Published: June 15, 2009 10:09 pm      

Summer jobs hard to find

Youth and adults competing for the same employers

School is out for the summer, and students looking for summer jobs may be out of luck.

Although President Barack Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package includes $1.2 billion for youth activities — including the creation of 1 million summer jobs — finding summer employment may be like finding the needle in a haystack.

Many youth will not only be competing for jobs with kids their own age, but also with parents and grandparents who may also be in the applicant pool.

“It’s a buyer’s market right now, and the product is talent,” said Carolyn Thompson, a Washington, D.C.-based career expert and author of “Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Job.”

“Being qualified isn’t enough anymore — from the résumé to the interview room, teens looking for work this summer need to focus on developing a strategy to be competitive with older, more qualified candidates. Employers may hire adults because they have bills to pay, and they know they are going to be reliable and show up on time.

“Teens need to be strategic in their job search. They need to think of the future and long term in getting a job that they can move forward with. They need to look at their personal network and not rely solely on want ads. That can increase their chances of getting a job.”

But according to a Northeastern University study, teens getting summer jobs has become a smoke-and-mirrors disappearing act.

NU’s Center for Labor Market Study found the summer employment rate of 16- to-19-year-olds dropped from 48.4 percent in 1989 to 32.7 percent last summer.

In addition, the study shows from October 2007 through November 2008, employment for adults 30 and younger decreased by more than 1.2 million jobs, and during the same period more than 1 million jobs were added that were filled by workers 55 and older.

Since the recession began in December 2007, 5.1 million jobs have disappeared.

However, paying better than minimum wage keeps Kokomo Beach Family Aquatic Center filled with young and older workers.

Since July, minimum wage has been $6.55 an hour. It increases to $7.25 July 24, 2009.

Kokomo Beach pays $8 an hour. Better pay has meant more people wanting to apply for open positions.

“We received more applicants this year than what we’ve had in the past, but we’ve had no problem hiring employees,” said John Martino, superintendent of the Kokomo Parks and Recreation Department. “Our staff at Kokomo Beach has been with us many years, so we have a lot of returnees.”

The latest U.S. Department of Labor’s statistics indicate the jobless rate for 16- to 19-year-olds is 21.7 percent, compared to 15.8 percent last year.

A survey by SnagAJob.com shows 46 percent of hiring managers won’t make summer hires, but 73 percent — like Martino — expect to receive more summer-job applications.

John Challenger, chief executive of Challenger, Gray and Christmas, a Chicago outplacement firm, said with people of all ages seeking jobs, there are more people seeking jobs than there are jobs available.

Matt Adams didn’t need statistics to know how hard it was to find summer employment.

The 18-year-old’s dad is living proof.

Now the two are working together in Tipton at Pioneer Seed.

Matt, a recent Eastern High School graduate, said his father had been unemployed for several months. For a while, he and his father were both seeking employment and they found it in Tipton.

“I found out [employers] are hiring more qualified people,” said Matt, who will attend Purdue University this fall. “I am probably the youngest worker there. From my father, I knew the job market was hard. Now, I’ve seen it.”

The summer job market can be difficult for youth and adults, said Joseph McLaughlin, a NU research associate.

He said people in their 20s can’t find a job in their chosen career so they are doing jobs typically done by teens. The jobs are being gobbled up by adults who are unemployed or seeking a second job to make ends meet.

McLaughlin said this situation makes older workers push younger workers to the rear of the hiring group. It’s getting to a point, he said, where people will take any job they can.

Bree Nelson has been there.

The 18-year-old spent most of March and April looking for a summer job. But the EHS graduate admits, “I was picky.”

However, not finding a job in what she wants to do in life — work with children — has made her re-evaluate what she would do for a job.

“I am looking at anything, as long as it is legal, that pays,” said Nelson, who will attend Ball State University and major in special education.

“I wanted a job in day care, but I didn’t find one that would make any money. College is expensive, and I needed a job. I didn’t want to go back to fast foods. I’ve done that and I had higher hopes for a job. This [economy] is scary and I don’t know if it can be easily fixed. It may be years before it recovers.”

For more than 38 years, Dennis Younts has been helping students at the Kokomo Area Career Center find employment.

He suggests youth have a professional appearance when they go apply for a job, and visit, don’t call a hiring manager.

“[Hiring managers] are busy and don’t always have time to take a phone call about employment. If they are accepting applications, go see them in person,” said Younts, KACC’s co-op coordinator. “They also need to know how to use a computer because some places only accept applications online.

“Have a good attitude and do your homework about the company before you apply and talk to the person hiring for the position, not an employee. Show an interest in the company and follow through. Be polite. Employees judge your character. Go in and put on your game face.”

Most importantly, to get hired — summer or anytime — “they have to have a need for you,” Thompson said.

“Résumés get lost in a pile. You have to set yourself apart. Employers want to hire an employee they get the most bang for their buck. They don’t want to fill the position again, so if you get hired and you are a great employee, [employers] will return to their previous employees to fill a position next year.

“Right now, there are more than 700 open jobs within 25 miles of Kokomo. If drive 50 miles, that expands to almost 15,000 jobs. Jobs are out there. You have to make yourself flexible and they have to have a need for you.”

K.O. Jackson is the Tribune’s business writer. He can be reached at (765) 854-6739 or via e-mail kirven.jackson@kokomotribune.com