OU students looking to stay in Ottawa over the summer may have trouble finding summer employment, according to local business managers.
A number of businesses focus on a long term employee rather than hiring for summer jobs.
Maurices manager Jean Benedict said it generally takes more than three months to train someone for a position.
“We typically like to hire people for longevity, she said. “I talk to other managers and they say the same thing.”
Benedict said hiring is based on the individual’s talents and the needs of the company.
“Everything’s not set in stone,” she said.
However, Benedict said someone who wants to work at Maurices as a career is preferred.
“That’s the ideal situation, if we could find somebody that wanted to do this as a career that could grow with the company.”
Applebee’s service manager Laura Walker said they generally don’t offer jobs just for summer.
“We do have several people working here that go to OU,” she said. “But they usually work off and on during the school year.”
Walker said restaurant experience was helpful, but not a necessity.
“It’s helpful depending on what kind of restaurant it was, but what is more useful is your work ethic,” she said. “A little bit of knowledge is of course helpful; it’s nothing you can’t pick up.”
Margie Hinderliter, People’s Bank vice president market store manager vice president, said positions were not generally available every summer, but that OU students were be considered if a position was available.
Linda Platt, co-owner of Brandywine Liquors, said the store is busy year-round.
“Summers are always busy, and usually by fall that’s when I really start hiring, gearing up for the holidays,” she said.
Platt said hiring new people for the summer would depend on the situations of current employees, if a currently employed OU student had to quit.
“We do hire OU students,” she said. “We have since we opened; they’re solid workers.”
Ben Distin, Assistant Manager of the Crystal Plaza Theater, said they hire more people over the summer, but positions are usually already taken by people who come back every year.
“It looks like we’re full up for the summer,” he said. “But if we’re lacking in some areas it doesn’t hurt to put in an application,” he said.