Bleak economy takes away jobs, internships; strains seasonal jobs
Devlin Hogans
Issue date: 12/4/09 Section: Features
Even after surviving Black Friday chaos, many are worried about how to pay for their gifts with the current economy and lack of jobs. However, job opportunities are more available now than any other time of the year. Stores are banking on an increase in sales even though the profits are not predicted to come close to past records.
In the past year, many hard-working people have found themselves in a rut after they have been laid off for downsizing. There is much more competition to obtain a seasonal job because those who usually work full time will be vying for a part time position.
According to the National Retail Federation, retailers hired an additional 231,000 workers for the 2008 holiday season, which was a drop from the 618,000 in 2007. Nationwide, Toys "R" Us has 35,000 openings. RadioShack has 1,000 openings, right along with Blockbuster and AT&T.
This may appear to give anyone applying for the holidays a good shot, but not for criminal justice sophomore Desi Huffine. She has been through more jobs in the past few months most people go through in a year.
"First I worked at Fareway, then Petland out in Jordan Creek on and off due to changes in ownership. Just recently it was shut down because the owner couldn't allegedly pay rent," Huffine said.
She then had to leave a daycare after a month because she had the flu. Her most recent gig was at Best Buy, where she was hired but then told her hours were not flexible enough.
"It's tough competing with older people who have been fired and aren't attending school like I am," Huffine said.
The key for all those applying for seasonal spots is to start as early as possible, ideally in October, because some employers cut off applications in November.
Even with companies having to let workers go, they are still continuing internship programs at full force.
The Meredith Corporation slashed 100 jobs in Des Moines in the earlier part of the year but is maintaining its 10-week paid summer program for undergraduates. According to publishing human resources coordinator Susan Napier, the program is mutually beneficial for the company and students.
"Partaking in internships results in a greater guarantee of a job rather than simply applying because students already have experience and have been under our watch for some time. Those students definitely have the upper hand over applicants we don't know," Napier said.
John Deere Des Moines Works indefinitely laid off 160 workers in April due to reduced market demand for factory products, but only those with the least seniority were affected. Director of Strategic Public Relations at Deere and Company, Ken Golden, said that young students have no need to worry because their internships are not going anywhere.
"If anything, internships are increasing because it gives us a chance to monitor a potential employee before hiring them. There are also plenty of other branches of our company that we could transfer a student in need of a job to," Golden said.
In the past year, many hard-working people have found themselves in a rut after they have been laid off for downsizing. There is much more competition to obtain a seasonal job because those who usually work full time will be vying for a part time position.
According to the National Retail Federation, retailers hired an additional 231,000 workers for the 2008 holiday season, which was a drop from the 618,000 in 2007. Nationwide, Toys "R" Us has 35,000 openings. RadioShack has 1,000 openings, right along with Blockbuster and AT&T.
This may appear to give anyone applying for the holidays a good shot, but not for criminal justice sophomore Desi Huffine. She has been through more jobs in the past few months most people go through in a year.
"First I worked at Fareway, then Petland out in Jordan Creek on and off due to changes in ownership. Just recently it was shut down because the owner couldn't allegedly pay rent," Huffine said.
She then had to leave a daycare after a month because she had the flu. Her most recent gig was at Best Buy, where she was hired but then told her hours were not flexible enough.
"It's tough competing with older people who have been fired and aren't attending school like I am," Huffine said.
The key for all those applying for seasonal spots is to start as early as possible, ideally in October, because some employers cut off applications in November.
Even with companies having to let workers go, they are still continuing internship programs at full force.
The Meredith Corporation slashed 100 jobs in Des Moines in the earlier part of the year but is maintaining its 10-week paid summer program for undergraduates. According to publishing human resources coordinator Susan Napier, the program is mutually beneficial for the company and students.
"Partaking in internships results in a greater guarantee of a job rather than simply applying because students already have experience and have been under our watch for some time. Those students definitely have the upper hand over applicants we don't know," Napier said.
John Deere Des Moines Works indefinitely laid off 160 workers in April due to reduced market demand for factory products, but only those with the least seniority were affected. Director of Strategic Public Relations at Deere and Company, Ken Golden, said that young students have no need to worry because their internships are not going anywhere.
"If anything, internships are increasing because it gives us a chance to monitor a potential employee before hiring them. There are also plenty of other branches of our company that we could transfer a student in need of a job to," Golden said.
Be the first to comment on this story