In tough economy, students seek jobs at small businesses

Because positions at large financial firms and corporations are more competitive in the present economy, many students are seeking positions at smaller businesses.

"The economy is challenging for internships," Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs Managing Director Emily Cieri said. But, she said, WEP has strong relationships with businesses that, though not as well-known nationally, offer internships to those within their specific communities.

"We help students go to a start up environment, and that would be a small business," she said, adding that they teach MBA students and undergraduates how to conduct job searches since the traditional ways of finding an internship have been affected by the economy.

"We have seen a dramatic increase this year, with well over 200 students participating," she said. "Many students are looking for alternative options."

Wharton and Engineering senior Matt Owens, for example, received a Wharton Entrepreneurial Intern Fellowship and interned last summer for Innova Materials, an advanced materials company created at Penn in 2007.

"The internship was excellent, and the company had an incredible team," he said.

He is now an engagement manager for the Small Business Development Center, where he oversees five or six students.

Small businesses contact SBDC if they have a problem, and students and faculty find them solutions.

Wharton sophomore Brandon Ahler said he believes many students are applying for positions at small businesses.

"I was looking at smaller businesses because larger businesses are not hiring as much," he said.

However, he added that he tried to work for smaller businesses, but they are also not hiring because of the economy.

"They used to hire two or three people, but now they are not hiring any," he said.

He worked at Liberty Mutual last summer and will work for another large corporation this summer.

Last summer, Wharton sophomore Daniel Green, however, worked for Saxon Prime, a small business in New York that matches buyers and sellers of stock for a fee. A freshman at the time, he said, "It was unbelievable. There were about 25 people in the office, and I was the only intern."

He said that he would consider working for a small business again.

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