by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
Students who need a summer job should find one that will complement their education, said Ron Martinez, director of the financial aid office.
"The ideal job would be something that's related to what they're studying or an area they have a specific interest in,"
he said.
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The Student Employment Office advertises summer jobs for students, including on- and off-campus employment.
The office has a job locator - a person who goes into the business community and tries to find jobs for students.
"What we do is provide the information, and the student contacts the employer directly to interview," Martinez said.
The office posts the jobs on its Web site at Unm.edu/~wsestudy/.
The New Mexico Department of Labor is a good resource for students looking to work over the summer, said Ron Chavez, area director for the department.
Employers come to the department to register jobs, which are put in a database, Chavez said.
People come into the department to put their information in the database, and a computer matches the job-seeker with employers, Chavez said.
"It's a little bit more involved than if you're just in the paper," he said.
The best way to get a job through the department is to come to the office at 401 Broadway Blvd. N.E., Chavez said.
Chavez said that many employers ask for students as summer employees.
"Someone wants students because they're going to operate something during the summer," he said.
Martinez said students should be careful what jobs they take.
"If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is," he said. "Don't fall for wild schemes. Stay away from any kind of job that might be dangerous. A person needs to evaluate what they're physically capable of."
Martinez said on-campus employment is a good choice for students taking summer school classes because it is convenient and helps them with their
studies.
"They can be more connected to the campus and to the campus community," he said. "Students who work on campus are more likely to persist all the way through to graduation."
On-campus employment benefits students because they develop relationships with University employees, Martinez said.
"That person can become a mentor for them (students) in a lot of ways," he said. "If that relationship can be with a faculty member in the field that they're studying, then they can get more creative about the kind of work the student can do."
Some summer jobs for students:
UPS - Package handlers: $8.50 to $9.50 per hour
Journal Pavilion - Promotion event staff: $6.50 per hour and free concerts
USDA Forest Service - Various positions: $10 to $13.58 per hour
Four Hills Country Club - Lifeguards: $7 per hour
Geneva Glen Camp - Cooks, assistant nurses, crew, cabin counselors: Room and board, insurance, transportation to campsite in Colorado and $900 to $3,000 depending on position
Source: Student Employment Office Web site
