Whether you’re looking for a college babysitter, or looking for the right intern for your business, hiring college students can be a tricky process to navigate. Here are a few tips to help you make a smart hire:

• Most college students have limited work experience. Maybe you remember that chicken-and-egg frustration yourself. They need experience to get a job, but they need a job to get experience. When hiring college students, look for those who have been able to gain useful and transferrable skills in other ways. Have they showed commitment to a varsity team? Did they organize a successful rally on campus? Was she a top fundraiser for her sorority? Of course, extra credit goes to students who were able to find part-time and flexible jobs while in school. Working during college shows a strong work ethic, no matter what the job was.
• Make your job description clear. As the old saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine. Spell out what your expectations are. Is the schedule flexible? Are you looking to fill the position immediately? And most importantly, what responsibilities will the student have?
• It’s well-known that college students care about meaningful work. Give students a sense of the “bigger picture,” even if his or her job will be mundane. If you’re hiring a student to do data entry, share that this effort will contribute to a non-profit’s annual fundraiser. You’ll find candidates become energized about the job in a different way when they feel they’re making an impact.
• References are crucial whether you’re hiring college students for part-time jobs, internships, summer jobs, or one-time jobs. When you use QuadJobs, you have immediate access to a applicant’s past reviews from employers. If a student is new to the site, and doesn’t have reviews yet, don’t be scared off! Just ask for a few references, and they’ll give you valuable insight into your potential hire.

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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.