The Employment Dilemma

In times of economic uncertainty, such as these, almost everyone faces the fear of being affected by the stooping economy. College students are not exempt from this fear, because they are not unaffected. The majority of college students are employed at least part time while they are enrolled in school. These working students are often not yet equipped with the experience that is required to be eligible for a job in the field they are studying. So, some students work in food service and some work in entry level office positions with no possibility of promotion. In a harsh economic environment like this one, it can be assumed that students are just as worried as people who are solely in the workforce about their ability to maintain employment.

The life of a college student is a stressful one, with classes, homework, social pressures, and on top of all of that holding down a job. Why are so many students employed while they are earning a degree? Well, tuition costs, even for in-state tuition, are not just a drop in the bucket. Not only is tuition costly, but textbooks are becoming exorbitantly priced and scantily bought back from students. Basically, most students have to be employed just so that they can succeed in school and earn that sought-after degree.

The issue is this: in such an unsteady economy, students will be getting the short end of the stick in the job market. College students who are looking for work are most likely having a hard time finding a job because so many people are not hiring while money is tight. Not only are companies not looking for workers, but if they happen to hire someone it will most likely be someone with previous work experience in their area of expertise. Students who are currently employed may be losing jobs because they are not the most valuable workers in a company. They do not have a degree yet, and their work experience does not mean anything because they most likely have been working in a dead-end job.

This issue has hit close to home for me. As a student at the University of New Mexico, I have held down a part time position as a receptionist. I have maintained this job for the entirety of my college career. But, the company recently fell on hard times and some employees were laid off, including me. At the bottom of the company food chain, with no degree and no valuable work experience they had to let me go. Another college student who worked there was also laid off. So I ask you, how is a college student supposed to make ends meet in this economy?

If you are a college student now, are you worried about keeping your job? Are you worried about finding a job after earning your degree? Maybe you are someone who is not attending college but has ideas about the employment of college students. Let me know what you think, I appreciate any feedback.