Where The Jobs Are

By Jean Chatzky

Summer jobs are tougher to come by than they have been in many years. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the hiring of college graduates fell 36% from 2001 to 2002 and isn't expected to pick up in 2003. Students find themselves competing for internships and summer programs with newly minted grads willing to take anything to get a foot in the door. "The traditional recruiters who've hired from us for years [for summer programs] are hiring fewer students. Some aren't hiring at all," says Joan Mark, director of cooperative education and career services at Pace University in New York City.

But the fact that this is the "toughest job market in 10 years," according to John Challenger, CEO of the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, doesn't mean that summer jobs aren't out there. You just have to know where--and how--to look. Some tips:

--Lower your expectations. Tom Devlin, director of the Career Center at the University of California, Berkeley, says that today job targets have to be broader. "We're stressing that obtaining an internship at a financial institution doesn't necessarily mean a Wall Street bank," Devlin says. "A regional bank gives the same experience." Likewise, consider applying to companies you think you might like to work for someday, even if the job isn't as big as the one you would really like.

--Use the Web wisely. Challenger says any job seeker spending more than 20% of his hunt on the Internet is spinning his wheels. Instead, Challenger suggests devoting your daytime hours to networking and arranging every "informational" interview you can. Then get specific with your narrowed surfing time. If you are after an hourly position, consider SnagAJob, a leading site. If you're a grad, check out NACElink, a project between the National Association of Colleges and Employers and the DirectEmployers Association, which allows employers to post jobs specifically for new grads as well as gather resumes. (The site will tell you if your school is one of more than 100 participating.)

--Follow the need. It helps to know who's hiring so you don't waste valuable searching time. For summer work, any business with rapid employee turnover is a good bet. Chain pharmacies, convenience stores and fast-food outlets all turn their employees at a rate of 150-300% a year, says SnagAJob CEO Shawn Boyer. Call centers and telemarketers also churn through their staffs quickly. If you can travel to find work, it may help to know that job growth is greatest in New Mexico, Nevada and Hawaii (as if you needed any more prodding to head for the beach).

--Sign on for the third shift. For college students who rarely sleep anyway, adjusting your clock to work through the night may not be all that difficult (but see story on page 73 for the possible health implications). According to Boyer, manufacturers, convenience stores, gas stations and "big-box retailers" that stay open 24/7, such as some Rite-Aids and Home Depots, are constantly searching for late-night help. The bonus: salaries are typically 20% higher than those for 9-to-5 work.

--Make a deal. Sometimes employers will be more willing to take you on if you can point out what's in it for them. For example, companies that need seasonal labor might be interested if you promise to return at Christmas. Giving up a holiday might be the price you pay for steady work. --With reporting by Jonah Freedman

With reporting by Jonah Freedman