ISU students have many choices for part-time jobs in Ames, despite the recent increases in unemployment rates.

In Iowa, telemarketing companies are doing well regardless of the national do-not-call list and the increase in unemployment.

Retail and restaurant businesses, which are popular among students, are also continuing to hire.

Access Direct, a telemarketer and large student employer in Ames, is growing and has continued to hire new employees, said Heather Patchen, communications manager for Access Direct.

“Our philosophy is we only call people who want to be called,” she said.

“Whether the list was mandated or not, we never called anyone who was on any do-not-call list.”

Peter Orazem, university professor of economics, said he thought any negative effects of the do-not-call list on telemarketers ended long ago.

The increase in the unemployment rate isn’t a concern either, he said.

In fact, the proportion of the employed population of people age 16 and older in Iowa is among the highest in the nation, Orazem said.

“It’s a little higher than what it was four years ago, but it’s not going to be much lower,” he said.

“From one month to the next, we’ll have a few more jobs or a few less jobs.”

He said manufacturing was the sector of the economy hardest hit by the last recession.

It hasn’t yet recovered completely, but construction is doing well, he said.

“The rest of the sectors of economy are just plugging along,” Orazem said.

“[The economy] is not growing that rapidly, but we seem to be generating jobs at a reasonable clip relative to the number of people looking for jobs.”

College students often choose telemarketing jobs because the hours are flexible and easy to work around class schedules, Patchen said.

Retail and restaurant positions can also offer flexible hours.

About 80 to 85 percent of the employees at Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 105 Chestnut St., are ISU students, said manager John Goetz.

He said they choose to work there because of flexible shifts, enjoyable atmosphere and decent pay.

Wal-Mart Manager Rian Short said he hires ISU students as well.

“[Wal-Mart] hires to fill the needs of the store,” he said.

Regardless of the economy, Access Direct, Applebee’s and Wal-Mart have steadily continued to hire new employees during the last few years.

Applebee’s continues to hire students as others graduate, study abroad or are unable to fit work into their busy schedules, Goetz said.

“We constantly hire because we have a flow of students,” he said.