How to hire a work study office assistant

How to hire a work study office assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step work study office assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a work study office assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new work study office assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a work study office assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The work study office assistant hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect work study office assistant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of work study office assistants.

   Type of Work Study Office Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Work Study Office Assistant	General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.	$8-14
   Office Worker	An office worker is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties to support the daily operations of the business. Office workers assist in receiving calls to respond to the clients' inquiries and concerns, as well as welcoming visitors, verifying their appointments, and leading them to the appropriate personnel and department for their business needs... Show more	$11-34
   Office Clerk	Office clerks are administrative employees who handle clerical activities for the organization. They are in charge of managing company records, organizing and storing documents, filing and sorting hard copies of documents, and liaising with other departments or external partners... Show more	$12-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Work-Study
   • Customer Service
   • Data Entry
   • Financial Aid
   • Front Desk
   • Phone Calls
   • Office Equipment
   • Word Processing
   • Scheduling Appointments
   • Telephone Calls
   • Office Support
   • Collating
   • Clerical Support
   • Database Systems

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage operational FedEx relationship through order fulfillment, shipment tracking, and communication with parties involve in shipment transaction.
   • Prepare PowerPoint presentations for advisors classes.
   • Develop a PowerPoint slideshow used for new applicants.
   • Learned interpersonal communication and organization.
   • Learned interpersonal communication and organization.

   More work study office assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your work study office assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A work study office assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a work study office assistant in West Virginia may be lower than in Colorado, and an entry-level work study office assistant usually earns less than a senior-level work study office assistant. Additionally, a work study office assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average work study office assistant salary

   $11.49hourly

   $23,909 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level work study office assistant salary

   $17,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average work study office assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Colorado	$33,812	$16
   2	Massachusetts	$30,511	$15
   3	New York	$28,106	$14
   4	Oregon	$26,577	$13
   5	Michigan	$24,909	$12
   6	Ohio	$24,327	$12
   7	Utah	$24,037	$12
   8	North Carolina	$23,940	$12
   9	Florida	$23,426	$11
   10	Georgia	$23,407	$11
   11	Missouri	$23,085	$11
   12	Virginia	$21,222	$10
   13	Kansas	$19,080	$9

   Average work study office assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Bridgewater State University	$30,293	$14.56	4
   2	Bryant & Stratton College	$28,916	$13.90	1
   3	Central Oregon Community College	$28,265	$13.59	30
   4	Raritan Valley Community College	$26,540	$12.76	3
   5	University of Michigan	$26,131	$12.56	5
   6	St. Charles Community College	$25,136	$12.08	6
   7	State of Georgia: Teachers Retirement System of Georgia	$24,888	$11.97	4
   8	The University of Kansas Health System	$24,875	$11.96	4
   9	PSEA	$24,550	$11.80	4
   10	North Central Texas College	$24,402	$11.73
   11	Missouri State University	$24,383	$11.72	6
   12	Aims Community College	$24,063	$11.57
   13	University of Florida	$23,957	$11.52	22
   14	Liberty University	$23,779	$11.43	12
   15	Guilford College	$23,623	$11.36
   16	Franklin University	$23,541	$11.32
   17	The Texas A&M University System	$23,525	$11.31
   18	Prairie View A&M University	$23,494	$11.30	3
   19	Guilford Technical Community College	$23,493	$11.29	39
   20	Central Community College	$23,384	$11.24	10

4. Writing a work study office assistant job description

   A work study office assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a work study office assistant job description:

   Work study office assistant job description example

   The ideal candidate will perform specialized office support functions or services that require some training, skill, or experience. Duties include providing customer service and specific information, data entry and use of standard office software programs & systems, work within established guidelines and policies. Limited supervision is provided; ability to perform a wide range of duties.
   The Work Study Student will perform basic front office tasks:
   
   - Greet and sign-in visitors to the Link Lab
   
   - Check Mail
   
   - Refill printers
   
   - Inventory office supplies
   
   - Answer phones
   
   - Assist faculty and students with simple requests for Lab operations
   
   - Assist in set-up and take down of events
   
   - Support the Operations Coordinator of the Link Lab
   
   Salary: $16/hour
   
   MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
   
   Education: Current UVA student
   
   Federal Work-Study eligibility is required.
   Experience: Familiar with Microsoft Office, General Office Equipment (copiers/printers/scanners), Comfortable fielding phone calls.
   Licensure: None
   
   PHYSICAL DEMANDS
   
   This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require moving chairs and tables to set-up for events and walking around the Link Lab to perform checks.
   
   TIME/SCHEDULE REQUIREMENTS
   
   The Link Lab is open from 8:00am - 5:00pm. Your hours will need to be performed during these times. We are specifically looking for coverage from 8:00 - 10:00am and 3:00 - 5:00pm.
   
   COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines
   
   Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements and guidelines for employment at UVA.
   
   The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician's Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find work study office assistants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any work study office assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level work study office assistants with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your work study office assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit work study office assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with work study office assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new work study office assistant

   Once you've decided on a perfect work study office assistant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new work study office assistant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a work study office assistant?