With the significant presence of young people in Tempe, part-time jobs are often in demand in the community, creating a market that can be unpredictable.
Tempe’s unemployment rate, according to City of Tempe data, has consistently stayed below 4% over the past four years, yet many students and young people often complain about a lack of available jobs.
What is the part-time job market in Tempe really like?
“I think that there are enough jobs,” said Ricki Soto, a college student and Tempe local who has been hunting for a job for a few months. “I just think employers need to be better at getting back to people who are applying for said jobs.”
A lack of communication on an employer’s part isn’t an uncommon complaint, with some candidates never hearing back from companies.
Gavin Sandoval, a supervisor at AMC Theatres, is often a part of the hiring process at his job and thinks the standards aren’t unfair.
“I feel like it’s hard to find a quality employee due to the mindset of the younger generation,” Sandoval said. “Especially Gen Z can be very shy and prioritize work-life balance, which can translate to not caring as much, calling out of shifts and doing the bare minimum at work.”
Sandoval’s experiences with younger employees reflect many company’s perspectives, but Soto believes that their standards are too high.
“I don’t think I should need experience in a position like being a barista if I'm going to get paid minimum wage,” Soto said. “I feel like employers should be willing to train people.”
Many part-time positions in Arizona offer only minimum wage pay, which is currently $14.35.
ASU student and part-time pharmacy employee Sicily Vicera says minimum wage is decisively not enough.
“If you break down the paycheck of a part-time job, half of it goes to rent already, there’s like nothing left,” Vicera said.
However, the need for consistent income typically trumps preferences on pay, and the need for part-time jobs is always present.
With the unemployment rate steadily decreasing in Tempe, and the growing presence of numerous companies and businesses, one could assume more jobs are on the horizon, but not all locals are sure.
“It feels like there’s going to be less jobs,” Vicera said. “Even though people need jobs and managers need workers there’s this contradiction of people not being able to keep jobs. I feel like managers and companies are cutting down.”