Job opportunities

Student Writing Consultant (undergraduate students only) for 2023–24 academic year

Application deadline: Wednesday, March 1, 11:59 pm

About the Job

The Center for Writing's Student Writing Support (SWS) program invites undergraduate students to apply to be writing consultants during the 2023–24 academic year. Writing consultants consult one-to-one with undergraduate and graduate writers from across the university to support them in developing confidence and effective writing strategies.

The Center looks for candidates who are curious learners and attentive listeners. Strong collaboration skills and attention to detail are also important. Candidates from underrepresented or marginalized communities and identities are encouraged to apply. We welcome applications from students from all majors and all language backgrounds—especially students who are going to be sophomores or juniors during the 2023-24 school year.

Please note: At this time, the University’s employment site is limited in how it collects applicant demographic information. Applicants are encouraged to provide the name and/or pronouns that they use within their attached application materials.

Duties/Responsibilities 

Position starts Fall 2023; ideal candidates will be able to work for the full academic year or for multiple years. The starting rate of pay for this position is $16.00 per hour. On average, consultants work 8–10 hours per week. For new consultants, all work is on campus in face-to-face settings.

Consult with undergraduate and graduate student writers from across the university on their writing projects to help them develop confidence and effective writing habits. Enroll in WRIT 3751W: The Theory and Practice of Writing Consultancy in Fall 2023. Participate in training, mentoring, and other professional development activities. Help to maintain accurate student records. Assist with publicity (such as visiting classes to introduce SWS) and other work as needed. Greet students, schedule appointments, and provide basic tech support to students.

Qualifications

REQUIRED: Must be an undergraduate student in a degree-granting program for duration of employment. Must have fulfilled the first-year writing requirement by the start of fall semester 2023 (i.e., enrollment in a first-year writing course in spring 2023 is acceptable). Interest in supporting student learning. Effective communication, listening, and collaboration skills. Strong attention to detail.

PREFERRED: We especially welcome applications from candidates who are going to be sophomores or juniors during the 2023–24 school year and who meet one or more of the following qualifications:

• have experience with working in a detail-oriented environment

• are multilingual

• have experience as language learners

• have experience supporting language learners

• are committed to or interested in working in an inclusive and diverse community

• are interested in developing methods for giving feedback to writers on their work in progress

• have experience writing in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) fields

• have experience in a writing center (as writing consultant, as client, or both) or collaborating with writers in other settings

We welcome candidates from historically underrepresented or marginalized communities and identities. Given our ongoing partnership with TRIO, we especially invite individuals who are TRIO students, TRIO program alumni, and/or have shared life experiences with TRIO-like populations, including growing up low-income, first-generation, or overcoming significant obstacles in pursuit of higher education. Further, given our connections with ISSS, we strongly encourage international students to apply.

About the Department

Student Writing Support (SWS) offers collaborative one-to-one writing consultations to help student writers develop confidence and effective writing strategies. Writing consultants will listen to writers’ goals and concerns, read and respond to their written work, pose questions that help writers clarify and articulate their ideas, and affirm the experiences and abilities that people bring to their writing. SWS values writers’ life experiences and languages, seeking to provide a supportive space for writers to share and develop their voices.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted online through the Office of Human Resources website. Click on "student jobs" and enter Job ID #354032.

Application Materials

The application requires four items (below). Save all items as PDFs and name each PDF with your last name, followed by “_[document type]”. For example, if your last name is Tang and you are naming your resume, it would be named Tang_resume. 

1. detailed cover letter describing your qualifications and interest in working at  Student Writing Support (1–2 pages, single-spaced PDF)
   • Go to https://careerhelp.umn.edu/coverletters for suggestions on how to draft your cover letter.
2. a resume that includes contact information for two professional or academic references. (Note: a letter of recommendation is not required.)
   • Note: When listing your work experiences, know that many different kinds of work could make you a strong candidate for this position.
3. an unofficial transcript from all colleges and universities you have attended (e.g., the college you transferred from). To get your UMN transcript: 
   • Go to myu.umn.edu
   • Click Academics
   • Click Grades
   • Click Unofficial transcript
4. One PDF file containing two writing samples. Please adhere to the following guidelines:
   • The writing samples must together add up to no more than 5 double-spaced pages (with an optional 6th page for references/works cited). Otherwise, exceeding the 5-page limit is strongly discouraged.
   • The samples can be research papers, lab reports, reflective essays, case notes, source/text analysis, business plans, creative writing, etc.
   • One of the two samples must include source citations (and a works cited or references page). The works cited or reference page does not count toward the page limit (i.e., it can be the sixth page).
   • Because these are samples, excerpts from longer papers are acceptable. For samples that begin in the middle of a paper, giving some context before the sample could be helpful (e.g., “The sample below is an excerpt from…”). It is also okay if the excerpt cuts off or ends abruptly.

Submitting Your Application

The application system involves 6 steps. Here is what you can expect:

• In Step 1, review the Terms and Conditions.

• In Step 2, add your resume + cover letter

• If the application system requires you to complete step 3, please know that ALL of the elements you enter in this step should also be included in your resume.

• Complete step 4 as applicable.

• In step 5, please add your unofficial transcript(s) + writing sample.

• In step 6, you can officially submit your application.

Finally, we strongly recommend reviewing all the attachments you have submitted, making sure that the correct documents were attached to the application. To do so, go to hr.myu.umn.edu and then click “My Job Applications” to review your “attached files”. 

Please know that the transcript and writing samples will attach to all applications you submit in the UMN employment system. 

Applications are due on Wednesday, March 1, 11:59 pm. Interviews will be conducted on campus and will begin in mid March. 

Questions?

Questions about navigating the online application system should be directed to the Office of Human Resources (OHR) at ohr@umn.edu, 612-624-8647, or 800-756-2363. Applicants may otherwise find the student jobs webpage useful.

Questions about the position itself can be directed to Dr. Jasmine Tang, Co-Director, Center for Writing, at jkt@umn.edu.