate with their supervisors if they will not be able to come to work. Other expectations should be discussed between the student employee and the supervisor.
Other things to know as a student employee:
- You will accrue no vacation, holiday or sick days.
- If you get hurt on the job, complete the form in the Student Employee Toolkit on Moodle.
Where can I find the policies for student employees?
Workplace policies are outlined in the Student Employment Handbook for Employees and Supervisors. Students and employers are expected to be familiar with the policies and standards set out in the handbook. The Handbook is available on TheHeart, in Moodle – Student Employment in the Toolkits.
Off-Campus Student Employment
Are all student employment positions on campus?
A unique experience available to Earlham students is the ability to fulfill work-study awards at work sites off campus. A variety of community partners (often service oriented non-profit organizations) offer students opportunities to work at their sites and contribute to bettering the Richmond/Wayne County community. To find these opportunities, search for Student Employment jobs in Symplicity.
Is transportation available to and from off-campus student employment sites?
The Community Engagement Shuttle provides transportation to and from off-campus work study sites at non-profit organizations. You can learn more and reserve your spot on the shuttle on the Community Engagement webpage.
Hours and Pay
How many hours can students work?
For those students with Federal College Work Study or Work Award as a part of their financial aid package (sent in writing with the students’ acceptance letter), students are eligible, but not required, to work up to the limit of their financial aid award for work study. If you have questions about this or your work study award, contact Financial Aid. Non Award students may work up to an average of 10 hours a week during the academic terms.
How do student employees get paid?
The pay rate for hourly pay positions is $7.25 an hour. Student employees are paid bi-weekly.
In order to be paid, employers must let the CCCE know the student employee has been hired. First-time Earlham College employees must submit the required forms and have the required original, unexpired identification. Employees’ time worked must be recorded and submitted to their supervisor for approval by the end of the pay period.
When can I start?
Students who have received a work-award may begin working on the first day of class each semester. Students cannot begin work prior to the first day of class.
International Students and Student Employment
Go to the Your First Student Job page and click the "International Students" tab to find everything you need to know about working on campus as an International Student.
