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The Carletonian

The Carletonian

The Carletonian

Someone’s Gotta Do It: Unusual Student Jobs – Some campus jobs you’ve never heard about

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Have you ever wondered who answers Carleton’s telephone line, who manages Carleton’s student records, or who that elusive stud in the sculpture studio is? Then this is the article for you! This week, the Carletonian targeted on-campus jobs that fly under the radar to give you an idea of what you have (or have not) been missing. Here’s the list we came up with:

Telecom Switchboard Operator

If you’re looking for an on-campus job, consider working in the Telecommunications Office as a Telecom Switchboard Operator. What exactly does a Telecom Switchboard Operator do? I’m so glad you asked. A Telecom Switchboard Operator (or TSO as they call it in the biz) answers the switchboard and does occasional office work, according to the job description found on Student Financial Services’ Student Job Postings board.

Don’t know what a switchboard is? You’re not alone! Most people born after 1990 think switchboard is something gamers use to bounce between alternate realities. Little do they know that real switchboard technology is much less advanced. But hey! Carleton is nothing if not quirky, and our parents would encourage us to embrace any and all opportunities to preserve lost arts of communications, such as writing on paper, speaking in public and attempting to tie notes to squirrels’ legs. Who knows, this may be your last chance to gain real world experience in the field of telecom switchboard operating, so act fast!

Central Records Keeper

If you thought Telecom Switchboard Operating was thrilling, prepare yourself for another crazy ride. According to Harrison Reeder, resident expert on student jobs and friend of everyone, students who work in the Central Records Office are in charge of updating the files of every student who has ever attended Carleton.

You heard me right, Carleton has a file for you, your mom, your dad, your grandma, and the hundreds of other former and current Carls you know. Think of all the pranks that could be recreated… In all honesty, though, being a Central Records Keeper would be pretty awesome. Keep that in mind next time you use your face to hit the transfer button in the Telecommunications Office.

Sculpture Monitor
To round off our list, we have the highly respected, highly sought-after, highly mysterious job of Sculpture Monitor. Contrary to popular belief, Sculpture Monitors do not spend hours staring at pieces of artwork. According to Julian Skotheim, Arb enthusiast and Sculpture Monitor extraordinaire, Sculpture Monitors help students use the tools found in the sculpture studio.

“Most shifts are pretty slow,” Skotheim admits, “but one time I helped a student make a fire-breathing dragon out of clay and a pomegranate, so that was pretty cool.” There you have it, folks. You don’t have to wait until Screwdate to get a piece of this work of art; all you have to do is walk into the sculpture studio with an open mind and a basic knowledge of pyrotechnics, and he’s all yours. You might even learn something along the way.

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