Thousands of students at one of Chicago’s most prominent public universities rely on campus jobs to pay for school, cover rent, or gain professional experience. But for many, finding on-campus work is anything but easy. Despite platforms like Handshake, a job portal meant to streamline student hiring, many applicants are left in the dark after submitting dozens of applications.
At the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), where over 33,000 students are enrolled and many commute, the competition is fierce, the hiring process can be unclear, and preference is often given to students who qualify for Federal Work-Study. As students try to balance academics with the need to work, they face long silences, limited opportunities, and systemic barriers that leave them questioning the fairness of the process.
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) offers numerous student employment positions, with the Recreation and Wellbeing Center as one of the largest student employers, employing over 200 students. Job listings for most of these student employment positions are available on Handshake. Handshake is a career platform used by college students to explore a wide range of opportunities, including on-campus jobs, internships, and off-campus positions. Although the platform hosts many types of roles, UIC students often use it as their starting point when searching for campus employment. However, the real question is who is landing these jobs, andis it merely a Handshake application process that enables students to secure them?
Students cannot solely depend on Handshake applications and expect to secure a job. Arya Wayal, a Data Science student at UIC, is currently working as a student ambassador at the Math and Science Learning Center at UIC. She has submitted 68 applications on Handshake but has received only four responses. She learned about her current job by filling out an interest form on their website. Due to the large number of applications on Handshake, it becomes challenging to review them all, and the employees in her department tend to prioritize those who complete the interest form.
Universities like UIC typically have many students looking for part-time employment for various reasons. However, not all departments on campus have the budget to hire more than one or two student workers. For instance, most departments in University Hall employ only one or two students at a time. Students who find campus jobs usually work between 10 and 20 hours a week, depending on their class schedules and departmental needs. Hourly wages typically range from $16 to $18, with some specialized roles paying slightly more. These flexible hours are meant to accommodate students’ academic responsibilities.
Jobs on campus can be competitive due to the high volume of applications and limited department budgets. Many applicants do not receive a response or a chance since many departments can only afford to hire one or two student workers at a time. Nonetheless, UIC’s Cultural Centers serve as an example of how funding can increase student employment. Through Financial Aid and occasionally grant-funded programs, they help student employees.
More paid student roles may be created if other departments were actively looking for comparable funding sources, such as internal grants or collaborations connected to academic programs. Funding increases might reduce competition and provide access to on-campus jobs for students who are not eligible for Federal Work-Study. Wayal Stated, “I do not think it is fair to us, international students, even if we need the funding, FWS limits our opportunity.” She will be excluded from jobs that need FWS eligibility because she is an international student and is therefore not eligible for Federal Work-Study. According to her, the funding system itself creates a disadvantage because certain students are able to obtain jobs that others are unable to, due to their financial aid status rather than their abilities. As a result, international students face a more competitive job market with fewer available opportunities.
Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a form of financial aid that provides part-time employment opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students with demonstrated financial need, allowing them to earn money to help offset educational expenses. According to the U.S. Department of Education, FWS encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study. Students eligible for FWS have a portion of their wages subsidized by the federal government, making them more attractive hires for departments with limited budgets.
(For more information about how Federal Work-Study works, visit, https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/work-study )
“My current job required FWS, which helped me get this position,” said Serena Caldwell, a Psychology and Criminology student at UIC. Caldwell has benefited from the Federal Work- Study program because the job she holds would not have been accessible to her without FWS eligibility. Serena has submitted 53 applications on Handshake and received five replies. One significant advantage for Serena and other UIC students with Federal Work-Study positions is that the earnings from FWS are often not counted as income when determining financial aid eligibility for the following year’s FAFSA. This can enable students to continue qualifying for need-based aid while working.
Despite their differences, Serena and Arya have one thing in common: getting their applications ghosted by most of the departments on campus. They do not receive a rejection email even if they have not gotten the job. They must continue applying until they secure something. Caldwell mentioned that she sent follow-up emails and received a reply from two out of five, still not a significant number. “I reached out to one of the departments in person because I had an interview with them, and they didn’t send me an acceptance or rejection two weeks after the interview. I wanted to find out what happened, only to learn that I was rejected,” Caldwell stated when asked if she took any extra steps or just waited for an email. So why is it so hard for departments to write a “Sorry, after careful review…” or, in the rejection letter, maybe provide some feedback, next steps, or opportunities?
Daisy Pureco, the Assistant Director at Student Employment and Job Location Development (JLD) at UIC, highlighted the various resources available to students. Student Employment offers a range of services, including resume reviews, mock interviews, and workshops. If students have class during our events, we also provide online resources like webinars that explain how to navigate Handshake,” she stated, “How does your office support students who are struggling to get hired?” Pureco continued, “We often have a busy schedule with student meetings, which is why I encourage students to take advantage of our drop-in sessions, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.”
Students must utilize the career resources that UIC offers. While applying for an on-campus job may seem straightforward, there is more to it. “I wish students were more aware of the resources available at UIC and made use of them. For example, when applying for a job, it’s important for students to look beyond just the application and research what the department is looking for,”Pureco said.
Pureco shared that 5,000 active student employment positions have 3,000 student workers. This is because those 3,000 might hold two different positions on campus. When asked if students with FWS have an advantage, Pureco said, “No, I believe there are equal opportunities for Non- FWS and FWS students; in fact, now there are more positions that do not require FWS.”
To understand if UIC’s situation is typical, it is helpful to compare it to other large public universities. The University of Michigan, the University of Washington, and Rutgers University also report competitive student job markets in which Work-Study recipients frequently have a hiring edge. However, some universities have more centralized hiring practices, automatic rejection notifications, and more visible alternative job boards beyond Handshake, making their systems more transparent and student friendly. Instead of using a single, standard hiring process for the entire campus, UIC’s student hiring is decentralized, meaning that each department oversees its own job listings, interviews, and selections. Although many large urban universities with commuter populations use this strategy, it can lead to inequalities in the hiring process between departments. Students may benefit from a more open and fair application process if automatic rejection emails are implemented and funding for jobs that don’t require work-study is increased.
With 5,000 active jobs available and a student body of approximately 33,000, UIC offers numerous opportunities, especially considering it’s a commuter school. Many jobs are on campus, but the application process could be improved. Students should go beyond hitting “apply” on Handshake to make the most of it. Branching out and exploring various departments, even those that might not have jobs listed, is essential. Networking with faculty and staff in your field can also reveal hidden gems that may not be advertised. Taking that extra step can really pay off.