Spring Break
Summer could mean more than easy money
Sarah Paeth
Issue date: 4/16/09 Section: Forum
Summer is just around the corner, which to most college students can only mean one thing: working. Gearing up for that waitressing job? Ready to pump gas at the local station? Looking forward to babysitting the kids next door?
Well, think again. Your summer job may just have been taken by one of the 200,000-plus Oregonians that are currently out of work.
According to the Oregon Employment Department, 10.8 percent of Oregonians were ranked as unemployed as of February 2009 - a figure that has more than doubled in the past year.
Though the plummeting economy is the subject of the news today, students usually don't feel the brunt of the dwindling market as much as the rest of the world does. Sure, we notice when the price of Hot Pockets jumps a quarter, and we may sigh angrily when gas prices go up.
However, these are challenges that can easily be dealt with - skip the Hot Pockets for a cheaper form of junk food and bust out the bike instead of driving. This summer may be the first eye-opener for many jobless college students as to the state of our economy.
As summer approaches, the tell-tale sign of America's hurting economy can be spotted in the usual places - tourist shops no longer boast "help wanted" signs and the classified section in the local newspaper spans only a few inches. With less jobs and more unemployed citizens than ever, people aren't looking for the "dream job" - they're scraping up whatever pays the bills.
Just because Corvallis is a college town doesn't make it exempt from the work draught that has swept the nation. According to the Oregon Department of Employment, Benton County's unemployment rate has doubled in the past year, now sitting at nearly 8 percent.
So, what's a poor, unemployed college student to do?
Now is the time to beef up your resumé. A bolder, more organized resume may be the deciding factor between getting the job or not. The Career Services Center, located in Kerr Administration building, offers help with strengthening resumés and improving interview skills.
Well, think again. Your summer job may just have been taken by one of the 200,000-plus Oregonians that are currently out of work.
According to the Oregon Employment Department, 10.8 percent of Oregonians were ranked as unemployed as of February 2009 - a figure that has more than doubled in the past year.
Though the plummeting economy is the subject of the news today, students usually don't feel the brunt of the dwindling market as much as the rest of the world does. Sure, we notice when the price of Hot Pockets jumps a quarter, and we may sigh angrily when gas prices go up.
However, these are challenges that can easily be dealt with - skip the Hot Pockets for a cheaper form of junk food and bust out the bike instead of driving. This summer may be the first eye-opener for many jobless college students as to the state of our economy.
As summer approaches, the tell-tale sign of America's hurting economy can be spotted in the usual places - tourist shops no longer boast "help wanted" signs and the classified section in the local newspaper spans only a few inches. With less jobs and more unemployed citizens than ever, people aren't looking for the "dream job" - they're scraping up whatever pays the bills.
Just because Corvallis is a college town doesn't make it exempt from the work draught that has swept the nation. According to the Oregon Department of Employment, Benton County's unemployment rate has doubled in the past year, now sitting at nearly 8 percent.
So, what's a poor, unemployed college student to do?
Now is the time to beef up your resumé. A bolder, more organized resume may be the deciding factor between getting the job or not. The Career Services Center, located in Kerr Administration building, offers help with strengthening resumés and improving interview skills.
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