Finding a job in Walla Walla during the summer can be like trying to look for a needle in a haystack.

“Finding a job here is hard,” said German professor Susan Babilon. “Trust me, I know. I’ve lived here for over ten years!”
Seemingly more difficult is trying to find a full-time position that will pay over the minimum wage per hour.

While Whitman’s Career Center Web site speaks on its ability to find summer jobs for students, it has little to offer those who wait until May or June to begin applying. Only one or two on-campus jobs are listed.

Likewise, many off-campus positions the Web site lists have either already been filled or require year-round commitments. The Plant Company, for example, has already filled its part-time summer positions. Similarly, 26brix restaurant prefers workers who will commit themselves to working year-round, something that most Whitman students simply can’t commit to.

The Career Center’s advice on finding a summer job is to “just keep looking.” The job listings will change from day to day and it can behoove an eager job-searcher to give it a daily check. Recently added to the list was a month long full-time position at the bookstore. Other positions are expected to be added soon.

Other options for people looking for jobs include the classifieds section of the Union Bulletin and the student listserv. From these sources students can find jobs that might not be listed on the Career Center’s Web site.

Professors and other residents of Walla Walla often have a better idea of where jobs availability. The YMCA, for example, offers summer day camp positions that aren’t listed on the Career Center’s Web site. Likewise, some people may be looking for house-sitters or people to watch their pets.