Number of on-campus jobs increasing from 2009-10
Few would argue that the current job market is positive; however, the on-campus job market is improving, said Paula Johnson, student employment coordinator.
“Last year was a bad year,” Johnson said, “probably the worst I’ve seen it in the 23 years I’ve worked here. It’s better this year, but it’s still not the same as it was five years ago.”
She said during the 2009-10 school year the number of on-campus jobs dropped 50 percent within the five-year period. This year, the numbers have increased by 80 percent of what was available five years ago.
On-campus jobs are still competitive. A recent opening in a computer lab received 50 applications in 10 minutes, Johnson said.
“On-campus jobs go pretty quick, some are only posted for a day,” Johnson said.
Jobs posted on the on-campus job board are part-time or temporary positions, four months or less, available to students only, she said.
The best months to find an on-campus job are August and September, she said. On-campus positions are posted daily at 8 a.m. in the financial aid office and online. Johnson said students should apply on personal computers rather than in the financial aid office to avoid standing in line.
Students should also apply as quickly as possible because some positions only accept a limited number of applicants, she said.
“It’s smart to ask an employee when they’re hiring and apply fast,” said Hali Hesley, a junior in exercise science, who has worked at the on-campus bookstore for two years.
Hesley said to continue applying because while a student may be qualified for a position, hiring is based more on schedule availability.
“The bookstore temporarily hires a lot of employees for rush season,” Hesley said, “they look for people whose schedules fit to keep on permanently.”
Nathan Niebergall, a senior in operations management, applied for nearly 10 on-campus jobs this semester.
“The competition is frustrating, but it didn’t deter me,” Niebergall said, “it was more frustrating when you didn’t hear back on a job at all.”
He said almost every job he applied for e-mailed him back even if just to say the position had been filled. Niebergall interviewed for four on-campus positions but was not hired. He said he applied for some jobs he did not fit the qualifications for but was still called for interviews.
Niebergall said he got many more off-campus job interviews and was recently hired off-campus.
“(Off-campus jobs) pay better but the scheduling is not as flexible as on-campus employment,” he said.
Neibergall said one way to improve the on-campus application system would be to create a notification system that would e-mail students when new jobs were available.
Johnson said there aren’t a lot of options for creating more jobs on campus because campus-wide budget constraints limit the number of departmental on-campus jobs available. However, facilities, housing and food services are the top three on-campus employers and regularly have a high demand for employees, she said.
“We have done a lot of job-locating off-campus,” Johnson said.
The employment center works with the Cache Valley Chamber of Commerce and advertises to potential employers through the phonebook. They also try to contact new businesses in the area to encourage them to hire students, Johnson said.
There are a number of recently-opened call centers in the community that offer flexible scheduling. Call Assist wants to hire about 200 more, she said.
The off-campus job board is particularly appealing to employers because it is a free service to the community compared to advertising in newspapers or other media, she said.
The university is currently advertising a summer job fair to local businesses as an opportunity to recruit students as potential employees, Johnson said.
The fair will be on Tuesday, Feb. 8 in the TSC Sunburst Lounge.
– rouchelle.brockman@aggiemail.usu.edu