Suggestions for hiring PhD students as RAs

[questions]

I'm thinking of hiring one or two more PhD students to do RA work. They might also get to coauthor. Can anyone suggest useful criteria to judge whether a given student is going to be good for this kind of thing? Or do you instead hire someone for a smaller trial task and only give them more if they do that well?

Basically trying to avoid time wasters of the interested but overcommitted sort. I can waste my own time well enough, don't need any help doing it.

[what is your topic?]

Perhaps you can give some folks on this list a job. What are you studying and what do you need done?

[Anony]

I think it's great you are seeking advice on how to tell a good fit for an RA position, most faculty just work with people they know and don't often have an open call for RAs. I would suggest looking at their CV, the classes they've taken, as well as talking with faculty with whom they've worked with. Starting with a smaller project also seems wise.

[guesty]

I didn't do an open call to find RA's. I have hired three RA's who were students in various classes of mine, and have found it to work very well for me. I see them as future co-authors, and I think that already knowing the quality of their written work and how organized they are is important for this process. It's probably possible to assess that by doing an open call, but frankly, I didn't have the time for that. I hired a fourth RA by word-of-mouth. I needed someone who speaks a particular language to aid with interviews and follow media in a foreign country, and asked colleagues for recommendations. That person has also been an excellent choice.

I should add that I'm surprised how fun it is to worth with a 'team.' Doing research with assistants is so much more stimulating and even feels like a collective adventure. Their excitement is infectious. I wish I'd realized this earlier in my career.