Finding a job on campus is an important part of the first weeks of the semester, but can also be something that brings your student stress. At University Career Services, we want to help make your student’s job search as simple as possible by sharing a few important resources.
Handshake
If your student is interested in working on campus, one of the best and easiest things you can do to help is to refer them to careers.gmu.edu/handshake. Handshake is our exclusive database that hosts a variety of positions, including on-campus and part-time jobs, federal work-study and research opportunities. By the first day of classes, if not even sooner, your student will automatically receive a Handshake account. At that point, all your student needs to do is log in and complete a profile to begin searching for employment opportunities.
Part-Time Job Fair
Each fall, University Career Services hosts its annual Part-Time Job Fair. This fair is another great way for your student to connect with employers from various departments within the University and close to campus! This year’s fair will be on Wednesday, August 28 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall.
Helpful Hints and Advice
In addition to a variety of campus resources, you can also be a great help to your student by answering questions and providing advice on how to navigate the job search. A few important topics you can share with your student include:
- Listen to your student’s career interests and try to be supportive as interests may change throughout your student’s academic career.
- Talk with your student about your industry, employer and job.
- Share with your student which of their strengths, values and traits you most admire.
- Provide personal referrals for your student to have career conversations or shadow contacts in your network.
- Encourage your student to make an appointment with University Career Services early on in their time at Mason!
Human Resources and Payroll
If your student has successfully secured an on-campus job, they will then need to complete the hiring process with Human Resources and Payroll. In order to begin working, students must present original documents that establish their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. This is a Federal requirement that has very specific time requirements that impact a student’s ability to start working and get paid. Some examples of acceptable unexpired original documents are a passport, a driver’s license, or a social security card. A full list of acceptable documents can be found at uscis.gov/i-9-central/acceptable-documents/list-documents/form-i-9-acceptable-documents.
We hope these resources help you and your student navigate the on-campus job search! If you have additional questions, you can visit careers.gmu.edu, send an email to
careers@gmu.edu or call 703-993-2370. For questions to Human Resources and Payroll, send an email to hr@gmu.edu or call 703-993-2600.
Carolyn Kleiman
Career Counselor
University Career Services
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