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 Work Study, select "Yes" when asked if it is a work-study position. Otherwise, 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.
- Verify the student's tax paperwork status using the directory on TheHeart. If their status is "Complete," they can begin work. If their status is "Not Complete," please 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 students.
Located along the National Road and I-70, Richmond is a great place to visit if you're looking to recruit talent. And as an institution that is both globally and locally focused, Earlham College provides a rich environment for students and employers to engage each other in solving problems and moving the world forward.
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.
Post jobs.
Our office uses an online opportunity-posting database called Symplicity. Employers who create an account on Symplicity may post positions, view the resumes of Earlham students and graduates who apply, and review applications submitted through the system. Go to Symplicity to create an employer account.
Please note that your posting must be approved before it will appear in the system. We prefer to post positions that:
- are developed in partnership with people and organizations with which Earlham has a relationship or link;
- include meaningful projects and transformative learning experiences for our students that also build capacity for our partners;
- align with the learning outcomes, academic interests, and Quaker values of Earlham College.
About Student Employment
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 Marilyn Lea.
- 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.
