Written by: Olivia Arnold

The stigma that jobs are hard to come by has overshadowed those that do in fact exist.

Every student looks for something different in a job, one primary concern being location. In Akron alone, thousands of various jobs exists.

Sites like Indeed.com, Monster.com and LinkedIn.com are among the top ten websites for finding jobs, and jobs are easy to come by using those sites alone, according to an article on PCMag.com.

By typing in “Akron, OH” for location and by changing the “miles” specification to “exact location” or “within five miles,” Indeed.com yields 2,520 job opportunities. Further specifications allow students or graduates to find exactly what they want.

Elizabeth Beddow, a senior at The University of Akron studying communication, said she looks at businesses in the Akron area to find out about job opportunities.

“I use search engines, but I primarily go to business websites to look for jobs,” Beddow said. “I think there are jobs in Akron, but not dream jobs — just jobs that could lead to a better opportunity.”

Doing a simple top-ten job search online can lead to many different jobs, whether Akron is your ideal place for a job or just a starting point.

The amount of job opportunities can depend on your degree, experience, involvement or even your resume. In addition to taking advantage of resources, students and graduates can network with people that have been in their industry of interest or even in their specific desired place of employment.

Job sites can be a helpful place to start exploring, and getting out in the business world while still in school can make all the difference. Students can get involved with organizations on campus or through community service projects to help boost their opportunities. The more networking a student does, the more opportunities will be present because of the people you know in and around Akron.

In spite of the positive side of job-searching, students still feel that jobs in their career field are nearly nonexistent.

Justin Tibbs is a student who has been at UA for six years to obtain degrees with emphases in mass media/radio, public relations, and jazz and saxophone studies. The idea of career jobs does not work well for Tibbs.

“I currently have three jobs: I teach, do sales and play music shows,” Tibbs said. “But I haven’t found anything around here in career terms.”

Getting multiple degrees can always broaden your horizon, but being able to use that education to find a job that you love can be difficult. Akron is a growing city and has plenty to offer, as long as the student’s or graduate’s degree allows for a job of their career choice.