With the economy plummeting, it’s about time that the unemployed lose the ‘un.’ Being an unemployed student myself, I decided it was time that I start looking for a job and making a few extra bucks, but apparently on-campus jobs were not as plentiful as I had hoped.
For some reason, I could not find a single job on Wayne State’s campus. I searched on Career Services Online (CSO) for on-campus jobs that would be suitable for me, anything from an assistant to writing to even fast food.
Unfortunately, I came up with nothing and I had to question: Where have all the jobs gone? I found the answer to my question soon afterward.
I met a girl in one of my English classes and after a short conversation I realized that she was working three jobs. Initially feeling sorry for this poor over-worked student, I found out that all three jobs were on-campus, relatively well paying and fairly easy. My sympathies toward her soon changed.
She landed her first job on her own, but because she felt she was not getting enough hours, her boss recommended her to a colleague who was looking for a secretary. As a result, she was hooked up with her second job. Her third job also came to her through social networking and helpful hints from her employers.
I am not saying that she is in any way unqualified or does not deserve the positions, but it seems rather unfair that one student can have three great on-campus jobs while others are finding it impossible to find even one. It seems that on-campus positions are filled even before students realize they are available.
I think that the employers are not fond of the interviewing process and would rather have a fellow colleague or friend simply recommend a student who can get the job done. This way the position is filled quicker without all the hassle and background checking.
The Wayne State job market seems to be invisible. There should be a particular place, whether physical or electronic, where jobs are posted so interested students can update themselves on what positions are available. I have come to the realization that CSO is not that helpful.
I find more off-campus employment using CSO than I do on-campus employment. Available jobs must be posted so that students can be aware of their options, and can apply for positions as soon as possible. Employers need to start doing their part and posting jobs online and on campus.
It is certainly possible for students to look for off-campus employment, and such positions are often higher paying and major-related, but the fact remains that it is not as easy finding an off-campus job. For many students, transportation is a major issue.
There are also issues that international students must face because they are not allowed to work in the United States without the proper visa and papers. Being a Canadian student myself, I am unable to work off campus.
The only chance an international student has of employment is on campus, so if one student has two or more jobs at Wayne State, the chances are many students are unable to work at all.
The fact is that most students are financially strapped, and because of the increasingly high prices in today’s market, having a job has become a necessity. There should be more opportunities for students to work on campus and no one student should be allowed to have more than two on-campus positions.
Work opportunities should not be given to students simply because of hookups. Social networking is indeed an asset, but work should be rewarded to students who have the skills, the capabilities and the need.
