How to Apply for a Work Study Position

Preparing Your Application

To participate in the Work Study program, you must meet Work Study eligibility requirements. You should then complete the following steps: 

Consider all jobs that interest you; do not limit yourself to those jobs that appear directly related to your studies. All Work Study jobs have transferable skills and provide for work-integrated learning possibilities. 

Work Study job postings become available on the Careers & Co-Curricular Learning Network (CLNx) website during the Student Application Period.  

Think beyond the position title! Use keywords from your goals to search for positions that will help you build those transferable skills. 

Example: Do you want to be a lawyer when you graduate?
There are many transferable skills required for this role – try these keywords in your search: advising, problem-solving, work under tight deadlines, research, and analysis.  

Understand the knowledge and skills required for the position and tailor your resume to demonstrate you have them (think about all your experience: academic work, volunteer, student leadership, and employment). 

  • Attend a Resume Workshop or have your resume reviewed at your campus career services office (UTM, UTSG, UTSC).
  • Attend a live information session. These sessions will be scheduled in April for the summer Work Study cycle and August for the Fall-Winter cycle. Students can register through the CLNx events calendar. 
  • To find relevant workshops and events login to CLNx and then select your campus. 
  • To sign-up for appointments, login to CLNx and then select your campus. 

Additional Resources – Videos 

Preparing for the Interview

Once you have applied, the next step in the process is being interviewed by a prospective employer. Just like your resume, you will be asked questions demonstrating your knowledge and skills related to the requirements of the job. Go to the interview prepared to share a story related to each of the core knowledge or skill requirements.

Check out Big Interview, a free, online system that combines training and practice to help improve your interview technique and build your confidence.

After Applying

Congratulations on being hired! Please follow the next steps for onboarding.

By the end of the hiring period if you have not heard back from the hiring department it is very likely they have moved forward with another student. It is natural to feel disappointment with this outcome.  

If you are unsuccessful with receiving an interview or a job offer, use this time to strengthen your application and consider attending workshops or booking an appointment with the career services on your campus. You may also consider contacting a financial advisor in your faculty, college, or campus to see what options are available. 

Tri-Campus Career Services

Each of the tri-campus career services offices has a suite of resources to train and support Work Study students: 

Mississauga campus: offers a variety of workshops, appointments, and online modules, visit the UTM Career Centre for more information. 

St. George campus: offers a variety of workshops, events, and resources through CLNx. These workshops can support your professional development in topics such as networking, navigating career uncertainty, negotiating job offers, and navigating identity in the workplace. Visit the Student Life Events Calendar for more information. 

Scarborough campus: offers workshops on a variety of topics including communication skills, professionalism at the workplace, and equity and inclusion. For a complete listing and to register, visit UTSC Academic Advising and Career Centre.