Writing Workshop Tutor and Mentor Positions 

Applications for 2024-2025 are now closed. Check back in March 2025 for the next round of applications. 

Desired Skills & Qualifications

Our tutors and mentors are responsible, knowledgeable, and passionate about supporting other writers on campus. Joining the Writing Workshop means participating in meaningful work and gaining valuable professional skills. We would love to work with you!

Primary Duties and Responsibilities 

Tutors and Mentors are hired each spring to begin work the following fall semester (unless you plan to study abroad in the fall). Applicants should feel comfortable discussing writing at all stages, from brainstorming and drafting to revising and editing, but you should not feel pressure to be an expert on all kinds of writing. We are looking for applicants who are active learners and have a clear sense of their own process as thinkers and writers. Applicants should show strong writing skills and, importantly, have a passion for working with other students. Writing Center employees often hold both positions (tutor and mentor). Tutors provide 45-minute one-on-one appointments scheduled through WCOnline. Mentors work one-on-one with the same students every week of the semester. These students are enrolled in the writing mentor program.

Schedule & Availability

Tutors and Mentors are expected to work at lest 2 hours per week, though most average between 5 and 10 hours. Writing Center staff get school breaks off (summer, winter, fall, spring break) and do not work during finals week. Once hired, students can remain employees until graduation regardless of studying abroad or needing to take a semester off for any reason. 

Job Classification

For 23-24, staff will earn $16/hr. For every semester staff participate in the .5 credit Ford Seminar course for workshop tutor and mentors, staff earn a .25 raise.  

Primary Supervisor 

The Assistant Director of Academic Writing is the primary supervisor of the Writing Center. They work with the Ford Fellow, a recent Wes graduate, to hire, train, mentor, and supervise all Writing Center staff. 

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact the Ford Fellow at writingworks@wesleyan.edu.

Performance Evaluation

Writing Workshop staff join a vibrant peer-to-peer community where their work is mentored and assessed by their faculty supervisor, the Ford Fellow, and their fellow employees. Each semester staff are asked to do mid-term evaluations, and receive feedback (including client surveys) and end of the semester letters describing their work and places to reinvigorate energy and practices. Staff meet regularly to discuss performance, can set up one-on-one meetings with supervisors at any time, and are encourage to reflect on their practices as part of performance evaluation.

Application Instructions

A complete application will include:

  • JOB RANKING: While we will do our best to honor your preferences, we cannot guarantee that tutors will receive their first choice position. 
  • REFERENCES: List the names of 2 faculty, staff or Wesleyan community members who can comment on your interpersonal skills and interest in writing and mentoring. No letters of recommendation are required.
  • MOST RECENT TRANSCRIPT: You are welcome to obtain an official transcript from the University, but a screenshot of your unofficial transcript is acceptable. You can find your unofficial transcript by navigating to your “Academic History” through your WesPortal. 
  • WRITING SAMPLE: We want to see your proudest undergrad material! It can be about any topic, submitted for any course, written for any purpose or discipline. Feel free to submit something with professor feedback on it, too.
  • SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS: 
    • (1) What is your current writing process like? Please be detailed and specific. (300 words max)
    • (2) How has your writing process changed during your time at Wesleyan? What factors (challenges, academic expectations, specific courses, or exciting projects) influenced the shift in your process? (300 max)
    • (3) Please describe any experiences that illustrate your interest in and ability to work with others, including, but not limited to, experiences tutoring, mentoring, coaching, or teaching. (300 max)
    • (4) In your own words and as you understand it, what does an "equitable approach to writing" look like? (300 max)

SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION 

Applications are due by midnight on Sunday, 3/31st. You can submit all your materials here.

We will review application materials, and let students know about interviews on or around April 4th. Students who make it to the interview phase, will participate in a 60 minute group interview with two or three other candidates during the Week of April 8th. All applicants will be notified about final hiring decisions by or around April 19th.

 

FAQs

Q: How many hours a week would I need to commit to this job?

A: Writing Workshop tutors work between two and ten hours per week, according to their scheduling preferences and the demand for Workshop services. The vast majority of tutors work five hours per week. 

Q: What would be my start/end date?

A: The Workshop opens every semester following the Drop/Add Period and is closed during breaks. Tutors and mentors are not expected to work during the first week of classes or finals week, although for those who are interested we offer opportunities to work during finals week on an hourly basis.

Q: I’ve never worked in a role like this before. How will I learn the necessary skills and expectations?

A: Regardless of previous experience, all new staff members writing tutors and mentors partake in an intensive two day training before their first semester of work. New tutors then join veteran tutors in continuing their professional development through a .5 credit course, the Ford Seminar, each semester they work with the Workshop. Through the Ford Seminar, tutors and mentors reflect on their praxis, share and develop new methods in their work, discuss research in the field, and work together on troubleshooting issues that may come up in their work. Registration for the Ford Seminar occurs during the Drop/Add period.

Q: I’ve worked for the Workshop before and would like to return. Do I need to re-apply?

A: We would love to welcome you back to the Writing Workshop! If it has been two semesters or less since you held a position in the Writing Workshop, please contact Ford Fellow at writingworks@wesleyan.edu. If it has been more than two semesters since you last worked for us, please fill out a new application below.

Q: How much will I be paid for my work?

A: Writing tutors and mentors are paid a starting rate of $16/hour, and are eligible for a $0.25 raise after each semester they work for the Workshop and fully participate in the Ford Seminar. Tutors and mentors also receive a .5 credit for participation in the Ford Seminar. It is the responsibility of all tutors and mentors to fill out any required forms with the Payroll office before they can be paid. Additionally, tutors and mentors must log their work hours using Workforce Time.