Jobs related to career plans tough to find

When College sophomore Ryna Frankel searched for a work-study job this semester, she wanted to find a position that would relate to one of her two interests - art or biology.

Though she interviewed for a job at the Institute of Contemporary Art, the museum told her it prefers graduate students. Frankel said she also applied for several biology research jobs but didn't hear back from any potential employers.

Frankel, who still does not have a job, isn't alone in her struggle to find work that reflects future career goals. Though students say career-oriented work-study positions are hard to find at Penn, not everyone is looking for such a pre-professional work environment.

An undergraduate Chemistry student, who asked to remain anonymous, agreed that it's difficult to find research-based work-study jobs on campus.

The student, who now works in the Asian American Studies Program office, said she likes her current job but would rather work in the medical field.

"I think it's really hard to find a work-study job in an area you actually want to go into," she said.

According to John Rudolph, manager of Student Financial Services, students do not generally have difficulty finding jobs.

As for finding positions in fields that they're interested in, according to Rudolph, if students are "willing to search the listing of jobs, it's possible to find a job that compliments a student's course of study."

Rudolph said in an e-mail that off-campus work-study employment "provides hands-on opportunities in the public and private nonprofit sector."

But some students are not looking for career-oriented jobs when they participate in Penn's work-study program.

Wharton sophomore Sunny Choi, who works in Williams Cafe and as a manager in Harnwell College House, said she didn't have any criteria when she started looking for a job.

According to Choi, while it is hard to find a "career-based job, it is definitely really easy to find a low-paying campus job at Penn."

Choi said she enjoys both of her jobs, and her only complaint is the 20 hour-per-week work limit for all work-study students.

College sophomore David Peters works at the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. His job doesn't relate to his interests in science and history, but Peters said he is happy to have a job that allows him to work with OFSA since he is the house manager for his fraternity.

Alexandria Goree, a College sophomore, works at the front desk in Van Pelt Library.

The perks of the job, while in no way career-oriented, are that "I can do my homework, and it's quiet," she said, adding that she likes it "most of the time."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.