Class of 2026
As an incoming first-year student in the University of Wisconsin MBA program, the following question may cross your mind at some point: should I search for a part-time TA or PA position to complete during my first year? In my case, I was freshly transitioning as a Project Manager with a steady income to becoming an MBA student specializing in Human Resources, facing a new set of expenses from tuition to rent. I was absolutely considering the idea of acquiring a part-time job to both aid in paying for my bills as well as gain some hands-on Human Resources experience.
About one week into my job search, I received an email from the UW SHR (Strategic Human Resources) Center Director regarding a part-time role that I would be a strong fit for based on my background. It was a position working for the UW Math Learning Center (MLC) as a Program Assistant for 20 hours a week. The job outline described working on a multitude of projects throughout the semester that were relevant to and would be transferrable to a Human Resources role, such as developing training materials, mentoring staff, and reviewing job applications. I was given support and excellent advice on how to tailor my resume and cover letter to fit the specific needs of the position based on my prior experience. After receiving an interview, she provided me with some tips and tricks utilizing her HR talent acquisition knowledge. I was thrilled to find that I had been selected for the position in mid-July and was preparing to move to Wisconsin in just a few short weeks. Through the Center’s help during the application and interviewing processes, I was able to land the position in addition to learning new skills that would later apply to my HR internship search. (This is absolutely a plug to utilize your MBA Center Director at UW, as they are there to help you succeed and have many valuable insights!)
I started my Program Assistant position at the beginning of the academic contract year (one week prior to the MBA Orientation Week). This was perfect, as it gave me time to get settled into my new role without feeling overwhelmed. Early on, I learned that my overall role would be to identify enhancement opportunities for the managerial and technical workflows within MLC operations in addition to implementing changes to expedite and optimize processes. The rationale came from the overall MLC goal of improving the ability of undergraduate students to efficiently and effectively receive the help they need in their mathematics courses. In order to accomplish this goal, I was given a multitude of responsibilities and tasks including:
- Managing scheduling between undergraduate students and tutors/instructors regarding drop-in tutoring, small group tutoring, office hours, and more. I was also in charge of keeping track of employee performance throughout each semester. These tasks taught me workforce and performance management, ensuring optimal resource utilization, and professional development.
- Developing a Canvas Training Course for all staff roles within the MLC. This aided in my learning and development skills, particularly through creating standardized training materials and ensuring consistent onboarding processes.
- Reviewing and rating job applications and cover letters in addition to developing appropriate interview questions based on position qualifications. This allowed me to gain talent acquisition skills including recruitment, candidate evaluation, and selection process design. It also provided me with ideas on how to improve my own application and interviewing skills for future internship and job searches.
- Onboarding and training for a new staff role. In early December, the MLC hired an MLC Coordinator who would take over much of the scheduling and other administration work. Through training our new employee, I was able to improve upon my evaluation, feedback, and succession planning abilities.
As stated, each of the above projects and responsibilities helped me gain incredibly valuable Human Resources related knowledge and skills. Not only did I have the pleasure of enhancing operations within the MLC, I was also able to improve upon my own abilities and apply these experiences to my future HR career.
I am often asked as a first-year student with a Program Assistant role, ”how do I juggle working while being in school full time and searching for a summer internship?” This particular PA role is a 50% position, meaning it requires 20 hours of work per week (the maximum amount for a TA or PA role). This can be intense at times if you do not manage your time appropriately and continuously keep up with schoolwork throughout the semester. However, I have found that delivering high quality results and meeting deadlines at work while handling a full courseload is absolutely achievable through a strong work ethic, effective time management, and task prioritization. It is also imperative to continuously work with your Center Director, Career Coach, and other resources to pursue a summer internship and continue improving your Human Resources skills and knowledge.
Overall, I am happy with my decision to take on a part-time Program Assistant position during my first year as a UW SHR MBA student. Throughout my first semester, I was able to apply much of the knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired through my job to my HR summer internship search. In November, I accepted a human resources graduate internship position with Citi Bank in Tampa, Florida, and I absolutely credit my PA experience as part of the reason for receiving such an excellent offer.