- Be responsive. This just means returning an email, call, or text in a timely way. What if your day is incredibly hectic, and you don’t have enough time to respond to an employer’s detail-heavy text about your working schedule next week? Send a quick response letting them know you’ll be back in touch when your classes are over at 5 pm. Then circle back at the promised time.
- Greet your employer. It may feel overly formal, but the professional way to start a phone call, begin an interview, or greet your employer when you start work each time is the same: Hi, name of employer. In person, make eye contact.
- Don’t email or text without checking your spelling. We all use text messages to communicate with friends, so it’s easy to fall into a habit of using shorthand and incorrect grammar. When communicating with employers, pull yourself out of that habit. Before hitting send, take a moment to review what you’ve written. Write full words, not abbreviations. Even if you’re just communicating about a Friday night babysitting job, you’re also growing your professional network. The same employer who hires you to watch her 3 kids may have an opening for a great job at her company.
- Say thank you often. Every text, email, and phone call should end with you thanking your employer. Every job should end with a thank you. There is no better way to make a strong impression than expressing your gratitude. Saying thank you often is a game-changing professional habit.
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QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs. From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules. The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews. Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience. Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.