Summer job outlook could be tough for teens

It's high season at the Jersey Shore and business owners are gearing up for what they hope will be a busy summer. Many are hiring more people than they have in years past.  But thousands of young Americans hoping to get summer jobs while school's out are facing tough competition from adults.

"we're finding a lot of people that are coming from different fields, different careers that may have been that their jobs were eliminated, hours cut back,” says Margaret Gilbertson of McCoonie's Pier House. “So we're seeing a lot of people from the teaching world, finance so the demographic of the applicant has changed a little bit."

Heading into the summer, the unemployment rate for Americans ages 16 to 24 is a whopping 18.5 percent according the bureau of labor statistics. 


"during a recession the unemployment rates for young people, which tend to be high to begin with, tend to go up more than the unemployment rates for older workers which tend to be lower and to stay lower,” explains Martin Kohl of the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Competition for summer jobs in beach towns has been fierce.  And while it's not good news for the unemployed, business owners say it's great for them.

"we get every day so many people, lot of applicant so um for us it's good because we have a lot of choices," says boutique owner Anita Amatya.

Adds water park manager Louis Cirigliano "recently we've had no problem asking people to work whereas in the past we've had to fight until you know now to try and get some staff in."

It's not all bad news for younger workers.  Some employers say they're still holding spots for students on summer vacation.

"I tend to hire more sixteen, seventy year old students just knowing that i can guarantee get them year after year," says business owner Michelle Jackson.

But other managers say some of the best applicants decided to take the summer off this year, just because they can.

"Actually this year we had a difficult time getting employment because so many people are on extended unemployment,” explains resort owner Steven Pasquarosa. “We're expecting to be inundated by people for jobs and instead it was the opposite, because they said ‘summer's here, I'm getting paid, I'm not working."”

Some tips for parents to help their kids find summer jobs:

Ask around your neighborhood for job leads and take a walk around the mall. Many businesses don't advertise openings in the Sunday paper.

Try approaching local store owners. If you've shopped at the same store for several years, ask the manager if the shop has any summer openings.

Try contacting the government. Some cities have money earmarked exclusively for jobs that employee young workers.