One of my responsibilities at the end of the Fall semester is to hire new student workers. We hire for the Spring, because in my previous department, we found that seniors often "checked out" for several days, if not weeks. Massive projects, senoritis, melt-downs - you name it, they had it. By having students begin their work in the Spring semester, it not only allows us to have a corp of reserves at hand for the inevitable, but we're also able to spend more time in training. By covering more material over a more relaxed period of time than say, 3 days, the students learn more, and I don't go crazy.
There are several parts to actually getting a job with my department. First, it helps to know someone that works for me. Or works for my previous department. Or know the student workers at the desk because someone is constantly using our resources. We do advertise with creative posters around campus as well, but word of mouth is consistently the main method of recruitment. I know this because on the application, I ask who told them about the job/how they found out about it. Currently, 87% of the applicants were referred to the application by another student worker. The second half of networking is recommendations: All of my current student workers and all of the students in my previous department were instructed that I would love to get feedback on the applicants they talked to. And I've gotten a decent amount of it. Personal recommendations from current student workers is, in a nutshell, a way to get on the "definitely pay attention to this application" list.
Next, they should fill out the application before its due date. I'm sitting up until midnight on a Saturday night so that I can close my application exactly when I've committed to do so. Not only do I take due dates VERY seriously, it shows me that they're willing, eager, and responsible. They probably don't procrastinate as much as other students. While this won't single-handedly land them a job, it is a plus.
Part of the application includes a weeding-out process. After I receive the applications, I email the students in batches (bcc'ing them to protect privacy), with a message that thanks them for their application and with a series of Doodle links from which they can choose their interview day/time. If they choose not to pick a time, that's their problem. With almost 40 applicants for 10-12 positions, I refuse to hold hands. Reading directions, communicating in an effective and timely manner and common courtesy are a large part of the job.
Once a timeslot is chosen, I expect the students to show up for their interviews on time. They should be dressed nicely, shake my hand before and after the interview, and make eye contact. We're not strict about dress code at the desk, but I do expect an effort to be made. Remember: ~40 applications, 10 positions. I want to be impressed, and first impressions are just as important as everyone says. Look the part, act the part, be the part.
During the interview, the best thing they can do is remain calm. If I see a student getting flustered, I'll often reassure them as best I can. I try to start the interview off with some chitchat: how are your papers/finals/projects going, when are you finished, where are you going for break; things of that nature. The second best thing that a student can do while in the interview is be honest. If they don't know the answer, that's OK. The reasons I ask all these questions is so that I know where I need to start training levels. If everyone knows the mechanics of a SLR and what the symbols mean, we're not going to spend an hour talking about physics and mechanical engineering. We'll move on to something else. The third best thing that someone can do in an interview is ask questions. (Actually, I'm tempted to move that to #1, but so many students here are scared witless by their first official job interview that I'd rather them remain calm.) Questions show me that they like to learn, and also give me some insight into how they think. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it also hired the new Bass Media Tech!
I keep notes during the interview: what are their answers to my stock questions, where did the conversation go, did they just mention keywords or did they understand what they were saying, where they lie in the hierarchy (freshman, sophomore, etc.). I like to hire younger students because they have no preconceived expectations about how they are going to interact with a job/boss and they tend to stick around longer. I like students who will not disrespect me or challenge my policies on a weekly basis, and I like students who will work for me for 2+ years. Good ROI and all that. After the interview is finished, I look over my notes, briefly discuss things with the student worker that's sitting in on the interview with me, and we rank the student on a 1 to 5 scale, with 1 being "oh dear god no" and "If I could offer them the job this very second, I would." It's capitulating on my gut reaction, because I've learned that my gut reaction is usually pretty spot on when it comes to hiring students who are engaged and self-motivated. I don't want slackers, and if I can avoid them in the first place, I will.
Interviews eventually wrap up, and then I take the rankings and lay them out. Everyone with a 5 usually gets hired. I say "usually" because I've never had more 5s than positions, but I'm only 1/3 of the way through interviews, and it could happen. After the 5s go into the "hire" pot, then come the 4s. Then the 3s. Pretty much anyone with a 1 or 2 isn't going to get hired, especially given the odds this year. Generally, about 10-15% of the applicant pool is rated with a 5. There are more 3s and 4s, which is why we do split things into a decimal categories if needed: I do have applicants rated with 3.5 and 4.25 on occasion. Usually this happens when we average the interviewers' scores out, but sometimes it's because they're right on those weird lines of uncertainty.
Emails finally go out, jobs are accepted, and non-jobbed students are politely told that we don't have space for them in the program this year (but they are welcome to apply again next year).
Finally, I sit back for 10 minutes and toast myself on a job well done! And then freak out because I've just hired 10-12 new students and there's a crap ton of work to get done before our first training day in January.
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