Jill Fier

It’s about this time during the semester when students’ extra money seems to run dry and bills start rolling in.

Money concerns often force college students to start looking for a part-time job during the school year. That doesn’t mean they have to face the enormous task of job-hunting alone, though.

Darla Bockorny, manager of the South Dakota Career Center, said finding a job in Brookings right now is not impossible, but it is much easier today than it was in the past.

“The job market goes up and down, but it’s much better today than it was one to two years ago,” Bockorny said.

She said that even though the middle of the semester may not be the most ideal time to search for a job, there are options.

“There’s a little bit of a lull right after Christmas, but there are quite a few job openings out there,” she said, adding that some of those jobs are in areas that are not always popular, like fast-food restaurants and other service positions.

Bockorny said that students should look for a number of resources when job hunting. That includes walk-ins to ask if businesses are hiring right now, and utilizing the resources the CAP Center in Medary Commons offers to students.

“It’s important to cover all your bases,” she said.

Bockorny said that there are ways to make yourself more appealing to a potential emplyer:

*Be prepared when you walk into a business to ask for an application. They may ask you to fill it out and interview on the spot.

*Dress appropriately. In other words, no torn jeans and a tank top. When you come to the business, try wearing what you would be expected to wear if you were actually working there.

*Show enthusiasm and energy when you are interacting with a potential employer.”There’s nothing like a positive attitude to get you in the door.”

*Make yourself available to different schedules. When you are really desperate for cash, it’s not a good idea to turn down a job offer because you don’t want to get up early on the weekends.