<p>Well, I have been thinking about possible jobs on campus and made a vague list of things I would be interested in. One that sounded interesting to me was being a tour guide. So, fore those of you who are tour guides or perhaps know some, how do you (they) like it? Is your schedule fairly open for deciding when you want to work? Do you have fun with it? Thanks for any input!</p>
<p>Also, if anyone cares to could you suggest any other on campus jobs you have enjoyed in the past or present. </p>
<p>I used to do it every year at my old college. It was…okay, depending what type of parents you got stuck with. Sometimes you get those overzealous parents who are a bit much to handle.
Other than that, I actually had fun doing it and was able to show what I genuinely enjoyed about the school.</p>
<p>As for schedules, I was a “school ambassador” so I did private tours a few times a month when alums, prospective students and their parents, and anyone the school deemed special of private attention. During Open House, I did a lot more. Any student was allowed to do those, but Open House tours aren’t paid.</p>
<p>Alright cool thanks for the info. It sounds to me like a pretty fun job to do, and I will definitely look into it. Perhaps get to show others what I like so much about my school. :)</p>
<p>i’m a tour guide!
it’s a fun job. kind of hard at first, your job is to keep the audience entertained for an hour so you have to know a lot of stories.
my first tour had ~15 people on it - by the end of the hour, only one remained. (when they ask you if dorms are coed, don’t reply with “you don’t have to room with the wrong gender if you don’t want to”)
tour groups will always ask you what your sat score was, what other schools you applied to, why you chose your school over other schools (didn’t help that i only applied to caltech)
it helps if you have a big group, they’ll tend to ask more questions so you have to talk less. if you’re going on a tour, please ask lots of questions - it’s a lot more fun answering than talking into space
hours are very flexible, at least where i go to school you just sign up for the times you want, and if you don’t want to work one month you just don’t sign up for anything.
oh, and we get paid $20/hour</p>
<p>My college doesn’t let freshmen be tour guides. In fact, most freshmen end up working for Dining Services because most other employers make their hiring decisions in the previous school year. But the situation at UW Madison might be different.</p>
<p>Just a quick note about being a tour guide at Madison.</p>
<p>I don’t know if you know, but the applications for fall semester were already due in early April (though you shouldn’t be a guide that soon anyway), but they hire every semester, so you could apply for Spring when it comes about, but you’re likely not to get it then either, and you still probably shouldn’t. You really don’t know that much yet, and that semester will make a huge difference in your knowledge. And the wage is not that great. It’s about $8.00/hour. Because it’s such a popular position, they can get away with that. I don’t remember exactly, so don’t quote me on it, and I can’t find the site.</p>
<p>And this is probably normal, but you have to follow a script. You can adlib, but the same jokes have to be there (North Hall, South Hall joke), info, etc. Still, personally, I think it would be an amazing thing to do. I would love to do it as well. That or be an information guide. I missed the deadline for next semester, though. ;[</p>
<p>So yeah, no experience here, but I think it’d be a fun thing to do! I don’t think the hours are overwhelming, either. That’s second hand information, though, again. =P</p>
<p>Ok thanks pathetique and fizix. Ya I think I agree with the same canned lines/jokes pathetique. When I took my tour, they split the students/parents and both guides noted that “You burn enough calories for one cheeto on the walk up Bascom Hill”. </p>
<p>Plus I wouldn’t be a guide right away. I was planning on getting a job second semester freshman or first semester sophomore year. $8.00 an hour isn’t even minimuim wage here in CA lol, but things are cheaper there I guess. What is minimum wage in Wi anyway?</p>
That or be an information guide. I missed the deadline for next semester, though. ;[</p>