As students at the University struggle to keep money in their pockets, many of those turning in work applications on campus may find their job hunts unsuccessful.
Some stores on campus have hired only a small percentage of total applicants, while others have not taken new employees all semester.
“I tried to get a job in the computer lab or in the library but getting these jobs are hard,” said Suhayb Ranjha, sophomore in Business. “You need personal references and stuff of that sort.”
Young workers are often hit the hardest by recessions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the teenage unemployment rate, or the percentage of teens that wanted a job but did not get one, was 25.5 percent in August 2009.
“Teenage unemployment is a real problem during downturns, not just this one,” said Stephen Parente, associate professor of economics. “In downturns, faced with decreased sales, firms naturally will lay off their lower skilled, less essential employees.”
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Some on-campus stores said they stopped hiring altogether.
“We haven’t hired since we opened, but at least 100 plus people a month apply,” said Beth Kopcke, manager of Urban Outfitters, 507 E. Green St.
Kelly Caringella, an employee at Pitaya, 625 E. Green St., said it is a similar story at her workplace.
“We haven’t hired anyone all semester, but we have at least 10 people come in a day asking if we’re hiring,” Caringella said.
Parente said the C-U area has not been affected as badly as other parts of Illinois, though it still suffers.
“While the Champaign-Urbana area has not experienced the severity of the recession that has been felt in other areas, it has been affected. People have cut back on their expenditures, and so firms don’t need as many workers as before,” Parente said.
Despite the high levels of unemployment throughout campus, some stores are hiring for new positions.
Pitaya manager Anna Anderson said the store will probably start hiring for next semester, and that previous job experience is not necessary to be hired.
Anderson said she will be looking for “a reliable person” to hire.
