In the interest of helping students with the basics and the subtleties of applying for a job with me, here are some suggestions.
I get a lot (dozens, sometimes hundreds) of resumes whenever I advertise for a job, so out of courtesy to me and to increase your chances, please read the following. I apologize if what follows sounds harsh, but every single suggestion below is based on my experience with somebody who needed to hear that advice.
This should go without saying, but don't apply if I don't have a job. The only exception is if you want to work in my lab for credit as an independent study, in which case you should come to me with a clear sense of what kinds of things you want to do and why I should consider bringing you into my lab. Spamming me randomly at the beginning of the semester wastes your time and mine, and decreases the likelihood I'll ever hire you. Worse yet is scheduling a face-to-face meeting with me pretending to need academic advice when what you really want is to ask for a job--do you think I would trust you enough to hire you if you lie to me? In addition, you should be aware that I do not select teaching assistants, this is done by the department.
If I post a job listing with a deadline, apply by the deadline. Lateness in application is just going to make me think you won't take my deadlines seriously if you work for me.
If I advertise for a work-study position, please apply only if you have work-study eligibility. Hiring for work-study positions is completely different from hiring for wage-payroll positions, and I won't be able to turn one type of job into the other.
Regarding assistantships, please understand that unless clearly specified otherwise, an assistantship is a job and not a scholarship. As much as I wish I could fund all students who are academically talented but unfunded, I can't. When I have an opening available for a graduate assistant, it's because I have a grant to accomplish particular research goals, so I need to base hiring decisions on job qualifications, not academic achievement or financial need.
I generally will not hire students who are vastly overqualified. If you are a graduate student with years of research experience, and I advertise for an undergraduate to help with photocopying, I will pass you over. I recognize that everybody has to put food on the table, but I can't in good conscience, as a member of the faculty, use your time on photocopying when you could be finishing your thesis (and thereby taking out fewer loans.) If you won't get anything but a paycheck from working with me, I'm unlikely to hire you—a match has to be win-win for both of us.
If you have a good match to the skills and position I've posted and are interested in the work I do, that is the perfect reason to apply!
First, apply in the manner specified in the position announcement. If it asks for email, send things via email; if it asks for paper, send paper.
Second, make sure you include a cover letter that clearly and concisely explains why you think there is a match between the job and your abilities and goals. No cover letter almost guarantees your resume goes in the trash.
Third, be honest. I do call and check with people on the achievements you list in your resume. If you say you designed a website and I find out you didn't, you're in deep trouble.
Fourth, make sure your resume and cover letter let me understand what you can do. Lists of positions are more helpful if your resume tells me (briefly) what you did in those positions.
Fifth, if your experience or training doesn't obviously match the position announcement, address this head-on in your cover letter and describe why there is a match or what you bring to the table to help overcome any gaps.
Finally, I like to see GPAs on resumes for undergraduates so I have an idea of how good a student you are.
When applying for jobs with me, people have done some stupid things that immediately pulled them out of the running. Don't make these mistakes:
I enjoy working with students from all backgrounds, including international students, and in fact many of the graduate assistants in my lab recently have been from countries other than the US. However, there are some hard facts we all must deal with; my ability to employ a student depends on the type of job and the student's visa status. Sometimes, extra time is required to process paperwork (especially if you haven't worked for the university before) and sometimes it's just impossible to hire someone with a particular status.
Presumably, you know more about the restrictions placed on your visa status than I do. I will work with you and the experts who actually do the hiring to make a placement if you are selected for a position with me and it is legal, but please do the legwork and be informed about your status and employment privileges under immigration law. Neither of us would be happy to waste time trying to hire you if in fact you are not legally employable.
If you are a US student, you still need to prove that you can be hired when the time comes. You will need as documentation two things: proof of identity, and proof of eligibility to be hired. A US Passport does both. Usually people use a driver's license (identity) and a social security card or birth certificate (eligibility).
Copyright © 2002-5 Christopher Hoadley. Last updated 23 January 2005.