This article was written by a student in Intro to Mass Communications, the class that precedes The Cardinal Times. 

Shannan Fasold, career coordinator at Lincoln, says jobs are a useful thing for students; they’re great for a resume, help students find their interests, and help them make money. Fasold also knows a lot about how jobs can impact students’ futures.

“I think that the most important thing is that students are getting involved in some way, because when you go to apply to a job that you really care about, if you don’t have anything to put on your resume as far as responsibilities that you’ve had, you’re not going to be a highly competitive candidate for that job,” said Fasold.

Fortunately, students have more opportunities for jobs now than ever, thanks to the pandemic.

“It’s a really good market to find jobs because a lot of businesses had to shut down, their workers went elsewhere, and now they’re trying to build back up and they don’t have the workers,” said Fasold. 

“I feel like retail positions right now are pretty easy to get because of labor shortages and they’re quick to hire people and teenagers and stuff,” said Lulu Bond, a sophomore who works part time at the counter of Saint Cupcake. 

One industry that’s accessible to students, even more so than usual at the moment, is the restaurant industry. A lot of restaurants have been working with fewer employees for the sake of safety, but are now in the process of rehiring. 

The only real requirement for working at a restaurant (besides being 16, but that varies from place to place) is having a Food Handlers’ Card, which is a $10 license that you can get online by passing a quiz.

A link to the Oregon Food Handlers’ Card, as well as many other resources for students looking for work and volunteer opportunities, are available on the Lincoln High School career center website.

Fasold says to remember it’s still a pandemic, so choose wisely while considering a job. 

“I think it’s really important to think about what the safety protocols [are] for that employer, like ask the questions in an interview, how have you changed any of your processes due to Covid,” said Fasold. 

Different establishments, whether you’re looking for work or volunteering, have different Covid regulations, which could play a role in your decisions. 

Fasold says senior and medical facilities often require being vaccinated, so if you want to work or volunteer somewhere that’s safer, those are some places to look into.

But Fasold advises that whatever you do, make sure you don’t wait too long before getting into the workforce.

“You don’t want to wait until that one plum thing comes along, because then maybe you don’t have [enough experiences] to become a real competitive candidate.”