What does a student worker do?
Student workers are students who are employed while also enrolled at the university. They usually work in a department or college where they handle different tasks. Most of the time, student workers are assigned to do administrative activities. Their tasks include sorting mail, sending outgoing mail, manning telephone lines, filing documents, updating records, liaising with other departments, and documenting meetings, among others. Student-workers may also be assigned to handle or assist in university-wide events and activities. They are expected to be technologically savvy so that they can really help out in the department they are assigned to. Student-workers should be responsible, trustworthy, and diligent.
Student worker responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real student worker resumes:
- Manage club documents and advertise several events through Facebook.
- Exhibit patient care CPR experience in CNA
- Maintain neat appearance and cleanliness of the library.
- Assist with maintaining the cleanliness of the dining room
- Mow and edge lawns, using power mowers and weed eaters.
- Provide excellent customer service while assisting students in completing online applications for FAFSA and admissions.
- Advise students on challenging issues regarding their payroll, employment and other internal department issues.
- Maintain plants by operating mowers, weed eater, edger, and painting if need.
- Handle billing - creating invoices, statements, and financial reports for house accounts using QuickBooks software.
- Job duties include mowing, trail maintenance, raking the beach, cleaning bathrooms and checking in campers.
- Maintain city properties by mowing lawns, trimming weeds, cleaning the shop, and cleaning city parks.
- Enter information on student high school and college transcripts (GPA, graduation date, credits, etc . )
- Entrust to handle confidential information on students (GPA, academic records, problems with instructors, etc . )
- Work in multiple departments, paint dorm rooms, patch holes in walls, perform maintenance on washers and dryers
- Help build cabinets for pharmacy tech lab on campus and a dorm remodeling project to create a new room SNJC campus.
Student worker skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Student Workers are proficient in Customer Service, Front Desk, and Twitter. They’re also known for soft skills such as Emotional skills, Problem-solving skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Student Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 16%
Provide customer service to Loyola University students seeking assistance with police reports and provide service with a sensitivity to confidentiality.
- Front Desk, 11%
Performed front desk receptionist activities.
- Twitter, 8%
Maintained official Robert Morris University Facebook/Twitter accounts for promotional purposes.
- Financial Aid, 6%
Connected with parents and students regarding financial aid information and financial standing; provided updates when necessary.
- PowerPoint, 5%
Developed PowerPoint presentations for professors Designed event posters Scheduled appointments Ordered books and research materials Acted as executive assistance for one professor
- Computer Lab, 4%
Maintained computers and electronic equipment in a computer lab designed for natural science students.
"customer service," "front desk," and "twitter" are among the most common skills that student workers use at work. You can find even more student worker responsibilities below, including:
Problem-solving skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling student worker duties is problem-solving skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "social workers must analyze their clients’ complex situations and develop practical solutions." According to a student worker resume, here's how student workers can utilize problem-solving skills in their job responsibilities: "performed office tasks and facilitated student inquiry resolution and software training. "
Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of student workers is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday student worker duties, as "clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "developed vis for labview for testing, communication, and data collection purposes. "
Interpersonal skills. A big part of what student workers do relies on "interpersonal skills." You can see how essential it is to student worker responsibilities because "social workers must be able to work with different groups of people." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical student worker tasks: "managed front desk and lobby; greeted guests; answered telephones; filed documents; developed interpersonal communication skills"
Organizational skills. While "organizational skills" is last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to student worker responsibilities. Much of what a student worker does relies on this skill, seeing as "social workers must help and manage multiple clients, often assisting with their paperwork or documenting their treatment." Here is a resume example of how this skill is used in the everyday duties of student workers: "aided with clerical tasks such as spreadsheet development, organizational duties, and front desk duties. "
The three companies that hire the most student workers are:
- Aramark247 student workers jobs
- Hair Cuttery ®128 student workers jobs
- Sodexo Management, Inc.96 student workers jobs
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Compare different student workers
Student worker vs. Clerical aide
Clerical aides perform various office-related tasks for company executives like answering calls, sorting documents, taking down the minutes of their meetings, etc. They should have computer skills, be organized, and communicate with people inside and outside the company. These aides proofread standard and templated documents to produce the necessary documentation needed to present the activities held in their department. As they are working for officials in a company, there will be occasions where work hours can be irregular and events that need attendance.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between student workers and clerical aide. For instance, student worker responsibilities require skills such as "customer service," "twitter," "financial aid," and "computer lab." Whereas a clerical aide is skilled in "computer data entry," "purchase orders," "inventory control," and "quality customer service." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Clerical aides earn the highest salaries when working in the health care industry, with an average yearly salary of $30,265. On the other hand, student workers are paid more in the retail industry with an average salary of $26,351.clerical aides tend to reach similar levels of education than student workers. In fact, clerical aides are 2.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Student worker vs. Office aide
Also called an office assistant, an office aide is someone whose responsibility focuses on secretarial and administrative tasks in health practices, schools, businesses, or any other institution. Office aides help with logistical and clerical needs like copying files, curating schedules, and answering phones. They manage and organize files, receive and direct visitors, create presentations, and answer emails. The skills they need include computer and email use, filing documents, answering multiline phone systems, and typing.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that student worker responsibilities requires skills like "twitter," "computer lab," "alumni," and "gpa." But an office aide might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "data entry," "phone calls," "database systems," and "fax machines."
Office aides may earn a higher salary than student workers, but office aides earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $30,366. On the other hand, student workers receive higher pay in the retail industry, where they earn an average salary of $26,351.office aides earn similar levels of education than student workers in general. They're 1.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for student workers in the next 3-5 years?
Lesley Casarez Ph.D.
Director, Quality Enhancement Plan Program Coordinator, M.S. Professional School Counseling Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, Angelo State University
Student worker vs. Social services assistant
A social services assistant is responsible for supporting the social needs of citizens within society. Social services assistants work within the community office or health institutions to assist patients and their families in processing their needs and obtaining medical information. They also coordinate with other organizations to gather additional resources and financial assistance to plan community programs that will be beneficial for society. A social services assistant provides counseling to the families to identify the services and referrals they needed.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from student worker resumes include skills like "customer service," "front desk," "twitter," and "financial aid," whereas a social services assistant is more likely to list skills in "social work," "patients," "rehabilitation," and "discharge planning. "
Social services assistants earn the highest salary when working in the government industry, where they receive an average salary of $38,533. Comparatively, student workers have the highest earning potential in the retail industry, with an average salary of $26,351.social services assistants typically earn higher educational levels compared to student workers. Specifically, they're 6.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Student worker vs. Service counselor
Service counselors provide guidance to couples, individuals, groups, and families who are going through issues that influence their well-being and mental health. They comprehensively approach their clients by utilizing a "wellness" model that focuses on and motivate the client's potentials. Their duties include inspiring clients to talk about their emotions and experiences, helping them determine their action plans and goals, as well as designing therapeutic methods. Also, they may refer their clients to other services or psychologists.
Types of student worker
Updated January 8, 2025
