You are finally moved into your place and ready for your Fall semester at Penn State. So, what’s next? One of the first things on your list should be securing a job, and one of the best places to do that is right on campus. No matter your area of study, working for Campus Dining or Hospitality Services at Penn State provides great benefits. Not only do their positions provide students job experience and vital professional skills that future employers find essential, but they also work around your class schedule and Penn State sponsored clubs and activities.

Know Your Options

Residential or Retail Dining

What’s the difference between Residential and Retail Dining? An easy way to distinguish the two is that Residential Dining encompasses any eatery in close proximity to a residence hall. These would include: Findlay Dining Commons, North Food District, West Food District, South Food District, and Pollock Dining Commons, which also houses The Mix convenience store. Retail Dining is any eatery in the HUB, such as Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, Burger King, McAllister’s Deli, and Jamba Juice, but also includes areas like Campus Catering, Bluechip Bistro in the Smeal College of Business, and Café Laura in the Mateer Building.

Residential Dining offers flexible scheduling working as little as 12 hours per week, and they work around your class schedule. Additionally, students start at $8.50 an hour, with opportunities for semesterly raises. Couple that with the opportunities for advancement like Student Scheduler, Student Manager, or Culinary Apprentice and it is easy to see why these positions appeal to so many college students. Residential Dining also offers a discounted $2.00 employee meal per shift worked, and a brand new incentive for fall 2015 of 10 free meals for every new student that is referred by an existing employee. Anneli Jennings, current Student Manager at South Food District, is in her senior year and started working at South Food District as a freshman. “I like the flexible schedules and competitive pay rate, but I also love food, so I really love the discounted meal for every shift that we work.” Jennings went on to say, “I started working here in the spring semester of my freshman year, and I have been promoted four times. I have gained invaluable experience in my time with Residential Dining.”

Retail Dining offers flexible scheduling and opportunities for semesterly raises as well, with as little as six hours of work per week required. However, students are most drawn to Retail Dining for their brand recognition. Many students want to work and train under national concepts like Starbucks or Jamba Juice. Many students also enjoy working a variety of catered events for Campus Catering.

Hospitality Services

The contemporary Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel and the historic Nittany Lion Inn make up Penn State’s Hospitality Services (PSHS). As with Residential and Retail Dining, Penn State students significantly contribute to the successful operations of both of these properties. The student employees working in these areas span a variety of studies and majors, but all have succeeded academically while building an attractive resume of actual experience for future employers. Students who have worked for PSHS in the past have visibly expanded their skills in communication, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, personal discipline and time management. Students can work in a variety of departments including restaurant, banquet & events, guest services, housekeeping, culinary, and stewarding.

Whether your future is in a restaurant or hotel, Campus Dining and Hospitality Services have a position that will benefit you now by helping to build your social circle, and will benefit you in the future with building customer service skills and professional skills. If you are interested in applying, visit the Auxilliary & Business Services jobs website and enter your Penn State account and password. THEY ARE….looking forward to your application.