A Tough Climate for Teen Employment

Summer jobs have always been a great opportunity for teens not only to make a little extra money, but to gain some valuable work experience, and to get a good feel of the responsibilities and expectations that await them in the years ahead.

Unfortunately, today’s teens are facing a tough economy that will directly affect their employment prospects this summer. At the time of the writing of this article, unemployment is at a 16-year high. In fact, more jobs were lost last year than any year since 1945.

This means competition for jobs, even part-time or seasonal employment, will be extremely fierce, and much more so than when you were their age. Reports suggest that there are now three applicants for every one employment opportunity available.

With this in mind, now might be a good time to prepare your kids for the challenges they will certainly face. And while a pep talk is helpful, start early and guide them through every step of the process. Remind them that, as diligent and determined as they might be, it’s just possible that, despite their best efforts, they may not be able to get a job at all.

The good news is that your kids have access to more employment resources than you had. Beyond the classifieds, school counselors, and your networks of family and friends who might be able to help in your search, the Internet offers a wealth of social media and networking resources, like Linked-in®, Facebook, and Twitter, that can help them expand their contacts and their search capabilities – plus many kids today have already mastered the use of these websites and know how they work.

Other great places to look online are websites like Teens4Hire.com and SnagAJob.com which are dedicated to matching teens to the right employers. Just remember, other savvy teens have access to these tools as well, so you don’t want to wait.

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