It takes Loyola University senior Amanda Ross 30 minutes on the El to get to her job at Evanston’s American Apparel, 950 Church St. Most of her coworkers attend her college or others just as distant, she said.
She knows of only one coworker attending Northwestern, a 10-minute walk away.
Evanston businesses surveyed by The Daily that said they happily hire students far outnumber those that currently have employees from NU. Members of the business community attributed the discrepancy to factors ranging from the stagnating national economy to the affluence of many NU students’ families.
Though Ross emphasized she does not believe NU students are spoiled, she speculated that Loyola students tend to be less wealthy and thus more driven to seek employment.
Two-thirds of NU students who graduated in 2009 reported working part-time in a graduation survey, said Lonnie Dunlap, director of University Career Services. The survey did not distinguish between on-campus and off-campus employment.
Dunlap said she thinks the number of students seeking work in Evanston is rising. Career Services tries to facilitate their search by posting information about locally available jobs and hosting events such as a recent speed-networking activity featuring Evanston businesses, she said. But students seeking employment sometimes face logistical obstacles, she said.
“Usually it comes down to (students’) work and class schedule,” Dunlap said.
Medill junior Christie Thompson successfully balances her courseload with late-night shifts at Kafein, 1621 Chicago Ave. To give herself time to adjust to the pressures of college, she waited until sophomore year to look for a job. Occasionally she still struggles to juggle her responsibilities, she said.
“There was one week where I had like four shifts in a week,” Thompson said. “There were a lot of homework assignments that didn’t get turned in.”
But in general, Thompson said she has been pleasantly surprised by how smoothly her schedule runs.
Most college students tend to be equally successful at combining work and homework, said Le Peep manager Joel Fondell. In past years, he estimated, about 10 percent of his employees have come from NU, and few have had trouble taking shifts.
But since the beginning of the recession two years ago, Fondell has hired only one person, a chef from Las Vegas, he said.
“People aren’t leaving,” Fondell said.
Even students who tenaciously pursue work in Evanston sometimes cannot find jobs.
Medill sophomore Ryan Lafferty said he has submitted resumes to 20 Evanston businesses since moving into his apartment in mid-September. He has yet to be hired.
“I’ve applied to pretty much every place that sells coffee or books,” Lafferty said.
He is optimistic that he will find work soon, he said. He recently extended his search to businesses further south of campus.
Lafferty may soon have a new place to apply. The frozen yogurt shop 38 Degrees, 940 Church St., opened just a month ago and employs only members of the owners’ families so far, said co-owner Roma Nazarians. But Nazarians said he is open to the prospect of hiring NU students.
“Eventually, we probably will,” he said.
