Got a job?

With the economy in shambles and unemployment on a rise, some students at UW-Richland stay confident while others do not see the future so brightly.

And just as concerning for many students is whether they can find - or can keep - a job today.

"It's tough in the job market right now," said Chris Gander, a freshman who recently found work at Culver's. "The jobs are out there, but you just have to look for them. You just have to stay persistent and make sure you follow up on your applications."

Despite the recession, students who currently have jobs believe their jobs are in fact more secure now then they were before the economy went south.

Although many places in Richland Center are still hiring, every prospective candidate for a job must bring everything they can to the table and even settle on a job they may not want while looking for their "dream job."

Enter the old adage: Get the job you can get until you get the job you want.

"My employer would rather keep me on for the time I can work rather than pay the money to train someone else to do the same job," said sophomore Logan Mathews, who is a member of UW-Richland's Student Senate. "As long as I do my job they will continue to want me back every summer."

And there are things you can do today to stay marketable and keep some of the power over keeping your job.

"Increase your flexibility and make yourself more attractive to potential employers when you are out searching for a job," said Gander.

Simply being in college in Richland Center can help someone find work.

UW-Richland enrolls nearly 500 students (472 this fall), and local businesses look to the school to provide many of their employees every year.

Yet, some students continue to find themselves extremely worried about the current job market in Richland Center with unemployment reaching levels it has not been at in years.

"I don't think the job opportunities in Richland Center, or the surrounding Southwest Wisconsin region look promising," said Robert Johnson, a junior Senator on the Student Senate and a Resident Assistant at Campus View. "Factories are closing or moving left and right. I am not sure there are very many places beyond Wal-Mart that are presently hiring. And, while it is a job, people are stumbling backwards on the pay scale when leaving production jobs for Wal-Mart."

Tell us: What is your job? Do you think you will be able to keep it?

By: Paul Kornacker