Making ends meet for students is becoming more difficult because of a restricted job market in Ames, students said.

Angela Hayes, senior in marketing and management, is currently working two jobs to make rent and pay bills.

“It’s hard,” she said. “Working two jobs is very stressful, and it gets frustrating trying to work out both of my schedules.”

Hayes currently works as an office clerk for McFarland Business, 3600 W. Lincoln Way, and as a cashier at Hy-Vee, 640 Lincoln Way.

“The hardest thing is having time for myself,” Hayes said.

Hayes said she is working 50 to 60 hours a week just to get by.

“I feel like all I do now is sleep and work,” she said. “Sometimes, I don’t even have time to eat.”

Hayes said the job search might be difficult for incoming freshmen.

“My advice to the new students is to put in as many applications as possible when they come here and hope,” Hayes said.

Peter Orazem, economics professor, said the job market isn’t weak for those who want jobs.

“The unemployment rate in Story County is 2.7 percent, and the national unemployment rate is 6 percent,” he said. “These numbers are from April, and the unemployment rate is lower than it was in January. I do know that internships were fewer this year than years before because of the economy.”

The jobs in Story County are largely driven by government section jobs like the Department of Transportation, Iowa State and the hospital, he said.

Students’ schedules, Orazem said, may hinder them in obtaining jobs.

“If students are going back and forth [from home] then the employer may not consider them,” he said. “There is also time availability to consider and experience.”

International students are having trouble finding jobs as well. Fares Karadsheh, senior in electrical engineering, is from Jordan and has been looking for a job and internship since last fall.

“I have applied everywhere,” Karadsheh said. “In the beginning, I was looking in my field but didn’t see anything, so now I just want a general [job].”

Karadsheh came to the United States because of the opportunities and Iowa State’s reputation.

“Iowa State is supposed to be one of the best schools, but they need to deal with the internship problem,” he said. “I’d work for free if the opportunity was given to me.” He said he has applied for many internships in the recent years, but was turned down every time.

“I can’t say that it’s because of where I am from but sometimes I wonder why someone else was picked over me,” he said. “My friend applied for the same internship that I did, and he got it, but he had the lower GPA.”

Karadsheh said he regrets his decision to stay in Ames over the summer.

“If I went home, it would be the same thing,” Karadsheh said. “It’s just so frustrating because my days go without being used.”

Karadsheh said he hopes to have a job in the fall through the university as an engineering mentor to the freshmen students.

“But even that’s an iffy thing,” he said.