Managing Student Employees

If your job involves assigning, supervising, or managing student employees, you may find the resources on this page helpful.

Each semester, Human Resources offers a class on managing student employees. The presentation covers the various stages of the employment relationship and provides numerous tips and resources for making that relationship a success. Important points to consider include:

  • Plan for your student positions in advance. How will absences or schedule changes be handled? Will your student employees be expected to work during exams or breaks? How will assignments be communicated?
  • Establish expectations through clear communication with student employees, at the outset and throughout employment.
  • Provide your student employees the orientation, training, and mentoring they need to succeed.
  • Motivate your student employees through goal-setting, individualized rewards, and recognition and advancement opportunities.
  • Provide regular feedback and coaching that focuses on goals and job performance.
  • When issues arise, address them promptly and objectively.

Presentations relating to student employment also take place at Student Employment Forum meetings, generally held once each semester. For more information, contact the HR Student Employment Consultant.

Hiring and Onboarding

Here are some tools that may be useful as you hire and onboard your student employees:

Please also see the Student Employee Orientation and Training page.

Managing Performance

Here are some additional tools that may be useful in managing your student employees’ performance:

Handling Student Employee Issues and Separations

These tools will help you if you encounter performance issues with student employees or need to separate a student employee before the end of the student’s assignment.