The Daily of the University of Washington

Staff Editorial: SoCal's housekeeping shortage gives 2007 graduates options


With graduation just around the corner, students of all majors are panicking about what happens afterward. For the lucky ones who have jobs lined up, good for you. For the graduate school bunch, best of luck with those loans you'll rack up.

But if your post-graduation plan at this point consists of lazing around or losing sleep over how to pay your rent, there is news for you: the rich and famous in sunny Southern California are looking for you to clean their homes, prepare their meals, tend to their children and keep their extravagant mansions squeaky clean.

That's right. SoCal has found itself in the grips of a catastrophe due to a shortage of servants to cater to the increasing number of wealthy families. Household workers are in high demand, and their paychecks show it.

According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, you can make $80,000 working for the who's who down in SoCal, and you need not know much more than how to operate a vacuum cleaner or how to dress a kid for school in the morning. "We have so many new millionaires," said Dennis Meyers, commenting on the debilitating situation.

Are you worried about people not having access to your résumé? Have no fear. You can advertise in California's very own magazine "CelebStaff: Managing Mansions and Estates", a publication created for the rich and famous so they can find just the right servant.

Even 2007 college graduates with the highest-paid degrees cannot expect to make $80,000. According to a study published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, a chemical engineer can expect to make $59,707, an accounting major can expect to make $47,421, while liberal arts majors can expect $31,333 as a starting salary.

There is nothing wrong with being a housekeeper. But four years of late nights studying and toiling in college is priceless. Hang in there, graduates.


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