Quick Summary
My most experienced student just told me she ordered her cap and gown. This is a bittersweet time of year; I really enjoy working with my student employees, but I don't get to keep them after they graduate. They inevitably move on to "real jobs," though once in a while that turns out to be joining the regular Minitex staff. Others may end up in related fields, or stay in touch on social media, so I don't have to miss them entirely.
My most experienced student just told me she ordered her cap and gown. This is a bittersweet time of year; I really enjoy working with my student employees, but I don't get to keep them after they graduate. They inevitably move on to "real jobs," though once in a while that turns out to be joining the regular Minitex staff. Others may end up in related fields, or stay in touch on social media, so I don't have to miss them entirely.
Resource Sharing employs about 50 students, but most of them work less than 12 hours/week. We are good about accommodating their class schedules, and unexpected events like tests being scheduled outside of normal class hours. They still get a lot done for us, and my experience has been that the majority of them learn the job quickly. The beginning of fall semester, and to a lesser extent, the beginning of spring semester, are the times we do most of our student hiring. The University of Minnesota Libraries Human Resources office assists in the hiring process, but even with our new software, it can be challenging to hire to fill several openings at once. I wouldn't want to do without them, though. I consider being around students one of the perks of my job. They bring energy, new ways of looking at things, and often know a tech trick or two I might not have seen yet. They also keep me up to date on pop culture, which can occasionally be useful in my work.
So while saying au revoir, often to someone I have relied on for 3 years, I look forward to meeting the young people we will be hiring in the coming months.
