Student without a summer job? Welcome to the club
EUGENE, Ore. - University of Oregon student Erik Johnson already has his summer job set in Salem after searching well in advance.
"I think it's pretty hard to find employers who hire seasonally because we go back and forth because of living here for school and then Salem," he said. "It's hard to find just a summer job that's going to allow you to just come for three months and then leave again."
Johnson is one of the lucky ones. For most teens in Oregon, it's an uphill battle to find a summer job. The jobless rate for teens is three times rate for the population as a whole. On top of that, Oregon has one of the highest teen unemployment rates in the country at 33.1 percent. That means every one in three teens looking for a job can't find one.
Still, there are some positive signs, according to Valley River Center's Diana Bray.
"Well foot traffic and sales have picked up from the beginning of the year on, but as we get closer to summer and people are home, families are coming to visit, we're definitely seeing a pickup," she said.
"Most of the stores are accepting job applications all the time," Bray said. "Even if it doesn't work out for summer it's a great time to get your name and your face in front of the retailers thinking about holiday hires as well."
Cellairis store manager Zach Hinson had his own take on the job hunt.
"There's definitely jobs out there if you’re willing to look for it," he said. "It's just a sheer numbers game. You fill out a hundred applications you will get somebody to bite."
Here are some tips from employers to help teens snag a summer job:
- Dress like it's your first day on the job
- Be respectful. You could be speaking with your future boss
- Follow up on applications
- Be prepared and have your resume and cover letter with you
