Survey: majority of 1Ls have summer jobs

Fifty-seven percent of the 1L students in our class who filled out a recent survey reported that they have some kind of summer job. That makes our employment picture better than last year's 1L class, but not as good as a typical year before the nation went into a recession, according to Dean Kathy Urbach, of the school's Career Services Office. Urbach (at right) shared the survey results with me this afternoon. 

"The climate is less robust than previous years," she told me. "Fewer students have paying jobs." 

A total of 67 students filled out the surveys, or roughly half of the class. Of that number, 20 reported that they will be paid. Fifteen will volunteer. I figured that the students who didn't fill out surveys probably don't have jobs, but Urbach said that's not necessarily true. Some students are still negotiating with prospective employers, she said, and others want to keep their job situations private. There also are plenty of students who will find paid jobs in coming weeks. Between now and June, Urbach expects to hear from at least one employer each week who is seeking a paid intern or clerk. And she said a student who is willing to volunteer is pretty much guaranteed to find something, partly due to the connections generated by the school's Public Service Program. Urbach also stressed the importance of contacting her office or at least sending her a resume if you want to find work. 
"We're here all summer," she said. "If we don't know about you, we can't help you."