The Center for Reading and Writing (CRW) hires Writing & Reading Peer Consultants annually in the spring and summer for the upcoming academic year. We look for academically and culturally diverse candidates who enjoy helping their peers, and we strive to employ students from a wide variety of majors.

Peer Consultants are paid by the hour, according to a pay schedule maintained by the Cahill Center, which manages all student aide employees of the College.  Please see the Cahill Center website and look for “Compensation Schedule.”

Consulting for the CRW is more than a job. It is community service on campus with many challenges and rewards, and with those come some pretty serious responsibilities.  Not everyone is cut out for this kind of work, and of those who are capable of meeting the demands, there are some who won’t be comfortable making the sacrifices required.

A common misconception about consulting is that it is primarily a matter of correcting others’ papers, especially for sentence-level errors, and that therefore an encyclopedic knowledge of grammar, punctuation, mechanics, etc. is what consultants really need in order to do their jobs well.  And that’s just not true.  Although it’s important that consultants be accomplished readers and writers, teaching grammar is not part of the job description. The foremost requirements are, in as nearly equal measure as possible, a proven commitment to learning, a passion for good writing, and a deep desire to help others.

Since, however, those qualities are difficult to measure, we require the following of applicants:

• Successful completion of CRWT 102 (or AIID 201, if you placed out of CRWT).
• Minimum grade point average of 3.3; or strong evidence of exemplary academic improvement after a GPA-crushing crisis.
• Evidence of ability to work both independently and as part of a close-knit group.
• Evidence of motivation to help others (not necessarily with reading and/or writing).
• Availability to attend all-day pre-service training during the week before the fall semester begins.
• Availability to work at least ten hours per week, and to attend in-service training meetings during the academic year.

We ask that you provide the following materials in your application (please note: there is no application form; simply gather and submit the materials below together):

1. A one-page cover letter addressing your claims to the requirements above.
2. An unofficial copy of your current academic transcript.
3. A resume.

Completed applications may be electronically submitted to Handshake, Ramapo’s student employment website, at the Writing & Reading Peer Consultants link. The job will be posted in March and remain on Handshake until all positions are filled. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Priscilla Tovey, ptovey@ramapo.edu.

The CRW staff will review these documents and select candidates for interviews. Candidates invited for interviews will be asked to submit writing samples and a faculty recommendation.

During the interview, you will meet with the CRW staff.  You may be asked about any of your application materials, so please be prepared to discuss them.  You may also be asked to read and/or write during the interview.

We look forward to reviewing your application, and we assure you that every complete application will receive the full attention of the Center staff.