Navigating a competitive job market
University works to improve students’ employment prospects during tough economic times.
By Amanda Thompson
Monday, October 6th, 2008
Meghan Canipe thought she had gotten on the ball early. A month before the Fall 2007 semester began, she started applying for jobs. Canipe, Overland Park junior, estimated that she picked up 40 applications for places around Lawrence.
As the first day of the semester approached, Canipe, still jobless, called her prospective employers to check on the status of her applications but to no avail.
“They all told me the same thing, that they’d put my application on top,” Canipe said. “But I never heard back from any of them.”
The search for on-campus jobs was no easier for Canipe. She applied to 10 more places on campus before getting a job at Watson Library.
Ann Hartley, associate director of the University Career Center, said job searches this fall weren’t likely to be easier. In August, online applications submitted for campus jobs increased by almost 15 percent from last year. For the 227 on-campus jobs posted online so far this year, 6,151 applications were submitted in the month of August alone.
The national unemployment rate rose to 6.1 percent in August, its highest in five years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This trend may make it harder for students to find a job.
Mary Chappell, director of University Recreation Services, said the Student Fitness Recreation Center employed about 300 students during the year.
“Just recently we had 77 applications turned in to fill two positions in facility management,” Chappell said. She said that for other facility positions, such as working the front desk, it was not unusual to get 100 applications or more for one position.
University libraries also experience an application increase in the fall. Courtney Foat, administrative associate for libraries, said fall was always the busiest time for applications. Foat said the libraries received anywhere from 50 to 300 student applications for one library position.
One reason students such as Canipe can have a difficult time finding jobs is because they’re ineligible for the Federal Work Study program. Based on financial need, the work study program provides funding to universities that goes toward the wages of part-time students who qualify. Students eligible for work study have 75 percent of their wages paid for by the program, and 25 percent paid for by the University.
“Campus employers really like to find a student who is eligible for Federal Work Study because they can really save money or stretch a thin budget,” Hartley said.
The work study program offers another program that benefits all students, regardless of financial need. This program, called the Job Location and Development program, was implemented at the University in January and has increased online postings of off-campus jobs.
“The idea is to increase the number of job postings available to students through marketing to employers and getting them to post to our HawkStudent employment Web site,” Hartley said. “This is the first year that we have been able to really promote and increase the number of postings.”
Job postings of companies looking to hire KU students at the career center’s part of HawkStudent employment Web site, KUCareerHawk.com, increased dramatically in the last year, climbing from 481 to 827.
These increased opportunities don’t necessarily mean jobs will be easier to find off campus. Nick Wysong, manager of Ingredient, 945 Massachusetts St., said he didn’t need to advertise because of the many applications he had on hand.
“Sometimes it’s just a numbers game,” Harley said. “You just have to keep applying, keep applying, keep applying.”
— Edited by Adam Mowder
Discussion
All comments are moderated by Kansan.com staff. For our full user policy, click here.
sometimes it's pure luck. I stumbled in on my job, just walked in and was hired the same day. Had to take a month long training course, but passed it. Didn't have to make a bunch of calls in and I still love my job enough to keep coming back.
My advice? Look off campus. There is lots of competition for on campus jobs. Look away from downtown. Everyone wants to work downtown. The job market is pretty competitive in restaurants and store positions, but there are other positions available in other lines of work that might be easier to get into. Most employers are willing to work around student's schedules- just make sure you tell them ahead of time.
Share your 2¢
Requires free registration.