Spring Break
Back to school?
For summer job seekers, there may be no other choice
Matt Thompson
Issue date: 5/11/09 Section: Summer Tide
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"We've had like a million applications," Cuhn said. He can't hire any of them.
This economy has made it harder and harder to get jobs. So it might not be as easy to get a summer job as it has been before.
Which is why this might be as good a time as any to consider taking summer classes instead of trying to find a summer job.
"There are no guarantees," said David Wildfong, of Washtenaw Community College's Employment Service Center. "You used to be able to fill out an application at any fast-food place and get a job. That's not the case anymore."
With unemployment in Michigan rising over 12 percent and leading the nation, the competition for jobs is as fierce as ever. More qualified people are now having to search for lower, part-time jobs to help pay bills.
"Very difficult," Wildfong said about job searches. "It's the hardest it's been since I've been working here - a bigger pool of workers, larger competition.
"People with a decade of experience are trying to get a part-time job in their field."
With the economy the way it is, more and more people are returning to school to better their education. Not only will it buy them some time, but they will potentially be better qualified when the economy rebounds and the job market eases.
With Michigan's economy in a deep recession and layoffs mounting by the thousands, Washtenaw has seen a significant increase in enrollment, which is likely to continue, Wildfong said.
"It's smart to go back to school and get a higher education," Wildfong said, "get a certificate, work your way up in education, maybe get a master's degree."
"More doors open up the higher education you get. Education is king in this area."
Jen Madden, 19, a student from Ann Arbor, has taken up this advice. "I am taking four or five summer classes just to transfer that much faster."
While the opportunities to find work may be limited, there are a few jobs available.
"I'm looking to hiring 15 to 20 more employees between three stores in the area," said McDonald's store manager Dorian Ford. He also noted his staff is down about 12 to 13 people from what he normally has - because business has been down.
"We're still getting about the same amount of customers, but more and more are ordering off the dollar menu," Ford added.
"I'm very lucky to have found a job in this economy," said Jamie Gauthier, a 19-year-old student from Saline. She is just starting out her new job at Powerhouse Gym, a position that opened when someone moved to Arizona.
"My friend who works there told me when to go up and fill out an application," Gauthier said. "She got me the job."
Point well taken regarding working your contacts during a job search.
"It's not what you know it's who you know," Wildfong said about job searching. "It is easier to get jobs through connections with people. You have to cast a wide net when
searching."
Many students who have worked a job and gone to school this year are looking to get a second job this summer to fill in the schools hours.
Broadcasting student Chelsea Kivell, 18, of South Lyon, has had success finding jobs in this economy. She has found another job
working at a golf course to coincide with her job she held during school.
"My sister's boyfriend works there and told me they were hiring, so I applied and got it," Kivell explained.
Washtenaw students also should benefit from Eastern Michigan and University of Michigan students leaving jobs to go home for the
summer, but again, opportunities will be limited and job-seekers can't be choosy.
"Get work experience, put some money in your wallet," he advises students. "Don't limit yourself. Use any resource you can find to get a job."
That's what Emily Peters, 20, a student from Brighton is doing.
"I'm searching anywhere within a 20-mile radius of Brighton," said Peters. "I've gotten calls back, but they're only looking to use me two days a week."
Meantime, Cuhn is at Dominos staring at a stack of applications from willing workers waiting for a call that may never come.
"I just don't need anyone right now," he said.
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Top Ten Summer Job Online Sites
1. Groovejob.com
2. SnagAjob.com
3. Teens4hire.org
4. A+Summer Jobs
5. SummerJobs.com
6. My Virtual Summer Job
7. CampJobs.com
8. CoolWorks.com
9. Summercamps.com
10. Backdoorjobs.com
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