Graduation is fast approaching and soon-to-be former students are pounding the pavement looking for jobs. But another employment rush is also in full swing for those who aren’t graduating — the search for summer jobs.
According to Career Center Employment Service Specialist Pat Ferris, the best time to find a part-time summer job for local students is after the end of winter term and during spring term. Ferris, who helps students find part-time and summer jobs, said most students who decide to stay in Eugene do so to hold on to apartments. She added that students also take jobs that often pay just more than minimum wage.
The Career Center offers a comprehensive job listing online, a feature that allows the center to continually update materials.
“The number one thing is to register on our Web site,” Ferris said. “You can get local jobs, you can get jobs that are anywhere in the United States — employers are posting jobs from as far away as New York.”
Ferris said the job listings change every day.
“We also have external links, and the Web is an excellent way to find jobs in a different area, too,” she said.
Ferris added that the classified sections are also a good way to find local summer work.
Students Information Specialist Tina Haynes said local jobs are a good option for students who are attending summer school or just looking to remain in town.
“Between local jobs and jobs on campus there’s a lot of options out there,” Haynes said. “It’s just a question of finding the right one to meet the needs of the student.”
Many of the jobs on campus are for work study, a federally funded program for students who have demonstrated financial need. However, Ferris said many departments are willing to hire employees who aren’t on work study, especially during summer.
Aside from local jobs, students can also search out work at summer camps.
“There are camps for inner-city kids or kids with cancer or disabilities, and there are professional camps for music and drama — all of these are good experience,” Ferris said.
However, students need to be careful when applying for jobs. Ferris said if a job looks too good to be true, chances are that impression is correct.
Junior Matthew McConaghy spent last summer working for a house painting company. After a recruiter came to one of his classes and promised students the ability to make $6,000 or $7,000 for the summer, McConaghy said he signed up and went through training during the spring only to find that the work didn’t match his expectations.
“You had to do a lot more than you expected,” McConaghy said. “Basically, it’s all front loaded with expenses and back loaded with revenue, so you basically didn’t get paid until the very end — all this little stuff that they don’t tell you about.”
McConaghy said he made about $4,000 over the course of the summer, but he felt the amount fell short of promises.
“It was a really good experience and I learned a lot — it will probably look really good on my résumé — but they tell you that you’re going to make ‘x’ amount of dollars and then there’s no way to ever make it,” McConaghy said. “They’re trying to sell you on (the money) that way and sell you on it for the experience.”
Ferris said the Career Center usually tries to weed out suspicious offers, but cautioned that the best way to ensure a company’s offers are legitimate is to ask questions.
McConaghy said he had not done much research before committing.
“Obviously I could have done a little more,” he said. “That’s my best advice for anyone is to do some research. It was a pretty good company and it has a lot of merit to it … You can make that amount if you work hard, but it’s not very easy.”
For more information on summer job searches contact the Career Center, which is located at 220 Hendricks Hall and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.