Job Outlook Stays Positive for College Students
Earning Extra Cash is Beneficial to Getting a Higher Education.
Mar 15, 2009
Tuition, housing, parking permits, textbooks – many college students who are paying for these items would probably use one word to describe them: expensive. These university fees could kill a college student’s drive to obtain a college education. With or without the grants, the scholarships, the financial aid, and the loans, students still may have to pick up the tab on at least one of these expenses.
Because of this, students have to find part-time or full-time jobs to make ends meet. But despite living in a failing economy, Dr. Robin T. Lee, associate director of the Career Development Center at California State University, Long Beach in Long Beach, CA, said in a Feb. 16, 2009 e-mail, that there is still hope for job seekers – including college students.
“Jobs are out there, but you need to know where to look for them,” she said. Lee explained that students tend to find jobs in the service industry (restaurants, retail, etc.) while attending college.
Working in the Service Industry
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2008–2009 Edition, occupations in retail sales or related jobs “should continue to be good because of the need to replace the large number of workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.” It also stated that for food preparation and serving-related occupations, “opportunities are expected to be plentiful because of the continued growth and expansion of food services outlets, resulting in average employment growth.” Like the sales industry, it also has a large turnover rate.
“I believe most students feel that these jobs are the most flexible in being able to work around their school schedule,” Lee said. “They often involve tips and bonuses, and plenty of these opportunities exist.”
While attending Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA, Stacy Schwed said in a March 13, 2009 e-mail that she worked for Sears to help pay for some expenses. “Sears worked very well with my school schedule,” she said. “I worked part time on either weekends or when I wasn’t in school.”
Getting Hands-On Experience for a Future Career
Furthermore, Lee recommended that students should look for jobs that will “build skills that are transferable to career employment.”
Anthony Ward, who attended nursing school at Los Angeles Southwest College in Los Angeles, CA, said in a March 10, 2009 phone interview, that he found full-time work as a senior student nurse while in school – a job that he said paid for many of his expenses and helped him land his current career as a staff nurse at Los Angeles County USC Healthcare Network.
“If you have the money to support yourself, do it,” Ward suggested. “It’s definitely a struggle, but it pays off at the end.”
Where to Find Job Information
While jobs are scarce, college students are faced with the challenge of paying increasing fees to earn that desired college degree. The service industry has attracted many students due to its flexibility and high turnover rates, while other students work entry level positions in jobs they are studying.
Visit the following Web sites for more information on job opportunities and career outlook: Careerbuilder, Monster, Yahoo! Hot Jobs, USA.gov, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and O*net Resource Center.
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