By SHANAE BRIGGS
There wasn't much to look forward to but a long, boring week in the middle of nowhere. A help wanted sign hung in the local Subway, but the probability of Kayla Despain getting the job in less than the week she would be there was small.
So she called a staffing agency and went to work the next day. Sometimes her jobs were as tedious waiting for the phone to ring while she spent all day online checking her e-mail and playing Web sudoku, she said with a grin.
'The first day of work is pretty much the most fun one,' Despain said of working for a temp agency. 'Since it's always the first day of work, you never get bored.'
Despain is a freshman at BYU, and like most college students, wants to earn some money in her free time. The idea of working at a minimum-wage paying job all summer will never cross her mind again.
For students staying in Utah County this summer, finding a job that pays well will not be difficult.
'Unemployment is so low this year,' said Mark Marrott, branch manager of SOS Staffing Services in Orem. 'You can't help but drive down the street and see a help wanted sign. More go up every day.'
Marrott has been the branch manager of the staffing agency in Orem for six weeks, and said he arrived just in time for the busy season.
'It's busier in college towns. It's busy through the summer, and about this time we get a lot of businesses who need more help,' Marrott said.
The students help a lot when they come in, Marrott said. But, he also said, if they provide a schedule that has two hours twice a week open, there's not much agencies can do for them.
Employers understand that students are primarily here to be students, and don't have open schedules. Nancy Hatch, assistant director of Employment Services/Student Office, said a great opportunity is on-campus employment because it's close to classes and flexible.
'There are several positions available right now on campus,' Hatch said. 'There's a lot of variety when students leave at the end of the semester and students are looking for work at the beginning of the semester.'
With so many projects (landscaping, clean-up, social events) and fewer students going to school in the spring and summer terms, a wide variety of jobs are available on campus.
'If the students are going to school full time then they don't have to pay FICA tax,' Hatch said. 'It saves the students almost 8 percent of their pay. It's an incentive to work on-campus.'
Hatch said many on-campus jobs can help students understand their majors better. With the easy on-line job applications, Hatch encouraged students to apply for jobs even if they're out of state.
'Two weeks before you come back to school, fill out an application online,' Hatch said. 'These are the best jobs around, and we want the students to take advantage of the opportunity.'
BYU isn't the only place encouraging students to hurry in and work. Orem city is always looking for employees, and as a bonus, they have a reward system for employees.
'If someone comes to work here and they refer a friend or somebody, there is a $100 referral fee that the person can take advantage of by referring a roommate or a friend,' said Bruce Hammond, Human Resources manager in Orem.
Hammond said every year is a little different but Orem is usually able to fill the need for employees with students and people who are looking for work.
'There's a low unemployment in the county and we are impacted by that,' Hammond said. 'People looking for summer jobs right now have a choice of what they want to do. Help wanted signs are everywhere, and we have to compete with those other businesses.'
Hammond explained that in order to be competitive, their prices have to rise with every other business because price determines where people will work in the summer.
'All companies are having to pay more to keep their employees around,' said Ron Zarbock, president of Spherion of Utah. 'Even the 7-Eleven has to pay more to keep their employees so they don't leave and take the higher-paying jobs that are available.'
Zarbock said summer is the reason more jobs are available. Businesses that cater to Christmas, holidays and summer vacations are starting up to prepare for their work season again. More people are buying so more companies are producing goods between the months of April and November.
'So if you're looking for a job, there's a lot of jobs available,' Zarbock said. 'Find something you like, and it probably pays well. Everyone has to pay more for employees this summer.'