Student Jobs Hard to Find This Summer

"This year it may be tougher than last to get a summer job," Richard L. McVity '55 assistant in the Student Employment Office, predicted yesterday.

"It's difficult to be sure so early, but it appears that the college student seeking summer employment is meeting competition from unemployed bread winners, and employers tend to prefer family heads," he said.

This competition may be only part of the story, McVity said. There is an increasing number of companies giving preference to sons and daughters of company employees. Also, in such places as Cape Cod, there is a growing animosity between local people and college students seeking employment, he said.

Jobs Down 3%

The total number of jobs listed with the Student Employment Office is down about three per cent from last year, although in certain areas, such as government and overseas employment, there has been a slight increase. This rise is somewhat puzzling, McVity said, since the government has been cutting expenses in all departments.

Since most of the decrease in job listings is in the unskilled and semi-skilled areas, a student with some kind of specialized skill has a much better chance to get a job. According to the Student Employment Office, typing is still the skill most in demand.

North to Alaska

This summer, according to McVity, Alaska may be the place to look for a job. Reconstruction of those cities destroyed by the Good Friday earthquake should lead to full employment. "However," he cautioned, "Alaska discourages us from sending anyone who doesn't live there."

In addition to direct appeals to management, the Student Employment Office has asked for help from the Harvard Clubs in securing enough jobs for the expected 3300 applicants. "The clubs are not in the placement business, but some times a good number of leads are made available through them," McVity said.