Summer Employment Challenging for High School and College Students

While some have gone back to previous jobs who rehire, others are trying to get creative to avoid spending the next few months without collecting a paycheck in a troubled economic climate.

Cory Epstein, who just graduated from Columbia High School last month, has secured work as the summer intern for the Maplewood nonprofit organization the Valerie Fund. 

Epstein said he is lucky to have the paid position before leaving for college, whereas many of his friends are still looking.

“It’s really, really hard (to find work),” Epstein said. “I know people who have been waitlisted to work at camps or are just working with relatives and family members.”

Epstein explains his situation as “fortunate," since having worked with the Valerie Fund last summer is a big reason he has a job now.

Meanwhile, Greg Ahrens, a fifth-year senior at Seton Hall University, is near the opposite end of the summer work spectrum.

His position as Technical Operations Director at the school’s radio station, WSOU 89.5 FM, recently led him to seek employment on campus for the summer. After working for a time in the university library’s archives doing “general clerical work,” he has moved onto becoming WSOU’s Music Library Digitization Producer, earning $9 an hour.

Perhaps the wages and convenience of the work location seem advantageous for Ahrens, yet the accounting major originally spent time looking for a summer internship in his field of study.

“I applied for eight internships through Seton Hall’s career-based Web site, and I also put my resume on CareerBuilder.com,” Ahrens said. “I also couldn’t find any accounting-related positions in or around Philadelphia.”

The South Jersey native is subletting a room in South Orange for the summer to stay close to the radio station and, subsequently, his source of income. 

“The economy better turn itself around because I’m not spending another year in school, waiting,” Ahrens said.

Aside from those seeking employment, it hasn’t been a normal summer for those who offer work either.

Rich Cohen is one of three administrators at the Adult School's community summer program, and while the "Yellow Shirt" positions—similar to that of a camp counselor—always attract young adults, the lack of hiring elsewhere has changed the makeup of those looking to be employed.

“I had about 200 applications when on average we see 160,” Cohen said. “I took an unprecedented number back from last year and even hired about a dozen college kids.”

The applicants were vying for about 40 open spots. Cohen said the competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“Having lots of older people (applying) is good for our program, as we can have more mature counselors,” Cohen said. “In any case, we do the best that we can.”

The camp program is run in school buildings with “class-like activities” being taught by local teachers and artists from town, according to Cohen. Those who work for the program serve as assistants to the instructors and help the campers as they move between activities.

“They are greeters and also help the kids so they don’t get lost in the hallways,” Cohen said. “It’s a non-profit program, so we’re fairly basic in what we pay them.”

Perhaps regardless of the dollar amount they're paid, those who have been hired to work in the program can stay content with having a job.

“It’s in the town and convenient,” Cohen said.

That may be a benefit in such a tough job market, even if just for a few months of work.