Hello all,
For many students, part-time jobs will form an important part of their budget while attending university. During my undergraduate studies at Queen’s, I worked several jobs, including work as a campus tour guide, Walkhome , backstage hand at a local theatre, and a storyteller with the Haunted Walk of Kingston. My roommates worked in the campus libraries and cafeterias, as tutors and lab assistants, and at various on-campus coffee shops and pubs. Not only do these jobs offer you an opportunity to supplement your income, but they also provide you with a chance to meet new people and gain some great work-related skills – for example, my undergraduate job as a campus tour guide was what led me to my current job in Undergraduate Admission. Between on-campus opportunities and those in downtown Kingston, students have many options if they are interested in applying for part-time jobs.
Regarding on-campus jobs, there are many ways to get started. Most departments and offices that hire students save spaces for incoming first-year students, and they will advertise these spaces during the first couple of weeks on campus – meaning that you will generally start the process of applying to jobs after you’ve come to campus in September. Advertisements are pretty hard to miss and you’ll usually see them in the campus newspapers – particularly the Queen’s Journal and Golden Words – and postered through residences and buildings on campus.You should also make sure to check out Career Services, which not only posts ads for on- and off-campus positions, but also offers great workshops and seminars on interview skills, resume building, and how to find the right job (part-time, summer, or post-graduation) for you.
A couple of the major employers on campus include Queen’s Residences and the undergraduate student government, the Alma Mater Society (AMS). The AMS typically hires about 500 students each year for paid positions and they usually save about 25% of those positions for new students. They actually just published an incredibly helpful online magazine that highlights hiring procedures, various job opportunities and what the jobs entail, as well as testimonials from former students who were able to link their AMS experiences to their post-graduation career paths. Some of the information will apply more to upper-year students, but it’s worth checking out!
Another option for you to explore would be the work-study program, which is a needs-based program coordinated through Student Awards. This program provides students who demonstrate financial need priority for certain part-time jobs on campus. If you are interested in this program, just note that you will need to apply for it on the Entrance Bursary application, which can be found here and is due by March 1, 2009.
If you have any other questions about financing your education, please don’t hesitate to check out the information on Student Awards’ website or to contact us!
Cheers,
Danyal Martin – Admission Coordinator
