The Seahawk

Issue date: 9/11/08 Section: News

Job opportunities seem few and far between this semester as UNCW students try to find methods of income. Jobs in the Fisher Center, the Union and other buildings on campus went quickly as students put in applications during the late summer and applied online at SeaWork, UNCW's online job/internship database. Tom Riggs, director of the UNCW Career Center, said employment listings have gone down about 10 percent this summer; down to 946 this year from 1,061 last year.

At Independence Mall, it is just as difficult to find employment. Many retail stores are no longer hiring. Several students have turned to food service as a way to help pay the bills. Olive Garden, The Oceanic and Bluewater Grill are just a few of the current places of work for some UNCW students. Others have chosen bartending as a means of income.

When asked why she bartends, Caitlin Richards, a senior said, "I enjoy the social atmosphere - meeting new people, making money, and it prevents me from partying so much. There are plenty of reasons. I really enjoy helping people with problems; not everyone comes to drink at my bar."

This year's part-time job fair proved to be of help to some: First Citizens Bank, Lowes Food, Fedex, BB&T and Jackson Hewitt Tax Service were among the companies represented. The Academic Majors Fair, Law School Fair and a few others coming up in October will serve as employment resources for the students who will be job hunting later this fall.

A small survey of 100 UNCW students' current jobs revealed some interesting numbers: 23 out of 100 students are working in retail positions, 16 are bartenders, hosts/hostesses or waiters/waitresses, 48 are working in other job fields and 13 are unemployed.

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