Landing an On-Campus Job: My Experience and Tips

Sofia Martinez, MPP Class of 2026, shares how she conducted her job search and provides helpful tips and resources for finding on-campus jobs. 

I was motivated to find a part-time job while at Harris because I had worked a variety of positions as an undergrad and quickly learned it helped me better my time management while also covering daily expenses. Here is the pathway I took to secure part-time work as a graduate student.  

Show Interest & Outline Your Goals 

After completing my FAFSA [Free Application for Federal Student Aid], I found out I was eligible for work-study—a great advantage for finding on-campus work. Before starting Math & Coding Camp, I met with my academic advisor to talk through my interests and goals. I made sure to mention my interest in working during the school year, and she helped point me in the right direction. 

Research & Apply 

During our conversation, my advisor introduced me to several helpful platforms like GradGargoyle and HarrisLink, which I used for both my part-time job and internship searches. However, some part-time jobs, like those with the Gerald Ratner Athletics Center, required going to the department’s website. 

From there, I set aside time to think about jobs that interested me, what skills I had to offer, and how many hours I could realistically commit to. I came to Harris straight from undergrad, where I had worked my way up from ten to twenty hours a week between my part-time job and internship during the school year. Because of this experience, I had a better grasp of what I wanted workwise coming to Harris. It was important to me that I could allocate a good amount of time adapting to a new environment, my course schedule, and still have some time left over for myself; I decided that ten hours a week was the right amount for my current part-time job.  

I recommend conducting targeted searches, updating your resume, and drafting any cover letters you may need. The Career Development Office is a great resource for this! I saw everything from research assistantships to barista roles and applied to jobs that aligned best with my schedule and goals, and that’s how I ultimately landed my work with the Dean of Students’ Office. (Funny enough, that opportunity came via email. Moral of the story: always check your @uchicago inbox!)

Start Early 

Final tip: the earlier you start, the better! I moved to Chicago and started my program without knowing anyone here, which was of course accompanied by a steep learning curve on how to best navigate this next chapter. Although I started looking for jobs ~six weeks prior to the first day of class, roles were quickly being swept up. After applying to a variety of positions and reaching out to different hiring departments, I learned that some teams had already finalized hiring in the year or quarter prior (i.e., hire in spring quarter for a fall start). Because of this, patience and persistence were key moving forward. Don’t let this discourage you—often positions show up at the drop of a hat, so always be ready to apply for that next role. Best of luck!

Resources to Consider 

• GradGargoyle: On-campus job listings 
• HarrisLink: Research and teaching assistantships, grader roles, and more 
• Career Development Office: Coaching, resume and cover letter assistance, and more 
• UChicagoGRAD: Advising for graduate students looking for on-campus jobs 
• UChicago Student Employment: All things student jobs for undergraduate and graduate students