To take the pressure off summer vacation, students can start searching for fall jobs now by using the job search options that are available at EWU.

One primary resource provided for finding student jobs is EagleAxis, which can be accessed through the EWU website. Students can log in using their NetID and then search for the type of job they want.

EagleAxis offers jobs with several criteria, such as part time, full time, work-study or non-work-study. Within these criteria, students can enter job keywords in order to search for the type of job they want and a maximum distance from their zip code to find one that is not too far away.

Not all students know about EagleAxis, but they find out when they visit Student Employment.

“A lot of [students] still assume that things are on paper, and they just aren’t anymore, like any other business,” said Cheryl O’Keefe, a human resource consultant in Student Employment. “It’s all on computer now. Every [job] on campus is required to be posted on EagleAxis.”

EagleAxis is showing a few fall jobs already in different categories. According to O’Keefe, close to 80 percent of students qualify for work-study, but work-study has been cut back during the past few years. “It’s still looking OK for next year,” O’Keefe said.

Students interested in work-study jobs must apply on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid form each year. When loans come in, they indicate the amount of work-study funding. Work-study employees can work up to a maximum of 19 hours weekly, according to the EWU website.

“Some departments don’t necessarily care because they have additional funds if you go over [your hours],” said O’Keefe. “But some departments are on a tight budget … and they need to know down to the penny, because they don’t have a way to free up money to pay if they go over.”

O’Keefe encourages students to go to potential employers the day after they have submitted their application for a job to introduce themselves and say in person that they are interested in the position.

Students may want to keep in mind that they should post résumés on EagleAxis promptly, whether they are actively searching for a job at the present or not. Students may not realize that résumés go through a 48-hour review process before being approved and showing up on EagleAxis.

If students wait to post résumés until they find a job they want, the job may be gone by the time the résumé is approved and visible on the site.

A second way of finding a fall job in the spring is for students to approach the professor for whom they want to work or the department where they want a job and simply ask. The advantage of this, according to O’Keefe, is that job candidates have self-selected for motivation and interest in the job.

A third option for finding a fall job in spring is to check departmental websites. According to Operations Manager Sue Murphy, the biology department has had several pages dedicated to jobs posted on its departmental website.

“We put up the jobs list as a way to help them find either part-time work or full-time jobs that will get them the experience they need to get the jobs they want,” Murphy said. The department has had a jobs area for the past 10 or 12 years, according to Murphy.

A fourth alternative is to stop by Career Services at 114 Showalter Hall or to visit its web page to get questions answered and look at options.

As a fifth approach, students can investigate internship programs by checking the Eastern website or by contacting Career Services Director Virginia Hinch at 359-2329.

A sixth method for finding fall jobs in the spring is to look for off-campus jobs by using EagleAxis, checking the EWU website Student Employment page or contacting Student Employment at 359-2525. The Student Employment office is located at 303 Showalter Hall.

Finally, students can attend networking events put on by EWU, such as the Young Professionals Networking Event.

Students can use all of these resources to research positions and then approach potential employers directly, both on campus and off.