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Carole Mikita ReportingSummer is here and school is out, leaving many teenagers trying to secure a job. Unfortunately, the summer-hiring outlook isn't very promising.
"Hello, my name is Matthew Webster. I hear you're looking for someone to hire."
Phone call after phone call, but still no luck. Matthew is almost 16-years old and, like many kids his age, is looking for a summer job.
Matthew Webster: It's not going so good. I'm calling places and they're just like 'Oh we're thinking about it,' and I never hear back from them. I'm getting really frustrated. It's not very fun."
Matthew is not alone. Nationally, the 2005 summer job outlook appears bleak. In fact, a study by Northeastern University predicts an employment rate of only 36.7 percent--tying with last year as the lowest rate in 57 years.
The problem? According to the study, teens are competing with adults for entry-level jobs. Angela Romero is coordinator of the Salt Lake City Youth program. She says teens on the job hunt get easily discouraged.
Anglea Romero, Youth City Government Coordinator: "I've received calls from at least 40-50 youth and we're turning them away. It's been a struggle for them, there just is not a lot of opportunities out there."
We sat down with some kids who were among the lucky few to actually find summer jobs, but even they agree the process was frustrating.
Ben Murphy: "You find out these places are giving out hundreds of applications a day. You realize the competition is stiff."
If you have a teen still looking to secure summer employment, Romero had a few suggestions-
* Use available resources (online jobs searches, agencies, etc.)
*Prepare a solid resume
*Be persistent--don't give up!
Youth City Employment offers a variety of programs to assist teens in their job search.
