On Nov. 3, a stand from Macy’s was displayed outside the CEA, meant to recruit Redwood students for seasonal jobs that are easy to attain and simple to find.
These seasonal jobs are beneficial to students who, due to busy schedules, do not want to commit to a full time job during school weeks, according to College Counselor Paula Vantrease. Seasonal work offers an opportunity for students to put jobs on their resumes, as well as a chance to save up for holiday gifts.
Senior Zach Wieck, who has worked seasonally at Macy’s for the past two years, earned his job after visiting the Macy’s recruitment stand at Redwood. Wieck believes that a recruitment stand is more effective at providing students with job opportunities than the College and Career Center job board or the Internet.
“I definitely wouldn’t have gotten a job as soon as I did without the stand because it really pushed me toward the idea of working,” Wieck said.
Because the stand encouraged Weick to apply for the job, he believes the stand’s presence motivates students into thinking about the idea of a job more easily than other sources might.
“I wasn’t looking for a job at the time, but I was definitely interested since I just turned 16. I thought maybe I could see what working is like since I legally can,” Wieck said. “I gave them my name and contact information, and they set up a date for an interview. Then I got the job.”
Despite being motivated through the Macy’s stand to start a job, Wieck believes that finding jobs through the College and Career Center is easier, considering the busyness of a typical school day.
“I think it is good for the community when the school helps students find jobs, because we are here for six hours a day anyways so that’s six hours of the day we can’t be working or looking for jobs,” Weick said.
Over 50 percent of students who currently have jobs acquired them through referrals from others according to the December 2015 Bark survey. These processes could be streamlined by having more job stands. Only 23 percent of students who are searching for jobs use school resources even though they are readily available.
“Instead of having the idea that, ‘I want to work, but I don’t know where to start,’ the recruiters were very helpful with the whole process,” Weick said.
Vantrease believes that the Macy’s recruiter handing out job applications was more “visually” appealing for students. Though she posts job opportunities on the job board weekly, she agrees that the presence of the Macy’s stand was more effective in inspiring students.
“Macy’s does not normally hire students under the age of 18, but during the holiday time they hire students who are 16 or 17 years old to work,” Vantrease said.
Macy’s is currently employing 80 part-time workers during the holiday season, three of whom are students at Redwood, according to Macy’s Human Resource Manager, Melissa Jaquysh. Macy’s has visited all four schools in the Tam District area with these recruitment stands.
