<p>This is a shout out to any writers in the incoming freshman class.</p>
<p>I’m on the CC site because I’m the mom of two high school girls–but my day job is Director of Web Communications & Development at Carleton. And it happens that one of my freshman student workers has withdrawn from Carleton, which leaves me with a student job to fill. </p>
<p>I’m looking for a talented writer to cover Carleton student life from a first-year student’s point of view, in a style I’d describe as a cross between blogging and feature writing. This is a freshman workstudy job, 8 hours/week, very flexible scheduling. Some general web content tasks may also be required (prepping photos for the web, helping post web content, etc.), but no HTML or programming experience is required.</p>
<p>Email jlawrenc [at] carleton.edu if interested.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s for Shout, as well as possible Admissions site blogging (something that’s been discussed but not tried yet at Carleton). There’s also some general web content work, non-technical in nature.</p>
<p>lunitari, I’m assuming that this is for the entering freshmen (class of 2012)? If so, my son was going to e-mail the two “prospies” that he hosted this past year.</p>
<p>Yes, for entering freshmen who have workstudy as part of their financial aid package. I’ve got a strong candidate identified already, though–word seems to have spread rapidly!</p>
<p>The Media Relations department also hires student writers and photographers, if your son knows some likely candidates. Publications may also. So I’d urge new students with those talents to be sure and put that info on their work preference form.</p>
<p>Freshmen tend to list the library and post office as their preferred places to work, but the reality is that new students without specific in-demand skills are likely to end up in janitorial or food service. That’s not necessarily bad; there are some wonderful people to work with in those jobs. (Did you know that the Carleton janitors contribute to a special Carleton scholarship fund?) But there are other jobs that can actually look good on a resume later, and you’re likelier to get them if you make Student Financial Services aware of specialized skills/experience. The IT folks hire a lot of students too.</p>
<p>There was a recent thread on the alumni maillist about campus jobs. There are lots of funny stories about food service work (a perk for me was that I got first pick on steak night:) and creative carpet cleaning. Other interesting jobs:
-tornado spotter
-painting yellow lines on roads and curbs
-“hostess” for theater productions with the task of ordering cookies from a bakery
-developing and printing images taken through the electron microscope
-College phone operator (a friend on evening shift got interesting information on liasons (eg, if there’s a problem with… I’ll be at this phone number)
-“Lightning Arrestor” involved turning off and unplugging all the physics department computers during thunderstorms.
-“Keeper of the Dome” involved prying the observatory domes free after snowstorms and hanging out the slit to scoop snow off from around the edges.</p>
<p>My son works in IT and loves it. When he was notified of his work/study job, he said he was relieved to be doing work that doesn’t require a hairnet. ;)</p>
<p>lunitari, I’ll send your info on to him to send on to the incoming freshmen he knows.</p>
<p>My daughter DOES have a job that requires a hairnet, and she despises it with every fiber of her being. She’s hoping to get a theater-related work study for her sophomore year.</p>
<p>Haven’t a clue how D lucked out, but she was assigned to work in an office, which she has done for 2 years. I’m not sure what she’ll be doing next year.</p>
<p>Seriously, if you have proficiency in any computer programs (Excel, for instance), prior experience working in an office setting, tutoring background, etc., list that very clearly on the work study preference form. This will decrease the chance that you are stuck washing dishes or working for custodial services. Being placed in an interesting office on campus instead of working in the dining hall made my annoying high school job worth it.</p>
<p>UPDATE: I’m already flooded with applicants and have identified a likely candidate. Thanks to all who have replied!</p>
<p>If anyone else is interested in writing, though, please be sure to indicate that on your Carleton work preference form. There are other departments/offices that look for writers, and it’ll help Student Financial Services place you in those jobs.</p>