Posting & Hiring

 

How to Post Your Work Study Positions

Job descriptions can be posted year-round for fall, spring or summer positions. In the past, we have solicited postings twice a year through large mailings in December and July. Jobs are posted on Bear Access, which is an internet program accessible by all Cornell students or persons with a Cornell net ID. (See Student Jobs and Internships for more information).

Agencies may post jobs at any time during the year, and we encourage you to send them as early as possible to avoid the rush at the beginning of each semester and the summer program. If you wish to have a job removed, you need to contact our office.

Tips for Interviewing a Work Study Student

  • Students will call your agency directly and ask for the contact listed on the job posting.
  • Not all students are familiar with Federal Work Study (FWS) or financial aid, so we encourage you to double-check with the student that they have a current FWS award. Students can check their financial aid status by using Just the Facts through Bear Access (under the Student Services button on the new Bear Access), a program with which they should be familiar.
  • Students who don't receive financial aid will not be eligible for Community Work Study positions.
  • We suggest that you interview the student as you would a regular staff member (most have résumés and should be able to provide some references). Review the job description with them and discuss the tasks and responsibilities associated with the job.
  • Be sure that your expectations and those of the student are clearly communicated and understood.
  • Discuss time management and scheduling, any other work study or non work study jobs they may have, transportation issues, and extracurricular activities, as many Cornell students overextend themselves.

Hiring a Work Study Student

When extending an offer of employment to a student, be clear about follow-up and a start date, and be sure to get contact information for the student.

  • Direct the student to the PSC to complete paperwork and receive payroll training. At the beginning of each semester, we encourage students to call or stop by and make an appointment, as walk-ins cannot always be accommodated.
  • Be sure the student knows the full name of his/her supervisor, hiring agency, and job title for which she or he has been hired. Job titles must match job descriptions that have been posted. If this is a new job, the supervisor must complete a Job Description form and send it to us.
  • For each student, a a "Hiring Addendum" is created, which is mailed to the agency. Agencies must complete the highlighted areas and return it to the PSC for processing before a student can be appointed to the university payroll or paid. For the student, this can translate into anywhere from a 1 to 3 week waiting period to be paid, because Cornell works on a biweekly pay period If a pay period deadline is missed, the student has to wait another two weeks to get paid.
  • Gross wages earned by the student before the starting date or beyond the end date of the hiring addendum are the responsibility of the hiring agency.
  • Students are not to exceed their Federal Work Study award. Supervisors should discuss the maximum earning potential with their student and take into consideration other work study jobs they may have.