Page 6 - My FlipBook

It helps to be fl exible by not limiting your job search to a par-
ticular type of job or industry: Being open to various kinds of work
will help in a crowded employment market. Flexibility also applies
to working hours; more availability can mean the difference be-
tween getting hired and being passed over. Other important tasks
you should think about when looking for a job include creating

a résumé, doing research to become familiar with a prospective
employer, and dressing appropriately for job interviews. Doyle calls
this last item the Grandma Rule. “If your grandmother would like
your interview outfi t,” she says, “you are dressed properly.” 4
There are also many online resources for teenagers seeking
part-time or summer employment. Sites such as Snag, Groove-
Job, and Craigslist are good sources for job leads.

The Vanishing Summer Job

Every spring the end of the school year heralds a summer of fun
and leisure for teenagers. It also used to mean a chance to make
some extra money at a summer job. But today working is no lon-
ger the defi nitive summer activity it once was.
In 1968 some 60 percent of teenagers either had summer jobs
or were actively seeking work. By 2016 that number had plunged
to 35 percent. Why the drastic drop in teen summer employment?
Some people assumed that teenagers were simply getting lazier
and would rather spend their summers at the beach or hanging out
with friends. But it turns out that teens are anything but lazy; in fact,
they are working hard during the summer––at academic pursuits.
More high school students today are planning to go to col-
lege. Facing tough college entrance requirements, many of them
are taking advanced placement courses in the summer to add to
their résumé. In 2017 the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that
the percentage of sixteen- to nineteen-year-olds taking summer
classes tripled in the previous twenty years. So, while you may see
fewer teens working at fast-food restaurants this summer, you’ll
probably fi nd them working hard in the classroom instead.