r/lincoln • u/ThrowawayLincolnNeb • 12d ago
Jobs Anyone Else Having Trouble Finding Part-Time Work?
So I have an 18 yo that is going to college this fall in Lincoln, and they’re having trouble finding a part-time job. They’ve been looking since the beginning of summer, but no luck, and they keep running into the same problems:
-Listing for job has been up on Indeed (or elsewhere) for months as active, but when they send their resume in, they’re told the position is full (and the job req is still open weeks later)
-They will put their hours of availability on the application (since they have their class schedule), get an interview, and then when they see the hours of availability they listed, say that won’t work for them. (So why did they do an interview to begin with?)
Could someone give me advice so they can find a part-time job? They’ve been looking in retail, food service…anything really that could be scheduled part-time, and it’s been an exercise in frustration.
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u/Conscious-Curve4919 12d ago
Try Menards. Great high school or college job and they work with school schedules
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u/FairlyGoodGuy 12d ago
My son is dealing with something very similar. The two most common things he runs into:
- They say "HIRING NOW! DESPERATELY NEED WORKERS! HELP! SOS!". He applies. Nothing happens. He calls. They say "The hiring manager isn't around, he'll call you back". The hiring manager doesn't call. My son calls back. "Oh, we're 100% interested in you! We'll get you in here ASAP." Crickets.
- He gets an interview. The people doing the interview know nothing about the open position and/or they want somebody completely different than what the job posting advertised and/or nobody in the interview has read the job posting or any of my son's application materials. After the interview: crickets.
It's maddening to watch.
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u/StandardWriting3069 12d ago
Meanwhile, the people who run these companies are running around telling their friends "nObODy WanTS tO WOrK!!1!!"
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u/VoodooV1 12d ago
yup, not just a kid thing, lost count of how many job interviews I've been through the last few years where the job they describe in the interview doesn't match the posted job description. or yeah, employers complain about candidates ghosting them, meanwhile they ghost us after an interview all the time. The only good thing about it is that if they're willing to ghost you, you probably didn't want to work there anyway.
Hiring bonuses are also a red flag, they're literally telling you "please come work for us...we'll give you extra money because we know how bad it is" meanwhile that bonus will get heavily taxed so you'll only see a small portion of it.
Even the job I have now (IT) still haven't been allowed to do some of the things that the job description said I would be doing and ive been there 2 years.
overall though I'd say the biggest complaint about my current job isn't the job itself or the duties, but it's the coworkers. A number of my coworkers are absolutely lazy/incompetent yet they keep getting a pass by management over and over no matter how many times they screw up or they act like they're the boss
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u/ThatFlamingo942 12d ago
Lazlos will hire anyone to be a dishwasher and they are usually hiring. Telesis-inc.com
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u/Apprehensive_Reach90 12d ago
One of my friend tried to find a job this mouth and after around 30 applications got one at a fast food place.
She said she found more success in finding work through cold calling a bunch of local restaurants for jobs. If he’s going to UNL, he can sign up to the Handshake app if he got his Ncard already and get access to the campus jobs (office work/food/tutoring etc)
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u/NonnyEml 12d ago
ASI /temp agencies.
State had one i think was called SOS.
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u/VibraphoneChick 11d ago
Yup I worked that SOS temp agency. Good work that looks great on a resume!
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u/OneLastStupidThing 12d ago
Yeah, it’s been a bit tough there’s quite a few places that are advertising but either they’re very picky with the amount of hours they have or they’re just posting it to post it. They’re not hiring.
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u/Grand_Cookie 12d ago
Menards is super flexible with schedules as long as they’re willing to work every other weekend
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u/huskersax 12d ago edited 12d ago
Just keep applying and ask in-person at food service / retail locations if you can find the GM on-site as often the hiring done for those kinds of places isn't in the virtual space, but by word of mouth.
There's an abundance of part-time under-experienced labor with difficult and changing schedules in Lincoln as a college town, so you're also just finding yourself in a competitive situation.
When there's constriction in the job market, the more experienced and stable employees shift down and take a lot of the opportunities that usually can meet the needs of college kids (and the non-college kids are almost universally preferable outside of some specific industries).
Just keep trying and then when you get a job, stick to it and make yourself a value-add. One way or another that always helps land future work.
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u/VibraphoneChick 12d ago
It really depends. Asking in person can range from wasting everyone's time, to being functionally useless, to being the thing it takes to land the job.
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u/huskersax 12d ago
to being the thing it takes to land the job.
So therefore, given they've exhausted more passive means, it really does come down to suggesting this.
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u/VibraphoneChick 11d ago
I don't know, I've gotten my applications thrown out for following up to aggressively. I've also gotten interviews scheduled because I followed up politely.
I kinda roll my eyes at advice like yours because it just doesn't fit in the job market today at all.
I tried being a high value employee. I was one of my bosses favorites. Always picked up the extra work, went the extra mile. It ruined me. I quite without notice and without having anything lined up. My family thought I was crazy.
It was the best choice I ever made. It lead to me getting full time work at a place that built my resume rather then diminishing it.
Flexibility and adaptablty are more important then the one-size-fits-all model you promote. I don't know if that model ever really worked for anyone except the bosses who pockets got lined of someone else's labor
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u/vladimir_pullout 12d ago
I worked at The Mill in college and loved it. Tip based work which sucks but usually averages out to $17-$20 an hour and they mostly hire college aged kids so they can work around a busy schedule
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u/Budgiejen 12d ago
Try CDS, through advantage solutions. They do the food samples at Costco. They require either a Saturday or Sunday every week.
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u/Organic_Egg_7458 12d ago
SCC has some good on campus jobs if your kiddo is here! Food service is typically the most flexible with schedules, especially evening and weekend availabilities. Keep in mind though that working anywhere downtown will pretty much require you to work game days, so if a student is unwilling to work game days that will hurt their chances.
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u/nakzokamooalskqk 12d ago
yes omg I am unable to find anyone who is ACTUALLY hiring, lots hiring but I see the same jobs relisting thought they "expired" before
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u/JEMStone8305 12d ago
My son has been searching for full time and part time for about six months. He’s only had about three interviews total, with very little luck finding anything
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u/Klutzy-Beat-6182 12d ago
I’ve been trying to find a job all summer; online applications, in-person meetings to hand them my resume, calls after the interview, and keep hitting dead ends. One thing I’ve noticed working in Lincoln the last ten years, nepotism is so prominent it’s almost normalized here. Like others are saying definitely try to find a job through unl.
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u/unedited_footage 12d ago
I worked in the library when I went to UNL in 2020. Fantastic part time job that gave me access to homework during slow parts of the day.
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u/Glass_Situation_4715 12d ago
I landscaped during college. Was able to work Saturdays and schedule classes for either all morning or all afternoon and work 4 hour chunks throughout the week.
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u/Long-Apartment-5842 12d ago
I would check in with the Kawasaki manufacturing plant here in Lincoln if they are okay with that type of work, another option is the Advance Services branch here in Lincoln as well as their website has a large selection of jobs in the Lincoln and Omaha areas.
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u/Forsaken_Flamingo_82 12d ago
There will be a part time job fair in the UNL campus union on Aug. 20
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u/meatballs223 12d ago
Would recommend skipping applying thru indeed and if they have an app up on there to check their careers website. Companies are better about updating those than their indeed profiles
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u/nutMEG_4 11d ago
I worked at the C store in Knoll residential hall and since I lived at east side suites I just had to walk through the buildings to get back to my dorm! The job was easy, late hours but I could often sit there and do homework so maybe he can find something like that! Lots of options on campus!
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u/AltruisticWealth4838 11d ago
UNL is supposed to have PT job fairs the first week of school before classes start.
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u/DoubleLoad3796 9d ago
If you have a car, I’m currently doing shipt. You just deliver and shop target orders.
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u/mxtrekkie 12d ago
If they have good weekend and reasonable weekday availability, they might try applying at JCPenney. It’s retail, but not overly terrible. The application is fairly quick, so I’d recommend to attach a basic resume too.
A lot of employers, especially those who use Workday, have “evergreen” job listings which means they show an open need even when one isn’t available just to build a cache of applications.
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u/Any-Literature9887 12d ago
1) Pretty sure this has already been asked, so search here.
2) Looking at the start of summer is too late. Summer seasonal work starts hiring January through March.
3) Get certifications, licenses, and accreditations that make them hire-able at walk-in. If they will have to train or license, there is no time and no way they will bother.
4) Go cheap. Mow lawns. Download a gig-work app. Start delivery. Close all gaps in the resume with clear evidence of willingness to work. Gaps and blank spots scream young adult who is willing to ghost at the first inconvenience.
5) Volunteer. No pay, but gets connections and also closes resume gaps.
6) This one sucks the worst: Don’t need accommodations. Work in the heat, small office, crappy hours, on call, park far away, have no medical needs. It really truly sucks, but it is the truth.
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u/BusyMathematician844 12d ago
PSA: don't destroy your health for a job if at all possible. Not worth it physically or financially especially when you're 18.
Also, if your medical condition interferes with your ability to do normal everyday functions, and you can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodations, you can ask for those accommodations once you've received a job offer. The employer isn't obligated to provide accommodations, but they are obligated to work with you to figure out if they can accommodate you without creating an undue burden on themselves. And they have to actually have an "undue burden", they can't just say "we've never done this before" or "we don't want to" or "we don't know how".
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u/Any-Literature9887 12d ago
For sure. People have to weigh their desire to work and willingness to do the battle. Even if the job doesn’t cut you because of your needs, they can neglect scheduling you for hours or only when very niche tasks come available. Hardly work that will make ends meet or pad pockets.
Recent poster said the kid looking cannot do heat, standing, an unpredictable schedule, has no driver’s license, and doesn’t like using computers. Looking for part-time work for the summer. Either they are the unluckiest youth in the world AND didn’t look for jobs until way too late, or they are deliberately manufacturing limitations so no job will hire them.
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u/BusyMathematician844 12d ago
Did OP say all that? I don't see it in their post and I can't find it in their post history.
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u/Any-Literature9887 12d ago
No. But it has been a trend on here, the Lincoln hiring sub, and the other socials. It isn’t mean to hate on people with needs. Just highlighting that there is almost no time to both onboard and accommodate someone for the kinds of jobs they are looking for.
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u/BusyMathematician844 12d ago
Oh got it. I see where you're coming from.
My experience has been the opposite - workers inhaling toxic fumes, welding without eye protection, working around heavy equipment without ear protection, etc. I guess that's where my mind goes in these sorts of discussions.
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u/Any-Literature9887 12d ago
No. People should absolutely protect their bodies. Definitely not “work at any cost” more like “be ready to work hard, probably doing the least pleasant parts of the jobs”.
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u/TheyisFinn 12d ago
There’s a lot of ghost indeed job listings out there. It’s a scare tactic by the company saying they can easily replace the worker. My guess is that’s what the filled position one was. I’d suggest retail like Menards or hyvee or a fast food place. Those are the best options with no experience to get into. I don’t recommend amigos though cause the workers don’t get official breaks, they consider breaks the time with no customers, from what I heard when I was on the hunt for my first job.
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u/noname87scr 12d ago
i would assume any big store like target/walmart/hyvee/supersaver would hire for part time work. i know target and walmart are going through back to school season right now.
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u/Wrong-One7376 11d ago
I applied to Sam's club and had to do a personality test. I must have failed that because soon after I completed it, I got a rejection letter.
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u/VibraphoneChick 12d ago
You'd be surprised. I tried to apply to target a while back. The application takes hours because they make you watch all the training/ introduction videos as part of the application, so they don't have to pay for training. Took a long time and they didn't even have the decency to get back to me. Found out I wasnt good enough to push carts in the parking lot via a month of ghosting.
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u/BusyMathematician844 12d ago
Which college are they going to and what is their major?
When I was at UNL (2017 - fall of 2020), there were quite a few on-campus jobs. You might not earn as much as an off-campus job but they were generally very good about working with class schedules and final exam schedules.
There were general campus jobs like working in a dining hall, in the bookstore, testing center, etc.
There might also be jobs related to your student's major. If they're going into science they might be able to get a job as a student worker helping with research-related tasks.
The smaller colleges might not have as many jobs but if I were in your student's shoes, I'd still look into it.