Jobs For Aggies - Division of Enrollment and Academic Services

First assess your availability and interests. Here are some questions to consider:

• How many hours per week are you available to work?
• What days of the week will work with your class schedule and extracurricular activities?
• Are you eligible for work study? Some jobs require or prefer work study so finding out in advance will help you in determining for which jobs you are eligible to apply.
• Are there certain types of jobs in which you are more interested?
• Do you want to work for a specific department or type of business?
• Are there any jobs that will help build your resume for your future career plans?
• What skills and past work experiences do you have that will benefit an employer?

Next you should update your resume and cover letter. To learn more about creating your resume and cover letter visit the resume guide on the Career Center website.

Students in the Bryan/College Station area should access Jobs for Aggies to view on- and off-campus part-time positions. On-campus departments are required to post their positions on Jobs for Aggies. If you are interested in working for a specific department, you may wish to contact them directly.

Students in Galveston should access the Galveston Human Resources website to see available on-campus positions. Students at the Texas A&M Law School can find on- and off-campus job opportunities through the Law School Career Services website.

First Steps when entering the Jobs for Aggies Job Board for the first time:

• Update required personal information, and add or create a resume (students cannot apply for positions until required personal information is completed and a resume is saved in the Job Board).
  • Personal Information can be updated in the My Account section of the home page, found on the left-hand side.
  • Resume can be uploaded to My Documents. If you do not have a resume to upload, you can create one with the Resume Builder which is found in the Documents section of the home page.
• Complete as much as your profile as possible. When you apply on Jobs for Aggies for a position, the employer will be able to view your profile, your resume, and other documents the employer may have requested in the job posting.
  • Profile information can be updated in the Profile section of the home page.
• We also recommend you upload your class schedule or some document showing your available work hours.

You can narrow your job search depending on your preferences by position type (all positions on the Jobs for Aggies Job Board will be labeled as Part Time Student Employment), location (on- or off-campus) or by using keywords to find jobs of interest to you. Some examples of keywords are: Office, Lab, Computer, Recreation, and Animal Science. Job postings with these words in the job title or description will be displayed. If you have work study funding you may want to use words such as Aggie Tutors, work study required or CSP (Community Service Program) to find positions specifically looking for students with work study. Please note that using very specific terms will greatly limit your search results.

Always apply or inquire about all jobs that appeal to you. There are no guarantees that a particular employer will contact you for an interview. You should apply to multiple jobs to increase your chances of getting an interview. Be sure to follow the application instructions of the employer when applying to a job.

You’ve applied for a job and now they want to meet you! This is your opportunity to communicate to the potential employer your unique qualities. However, interviews can be very intimidating and without proper preparation and practice your opportunity could be wasted.

Research

Use the internet to find information on:
Facts about the job in general
Facts about the employer
Organizational structure

Prepare

Plan and rehearse your answers to questions that the employer may ask. Develop a list of questions to ask the interviewer yourself. Review your unique skills and qualities. Study your resume and job description. Practice answering questions.

Gather the following to bring with you to the interview:

• Notepad and pen
• Extra resumes
• Copies of your reference list
• Work Study certificate (if applicable)
• Days and hours you are available to work- a graphic class schedule is useful to employers

Dress

Make sure your interview clothes fit, have no stains and feel comfortable for sitting and talking. Try to find out ahead of time what would be considered appropriate dress for this particular organization/office. A safe bet for most student employment interviews would be dress pants and a polo or button-up dress shirt. Ladies may choose to wear a skirt and blouse or dress. Most employers do not expect student employees to wear business suits to interviews unless it is a graduate assistantship or high-profile position.

During the Interview

• Arrive early- ten to fifteen minutes before the scheduled appointment time.
• Do not chew gum or candy.
• Make eye contact and shake hands firmly.
• Focus on what you can do for the organization/office, not vice versa.
• Explain how your unique skills will help them meet their goals.
• Never answer with just a “yes” or “no”. Elaborate!
• Show an eagerness to work.
• Be positive and energetic.
• Stay calm and cool-headed.
• Be serious and professional.
• Don’t discuss your personal life.
• Avoid slang and pause words (umm, well, etc.)
• Maintain eye contact.
• Nod, smile and let your face show interest.

After an interview you may want to send a quick email thanking the employer and interview committee for their time in considering you for the position.  This gives you one more chance to make a good impression. If time passes and you haven’t heard whether a final decision has been made about the position, you should follow up by email or phone. We recommend you continue applying and interviewing until you get a job offer and accept it. Don’t miss out on another great opportunity because you are waiting to see if this one will work out.