On the Job

Even with clear communication, there will likely be times when you have a conflict with your work schedule. The best professional practice is always to plan ahead, keep an eye on upcoming commitments, and alert your supervisor in advance if you expect your work schedule to be impacted. During Final Exams or other periods when you may need to adjust your schedule due to academic requirements (e.g., a group presentation, or studying for a test), it is your responsibility to communicate with your supervisor in advance to agree upon any modifications to your work schedule. 

There may also be situations when you cannot alert your supervisor ahead of time that you’re going to be late or absent, e.g., due to illness. As soon as you know you will not be able to work, contact your supervisor. Depending on your work environment, it may also be your responsibility to find a replacement for your shift. Make sure you understand the expectations for your work schedule BEFORE you need to make changes to it. 

Punctuality - always arriving on time - communicates to your employer that this position is a priority for you. Plan to arrive 5 - 10 minutes before the start of each shift; remember that a start time is the time to start working, not the time to walk in the door. Arriving early also ensures that you have time to check in with those who may be ending their shifts just as yours begins, to get any updates or announcements that you need to know for the day. Be mindful of commuting times across campus, breaks for meals, and your academic and personal commitments when planning for your work schedule. 

Your supervisor plays an essential role both before, during, and after you are employed with them. During your employment, your supervisor can assist you with on-the-job concerns, training and development. After you leave your position, your supervisor can also become an important supporter for your future career. They may do this by providing advice, connecting you with resources or helpful people, or by serving as a reference in your job and graduate school applications. During those application processes, your on-campus supervisor can serve as one of your most valuable references. Regardless of the position you hold, your supervisor will most likely see you more often than your professors do and can speak to your work ethic, transferable skills, and professionalism. 

While you are in your on-campus job, take advantage of opportunities to get to know and learn from your supervisor, and plan to keep in touch with them after you depart that position. You may want to set up an informational interview with your supervisor to learn about their role and career path. Check out general tips and strategies for networking, including how to use LinkedIn and other platforms effectively, and begin to put these tips into practice while working in your on-campus job.

Hopefully you will get to know your supervisor well and develop a positive, productive professional relationship with them throughout the course of your employment. However, in the workplace just as in other contexts, disagreements or sources of tension do occasionally arise. The best way to prevent these is through clear communication, to try to avoid misunderstandings. This webinar on How to Build Authentic and Effective Professional Relationships and its accompanying resource page contain some good tips for workplace communication that you may find helpful.

If you are facing a difficulty with your supervisor that you haven’t been able to resolve through attempts at communication, please meet with Student Employment and/or an advisor at Career Education to talk through the situation and brainstorm how to best move forward.

Work with your supervisor to decide on your last day. Depending on the department needs and/or your academic schedule, your last day may be different from what was listed on the job description. 

Please note: You are not allowed to continue in a student employment position after graduation without prior approval from your supervisor and Human Resources.

Create or update transition documents for the next person in your role, documenting specific information, resources, and contacts. Write down specifics that the new student employee should be aware of. If your department already has a Student Employment Manual or something similar, focus on pieces of the position you wish you had known when you started, including useful contacts and resources.

Talk with your supervisor about your plans for after the position and how you can continue to support one another. Your supervisor may need you to assist in interviewing or training new employees. You also may need your supervisor’s support as a reference for another position. Talk to your supervisor about being a reference before you leave your position. 

If you are applying to other positions and would like to use your supervisor as a reference, view the “Requesting Faculty References” resource on the Career Education website for information about the best way to prepare your referees. Information in the article can apply to both faculty and staff referees. 

Before you leave, take some time to thank those who have assisted you throughout your position. A handwritten thank you note or a quick chat is a great way to show others in the department that you are grateful for their support. 

You should have regularly scheduled meetings with your supervisor to talk through your questions and job performance, typically once a week. In addition to that,  you should be in touch with your supervisor frequently with your questions, to share ideas, and to continue to learn about your role and the department. 

At the start of your position, find out which method of communication your supervisor prefers: do they want you to schedule times to meet, or just pop in when you have a question? Do they prefer to be contacted via email if you’re going to be late, or by text or a phone call?

If you are running late to a shift for any reason, you should contact your supervisor directly right away to let them know what time you expect to arrive. Make sure you know in advance whether your supervisor prefers this communication to come by phone, email, or text. Most departments will have a consequence for arriving late, such as a warning. Arriving late on multiple occasions can be grounds for termination from your position. 

Your first priority at Wellesley is your academics and your role as a student. When you obtain an on-campus position, this job becomes your second priority. You have a responsibility to your employer, the department, and the people the department serves to be on time and present for each of your assigned shifts. An organization meeting is typically not a valid cause for missing a work shift. If this is truly an essential meeting for you to attend, for example if you will be on the e-board and must attend weekly meetings, discuss the situation with your supervisor to determine whether your shifts can be modified to accommodate these new commitments. Bear in mind that your supervisor may not be able or willing to adjust your shifts, and that you must honor the commitment you made at the time you accepted the position.

It is YOUR responsibility to ensure you are being compensated for your work. If you are not seeing your position on Workday, consult with your supervisor to see if they have completed their steps in Workday. Remember that after you receive your offer letter, there are a couple of other steps that need to be completed before you can begin work. 

Make sure you have completed all of your onboarding paperwork, including in-person verification of your I-9 documents with a member of Human Resources. In addition, make sure you are submitting your time in Workday by the appropriate deadline, clicking “Review” and then “Submit” to log your hours. 

Once you have worked through these solutions, please contact Student Employment at studentemploymnet@wellesley.edu.

Each department will have their own policies governing if and when student employees can switch shifts with one another. It is important to understand this policy before you need to switch shifts; this is a good thing to ask during your training at the start of the position. More often than not, it will be your responsibility to find someone to cover your shift. If you cannot find someone to cover for you according to your department’s policies, then you are expected to be present for your shift. Always alert your supervisor to shift changes. 

If you find yourself with nothing to do, ask yourself the following:

• Have I done all of my work to the best of my ability and double checked my efforts?

• Have I assisted all of the department constituents (students, faculty, staff) to the best of my ability?

• Have I asked my co-workers if they need assistance with anything?

• Have I asked my supervisor for additional projects I could work on?

Some on-campus positions may offer you the opportunity to complete coursework after you have finished all of your job responsibilities, however this is at the discretion of the department and supervisor. Make sure you know your employer’s policies regarding the completion of coursework during scheduled shifts.