Work It!

It’s that time of year again when Work Study positions are listed on the Career Learning Network website and applications begin! If you are not familiar with the Work Study, it is a program that provides students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, skills and experience through paid work on campus (there are positions off-campus as well)! The Work Study positions are open to all students (domestic and international undergraduate and graduate students) that will be registered in a 40% course load continuously for the Fall-Winter term. I have held several Work-Study position since my first year at U of T and I was able to gain hands-on experience in the departments related to my field(s) of study. The Work Study students are permitted to work a maximum of 12 hours per week but I find that this works out great, especially with a heavy course load! Working on campus can come in handy during a busy schedule – being able to get to and from work to your next class etc. is so much easier and saves you SO much time! I definitely appreciated that. If you’re interested in applying for the upcoming year, here are some of my tips! 1) Check the listings of the positions you may be interested in now! There are an overwhelming opportunities available so start researching early. You can also short list the ones that interest you. 2) Apply early! Applying early increases the chances of landing that job interview! 3) Tailor your cover letter to the position. Employers can pick out which ones are generalized! If you need help with your resume, the Career Centre can help with that! 4) If you’re invited to an interview, congrats! Approach the interview like you would any job interview. If you want to practice your interview skills, the Career Centre has practice interviews available to help you land that position! Just book an appointment on CLN! I hope these tips help with your application! If you have never thought about applying for a Work Study position before, consider it now. One of the greatest things to come out of my Work Study experience is being offered a permanent position after the Work Study term was over! I think Work Study opportunities is a great stepping stone to reach our career goals while still in school AND make some extra cash. Let me know if you’ll be applying and how it goes! Feel free to comment below! =) - M