Fair to offer part-time jobs

As students are situating themselves on campus, local employers are looking for part-time labor through the annual Fall Jobs Fair.

The job fair is from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday for work-study students and then 1 to 3 p.m. for all students. For a listing of the employers attending the fair, students can look on their myIUcareers account at www.indiana.edu/~career/services/jobs_internships/iucareers.php.

Lou Ann Hanson, associate director of administrative services at the IU Career Development Center, said she is hopeful for a large turnout at this year’s fair, partly because of the bad economy.

“More students may be looking for part-time jobs to help supplement what mom and dad can give,” Hanson said.

Most attendees are freshmen, but upperclassmen are showing an interest as well.

Last year, 1,800 students attended, up 250 from 2007.

“Tuition was already expensive for out-of-state students,” sophomore Jason Eckhart said. “Raising it this year isn’t helping.”

Hanson said a 60 to 75 percent of the students who attend the fair find jobs. These students don’t necessarily get hired at the fair, but through interviews and call-backs.

Employers said they’re willing to work with students’ class schedules.

“We’re pretty flexible, but working here until four, five in the morning takes a toll,” said
Jesse Bloom, who manages the Pizza X restaurants near campus.

Hanson said employers realize students have to go to class and have academic priorities.

“The part-time employers that come to this event know that school comes first, so it’s usually eight to 10 hours a week,” she said.

Students do not need to compile a resume for the fair.

“It would help, but we don’t want to scare anybody off because most of the freshmen may not have one,” Hanson said.