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SCC can assist with summer employment searches in Peoria

If you plan on staying in Peoria this summer or even if you’re going back home, plenty of options for part-time employment or internships are available.
The Smith Career Center offers special advisement appointments for students seeking part-time employment opportunities in the summer.
“All students should know there is someone in the Smith Career Center who can advise them on part-time employment and summer jobs,” Assistant Director of the SCC Dawn Koeltzow said.
She said she recommends students come in for face-to-face advising because this is the most effective way to find a job which fits the student.
“Advising students one-on-one is the best method because we can find employers that would be a match for their specific major or even paid internships,” Koeltzow said.
Many resources offering job postings are available and easy to search. Koeltzow said she usually helps students by introducing them to eRecruiting and other helpful sites. She listed a few sites that students can search by location such as Indeed.com and Snagajob.com.
Koeltzow also said the BU Mentor program can be a great option for networking with professionals.
“The BU mentor program is also a great resource for networking and making connections if you have questions about your field,” Koeltzow said.
She also said places that have a higher employment demand in warm months are summer camps, the Peoria Park District, Catholic camps, the YMCA, the country club and restaurants by the river walk.
“When looking for summer jobs, students should be thinking of where increased business is in the summer,” Koeltzow said.
Along with casting a wide net, Koeltzow stressed the importance of a positive attitude and determination when summer job hunting.
“There are opportunities out there if students are persistent and stay as flexible as possible,” she said. “Students should not be discouraged if there aren’t many postings.”
Koeltzow said many employers post jobs at different times, so it’s difficult to predict when there will be a large amount of postings on the Web sites.
“There are employers who posted jobs back in February and March,” Koeltzow said. “But there will also be employers whose postings are still coming and might not post until late May or even early June.”
The best thing to do when searching for a job at home is to use your resources, she said. The career center can also help students sort through job postings in their home towns if they will not be staying in Peoria this summer.
“The best advice I can give students looking for a job at home is network, network, network,” Koeltzow said. “They should talk to their parents or their parents’ friends to find out what’s available.”
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