The work is intense. After all, writers who use the WC have a wide variety of writing situations, a wide range of abilities, a wide range of emotional states when they arrive, and a wide range of expectations. Six consecutive consultations will be six unique experiences.
The work is valuable. This is semi-professional work. You have the potential to make positive, life-long changes. You also have the potential to waste someone’s time. Most of the time, you’ll never know whether you really helped. It will seem like it, and the writer may give you high praise in their evaluation, but you never really know if, over a long period of time, you’ve helped the writer become a better writer. We have general data that strongly suggests that WC use results in improvement, but any individual case . . . not so easy.
We do train. If hired, you’ll take ENG 403: Practicum in Writing Consultation in your first semester. It’s a theory and practice course, and you’ll be doing consultations from day one. We are also big on creating a community of shared practice. In other words, we’re there for each other.
We try to hire across the disciplines. No, the WC is not all English majors. The WC is not part of the English department. Hiring takes place during the spring semester, and those hired will begin the following fall. Compensation types include scholarship, institutional, and workstudy. We do not allow volunteers. Institutional funding may be limited, and so those positions may be more competitive. We do not hire everyone who applies.
If you’re still interested in applying, go here for details on the process and for a link to the application.