The West Virginia University Division of Human Resources/Employment Services has created a new one-stop shop for students seeking jobs and employers seeking highly qualified candidates for open positions.

The Office of Student Employment is a clearinghouse for information about part-time and seasonal job opportunities on and off campus. The office also offers educational sessions and one-on-one job search assistance to help students succeed in their job searches, said Vice President for Human Resources Margaret Phillips.

According to the American Educational Research Association, nearly 80 percent of students work while pursuing education; the number of students working has increased as educational costs have risen nationally.

Finding a good job can help students minimize or avoid debt,said Susan Jennings Lantz, assistant director for student employment.It can also reinforce their career goals and give them an edge in finding employment after they graduate.

Before the creation of the Office of Student Employment earlier this year, students seeking part-time work on campus were mostly on their own, she added.

Our office stops the runaround and increases the turnaround,Lantz said.

Its creation is due, in part, to concerns by members of student government.

Every year thousands of students come to West Virginia University from all over the United States and leave their previous job behindbut dont know where to begin their job search in Morgantown,pointed out student Board of Governors member Kristen Mitchell, whose election platform was based on working with student employment opportunities.

The office offers a Web site, studentjobs.wvu.edu, which lists job openings and tips for finding a job, and sends out e-mail announcements of hot opportunities to registered students at least twice a month.

The office staff includes seasoned professionals from other areas of campus. Franny King, who formerly employed hundreds of students for WVU Arts&Entertainment, not only helps prepare students for interviews and the job search, but works with members of the business community in the Morgantown area and other external groups. Mary Alice Dunn, who has worked for many years as a trainer and in continuing education, works with campus employment and technological outreach to students.

We are ready to meet the students needs with a high-tech and high-touch approach,King said.

WVU students who have worked while in college said the experience helped them hone their professional skills.

The time-management skills and work ethic that I developed while working part-time as an undergraduate followed me on to law school and helped me to excel,said third-year law student Eric Hayhurst, who worked as a guest services intern at WVU Arts&Entertainment.As a summer associate in a law firm, I use many of the same skills I learned and developed as a student-worker at WVU , including communication, teamwork, the ability to work under pressure, and critical thinking and analysis.

Gwyneth MacMurtrie, a recent WVU graduate who also worked for WVU Arts&Entertainment, agreed.

It might sound cliché,she said,but the most important skill I received by working through college was time management. I noticed that if I was able to maintain a busy but balanced schedule, I often did better on exams, papers and even had more time with friends than when I had an easier work and school schedule.

Since January, Student Employment has posted information about more than 1,000 campus positions, ranging from office workers to event ushers to Web designers. It has also helped University departments such as Upward Bound and the Office of Information Technology fill graduate assistant positions.

The office has worked with more than 100 off-campus businesses and organizationsfrom banks to theme parksto help them attract qualified student applicants for their positions.

Both on- and off-campus employers have said that working with the Office of Student Employment has increased the size and quality of their applicant pools, Lantz said.

Allen Flanagan, night operations supervisor for the Mountainlair, found that to be the case when he advertised for building supervisors for the fall semester.

We received over 20 applications, the most we have ever received as long as I have been the night operations supervisor,Flanagan said.We have now hired five new building supervisors, two more than anticipated, due to the quality of the applicant pool.

Lantz is spreading the word about her offices services by doing presentations for students and parents at events such as New Student Orientation and Mountaineer Visitation Days.

The new Office of Student Employment is located at the Career Services Center at the corner of College Avenue and Maiden Lane, but will be moving to another location in the Mountainlair later this year. WVU students looking for jobs or employers seeking qualified student talent are encouraged to call 304-293-9270.