It’s really a matter of supply and demand. The state’s jobless rate is above 12 percent. So restaurant owners can choose between the young adults who typically apply for summer jobs … and the large ranks of the unemployed. Daniel Conway with the California Restaurant Association says the students are losing out.
Conway: “Maybe they’ve never had a job before (or) they’ve never had a job in a restaurant. So there’s a little bit more of a learning curve there, and there might be issues with work ethic.” (0:08)
Instead, Conway says, owners are hiring employees with previous restaurant experience – or at least some work experience. And though seasonal jobs normally don’t last beyond the end of summer, Conway says employers may be in a different situation this year.
Conway: “They are having an opportunity – particularly with a larger, more diverse pool of applicants – they’re able to look at them as potential full-time, long-term employees.” (0:08)
That is, if the economy improves…