Many job seekers often already have work and need more

GOLETA, Calif. – It's a sign of the economic times. A new business opens up, applicants come in, and many say they are looking for a second job to make ends meet.

At Goleta beach, The Ellwood will open in December and every position is open. During a job fair, applicants said it hasn't been easy finding the work they want and employers with the right openings.

John Dewey said, "I was searching for maybe three months over summer which I was expecting so many places to be hiring over summer, such a busy season. For three months no one got back to me."

With the cost of living going up so much, "working on a minimum wage job is not enough in this economy," said Gretta Mezzetti.

And that is what newly hired manager Antonio Gerli is seeing, after years in the business. "They are working in the morning and looking for a job in the evening. It's tough since the pandemic, everybody is now looking for two jobs. Santa Barbara is really expensive and if you want to pay your bills, unfortunately one job is not enough."

At times, it can be very competitive. Mezzetti said, "as soon as the season slows down after the summer, it's just that people are flooding, trying to find for new jobs."

Dewey has a job, but it took time. "I thought I would find something because I have five years experience as a server but it didn't take off for awhile, but it finally did."

For some of the employees it is a balance between one or two jobs and going to school.  All that has to be brought up in the interview to see if it is a good fit.

Dewey said life would be better with a second pay check. "Two jobs yeah, just want to pay the bills and have a little money on the side."

For one applicant, this location is only moments from her home, so transportation won't be an issue.

"I was super excited. Especially a place as gorgeous as this one for sure. Living by the beach is one thing and getting to work there is another" said Mezzetti.

For those who are just starting out, "even if they don't have experience – but I can tell from their personality that they could be a good server – I'm hiring," said Gerli.