Azusa Pacific University prepares students to be difference makers in their field of work, and an important part of achieving career goals is having the opportunity to build your resumé and gain practical, transferable work and life skills. With help from the Office of Student Employment, students can find on campus jobs in a variety of departments that can be tailored to build their resumé and form connections that can help in finding and securing a job after graduation.
A unique aspect of student employment at APU is that every hiring manager posts jobs and hires employees independently. Other universities will place students into jobs, but here, each hiring manager has discretion over who is hired for each role. Once a student begins the onboarding process, the Office of Student Employment steps in to help make the process smooth and simple. The office works closely with supervisors to make sure that students are onboarded in a timely manner and trained in transferable workplace skills to put on their resumé. “Letting hiring happen at the department level is a plus because students get to experience how to find a job, interview, make a good first impression, and get feedback,” said Gina Price, talent acquisition specialist for staff and student employment.
The Office of Student Employment also offers resources for students in the process of being hired and for those looking for jobs. They conduct I-9 appointments, guide international students in the process of getting Social Security Numbers to work in the U.S., keep employment records for students’ future employers, and answer any general questions about student employment. They are also a great place to go if you’re not completely sure how to reach out to a supervisor for a position that you may be interested in. During summer break, the office partners with Admissions to have in-person and virtual information sessions for freshmen and transfer students. In these sessions, students learn about the office’s resources along with an overview of career development. Working on campus comes with other benefits for students including flexibility with academic schedules, limited to no commute, opportunities to network with faculty, staff, and professionals, mentoring opportunities, and possible tax exemptions.
Another unique distinction about student employment at APU are the job opportunities for students with and without federal work study. “Most on campus jobs don’t require students to have work study or financial aid,” Price said. “We’re also very generous about how many hours we allow students to work. Some universities in the area only allow students to work 10-20 hours per week and they have to have federal work study, but we allow students to work up to 29 hours per week with or without federal work study.”
Having an on campus job while being a full time student can be extremely rewarding
and sets students up for future success. Sofia Barba ’26 is a business marketing and honors humanities double major. Working two jobs on campus has opened doors to new career opportunities
and passions and has allowed her to get connected to the APU community. Barba began
working as a media technician for the Media Production team in her freshman year. “I knew I wanted to do something in production, and when
I was touring campus in my senior year of high school, there was a Media Production
booth,” she said. “They encouraged me to apply, and within the next week I had a Zoom
interview and was hired over the summer.” Working with Media Production has directly
correlated with Barba’s interests and career goals. She has improved hard skills that
are transferable in the field.
she said. “I would love to continue this kind of work in the future for churches or
at a Christian university.”
Barba also works as a marketing strategist in the Honors College. “I love the environment of being in the office, and it’s amazing that I get to do something that relates to my major like managing their social media accounts and coming up with campaigns,” she said. The flexibility of having an on campus job has helped Barba greatly. Employers understand that their employees are students first, so there’s a level of trust and understanding when it comes to needing to find someone to cover a shift, taking a shift off to study during busy times in the semester, and having good work-life balance. “My experience working on campus has been 100 percent positive, and I’m so much more connected to the APU community,” she said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to use what I’m learning in class outside of hypothetical projects. Business degrees are already very versatile, but I’m going into the field prepared by combining my degree with experience in marketing and experience in production.”
Traditional undergraduate and international students enrolled in a minimum of 12 units maintaining a 2.0 GPA are encouraged to look into finding jobs on campus. “If you know what you’re interested in, try to find a job that fits your major and career goals,” Barba said. “Look around campus, explore your options, and make your time working on campus count.” If you have questions or need help finding a place to start, visit the Office of Student Employment located on West Campus in Building One in the Office of Human Resources. Students can also contact the office by calling (925) 815-4680 or via email at [email protected].