Q&A with Cindy: Campus jobs for Fletcher students
One of the questions we hear most often at this time of year asks whether students often work on campus and, if so, how they find their jobs. That makes this the perfect opportunity to introduce “Q&A with Cindy” — a new occasional feature in which our Graduate Assistant Cindy will answer some of the questions popping up most often in the Fletcher Admissions inbox. Obviously, Cindy has found herself a job, so let’s have her describe the process.
Even before submitting my application to Fletcher, I was already thinking about how I would support myself while in graduate school. The reality of a Fletcher education is that the tuition and average housing cost you will pay is expensive, but I like to consider it an investment in my future career and professional network. That being said, I started researching right away how to obtain a job either on or off campus.
The JobX website became my best friend the summer before coming to Fletcher, when I was already living in the area after completing my work as a teacher. This website is run by Tufts University and utilized by both employers to post jobs and students to explore what opportunities are available. If you click on “Students” then “Find a Job,” it takes you to a page where you can filter for both on- and off-campus jobs and also whether the job is “work study.”* I was able to get in touch with several employers through this website to obtain more information about positions. I looked at jobs within the Study Abroad Office, Tufts Student Services, The Tisch College of Civic Life, and various undergraduate departments. I was lucky to obtain a summer job before starting at Fletcher, which gave me extra money for living expenses.
My second best friend (or enemy, depending on how many messages I received each day) was my email inbox. At the beginning of my first semester, I was inundated with emails about student organizations, events at Fletcher, classes being offered, and, luckily, available jobs at Fletcher. After sorting through what was important and what was not, I came across an email from the Fletcher Office of Admissions about an open position. One thing led to another, and I am now happily working as a Graduate Assistant with the Admissions Team.
Aside from my particular job, there are other types of employment available to students. You can reach out to professors who teach at Fletcher or at the undergraduate level who may be looking for teaching or research assistants. There are also tutoring positions, sometimes available through the Fletcher Graduate Writing Center. For those of you who are comfortable with the dorm lifestyle, you can look into becoming a Graduate Residence Director. Of course, there is always the option of doing your own off-campus hunt for retail, food service, or other jobs that fit your weekly schedule.
One thing to keep in mind is that whatever job you take will mostly help to cover your living expenses. Realistically, your job earnings will not contribute much towards chipping away at your tuition. Despite this, I hope some of the job information provided above has been helpful to you.
Good luck and happy job hunting!
*Note that people use the phrase “work study” in two ways. One is simply to refer to a job that fits a student schedule. The other is an official program for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Some offices will only hire students who have the official “work study” funding, though many will not impose that restriction.