Job hunting for summer money
Students had the opportunity to search for summer employment, ranging from pest control sales representatives to camp counselors, in between classes Tuesday.
The Summer Job Fair, held in the International/Sunburst Lounge from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., allowed students to meander the rows of booths and gather information, the occasional free piece of candy and possible employment with a company outside of Cache Valle, for the most part.
Finding a summer job was the priority for most students in attendance, but the appealing factor of the fair was the out-of-state job opportunities presented by many of the companies involved.
Erica Pehrson, a junior majoring in dietetics, said she came to the fair to find a job that would take her away from Logan and allow her to expand her experiences outside of Utah.
Pehrson, while carrying around various packets of information, said she was interested in summer camps, such as the one in Bear Lake, or working in Jackson Hole. Students should take advantage of the summer job fair to “broaden their horizons,” and there is also an opportuntity to make more money than staying in Logan.
“If I were good at selling stuff, I’d do pest control,” Pehrson said after mentioning how much money “guys” can make with a the door-to-door business.
Many students look to non-Cache Valley businesses for employment because the wages are generally higher. Vance Shortliff, a sophomore majoring in exercise science, said he came to the fair to find a summer job to earn money for school.
Shortliff said he is looking for any job where he “can make the most money.”
With the fair in its 20th year, Paula Miller, student employment coordinator for USU, said the same businesses continue to return because of the “outdoorsy” nature of students at the university. Many of the businesses incorporate recreation, Miller said, which many USU students are looking for in their summer employment.
Ryan Lee, representative for Silvercreek Pest Control, said he likes coming to USU because the students “are sharp” and the fair is well attended. Bill Scott, an executive chef and reprentative for Flaming Gorge Lodge, said the summer job fair is a beneficial resource for businesses that are looking for seasonal employment.
The experiences brought by the summer jobs is “something I wish I would have done when I was in college,” Miller said, “instead of staying in Logan.”
A beneficial aspect about the summer job fair is that it is separate from the Career Fair, which is held in March, Miller said, and many of the employeers do their hiring while at the job fair.
The fair brings the jobs to the students, Shortliff said, which makes the job-hunting process easier.
Jon Gooch, an undeclared freshman, said he didn’t know the fair was happening, but he came to see “what all of the ruckus was about.”
-kcashton@cc.usu.edu
Students meet with prospective employers at the Summer Job Fair held Tuesday in the International/Sunburst Lounge in the Taggart Student Center. Jobs ranged from camp councilors to working on a cruise ship for the summer. (Photo by Ryan Talbot)