by Scott Albright
Daily Lobo
Presents, food, decorations and travel expenses are some of the extra costs that come with the holidays.
That means it's time for some students to start looking for seasonal work.
For students who forgot to save this year, there is help.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Robert Amos, a supervisor at the state's Department of Labor, said college students have a good chance of being hired for seasonal work.
"If you're a student and employers know that you're in school - usually those are the sharpest people," Amos said. "Those that can use computers and can work with numbers and handle cash - those would be the most likely candidates to be hired."
Amos said retail sales and the shipping industry increase hiring levels over the holidays. He said manufacturing jobs tend to slow down around Christmas.
Yvette Lyle, who owns a UPS Store on Yale Boulevard and Central Avenue, said the increase in shipping over the holidays demanded a larger staff.
"We just have to have more guys hauling boxes and loading trucks," she said. "We're swamped."
Mario Peralta, a customer service representative at the store, said the company has minimal qualification requirements but requires employees to be drug tested.
Amos said students could look in the classifieds, use job finders on the Internet or use ads on the street to find holiday work.
"I suggest you utilize all available resources," he said. "I've gotten jobs from the newspaper, from the employment office, from just walking into the building and from following a truck with a sign on the side and following it to the warehouse. Whatever works for you."
Plasma centers also offer extra cash to student donors.
"It's the easiest part-time job you'll ever have," said Nathan Callender, a manager at the Yale Plasma Donor Center.
Students get $40 per visit for the first two donations.
Plasma can be given twice a week.
"Historically, we're more busy over Christmas," Callender said. "Everyone needs money."
He said the best time to come in is the early morning when the wait is short.
Amos said it is important for students to have a clean record if they want to be hired for seasonal work.
"I would recommend young people not to be doing drugs if they want to find a job, because they will drug test you. That will eliminate them," he said. "People who have DWIs have a very hard time finding jobs. Nobody wants to hire them."
Visit these Web sites for more information about seasonal jobs:
Jobs.State.nm.us
HotJobs.com
Monster.com
SnagaJob.com
