University: Making Money, Experience, and Connections

Working the University System

          Working for The Prof:

                Getting Money, Experience, and Connections

One of the most important university skills is being able to work the system. Ultimately it is your connection to your profs that will determine the references, experience, and--yes--money you can gain.

Almost all professors are engaged in research and almost all professors need help with that research. What they do not need is someone that they cannot count on. A research assistant that is late, lazy, or sloppy will be more trouble than they are worth.

This is where it is amusing since if you are sloppy, lazy, and frequently late, this is the perfect job for you.

What Exactly Am I Talking About?

• Most universities have a system where professors pay for research assistants
• The university usually pays half the cost and the prof pays the other half
• Because of the low cost, usually profs are more than happy to take on "research assistants"
• Profs are usually divorced from the working world and often overpay you for your work
• Most of the time, your real job will be organizing a prof's bookshelf, moving boxes, or getting food--and yet you will often be paid wages that are significantly higher than what you would expect for the work you are doing
• No matter what work you do, you will have "Worked as a research assistant for Professor:_______" on your resume
• Professors are busy so most of your work will be unsupervised
• If you actually do an excellent job, you will have made an important connection and reference for the future

How Do I Get this Job?

1. First you need to find an article written by the professor
2. Read the article and come up with a question or two that could not be answered by an internet search. For example, find something that you really think was not answered by his or her article. You don't want to ask a question like, “what does the word acumen mean? You used it in the article.”
3. A good question might be something like, “In your article you suggested that high schools need to introduce Shakespeare earlier but how can they do that and still meet the other demands of the curriculum?”
4. If the prof asks why you read the article be ready to answer that you always try to read at least one article from every professor to find out what the classes will be like
5. If you can find one, find another academic who has commented on that article in a citation index. You might ask your professor their response to that article.
6. Before your next class try to read another article by that professor. You don't need to bring up the fact that you have read that article but it might aid conversation if the prof asks if you have only read one article
7. At the next class—so that they don't forget you--ask the professor about how one becomes a volunteer research assistant and inquire if any professors need one
8. In most cases that professor will likely offer you a position or recommend one
9. Do not ask to be paid; wait until the professor offers to pay you. Standard practice dictates working for at least a few months once a week or so as a volunteer before they offer to hire you

DO's and DON'Ts

DO

• Do notice the dress style that your prof wears and try to match this style. If your prof wears suits, however, pick a style of dress that is semi-casual not formal. You wearing a suit will look too needy
• Do look fascinated. Profs are notoriously tired of the “apathetic generation”
• Do look for older profs; they are more likely to be lonely and less likely to still be paying off their student loans from when they were in school

DON'T

• Don't approach a prof when they look busy
• Don't look for job postings in university hallways--the competition will be too high
• Don't try to get a position before you have been marked on something in that class
• Don't bother trying to get a position if you have not been marked well in that class
• Don't look like a fringe element—profs have egos and those egos need to be fed. You want to look like someone to mould, not someone who is moulded
• Don't try to get the position the first time you speak to the professor

Best of Luck. I hope it all goes well.

Your Insider