The number of teenagers hired for summer jobs through June is slightly ahead of last year, according to an analysis of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
Even if teen hiring remains slightly ahead of 2008 levels through the end of July, it simply means that 2009 will go down as the second worst summer job market for teens since the late 1950s.
Non-seasonally adjusted figures released Friday by the BLS show that employment among 16- to 19-year olds grew by 111,000 in May and 698,000 in June, for a total of 809,000 jobs added so far this summer. That is about 10,000 more than at this point a year ago, when teen employment grew by 799,000 in May and June.
In 2008, employers added another 355,000 teen workers in July. Overall, summer employment among 16- to 19-year-olds grew by a total of 1,165,000, which was the lowest summer job creation figure since 1954, when only 976,000 teens were added to payrolls.
“While summer hiring among teens is by no means robust, it has been stronger than expected, particularly in light of this recession’s impact on retailers, restaurants, tourist destinations, and other businesses that are typically the biggest recruiters of teenagers during the summer months,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Popularity: 1% [?]
July 8th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I feel that the job market is increasing in size, but is seriously lacking any job with real substance. I firmly believe that the job market is still waning, but in a completely different way than people are anticipating. I still continue to use Hound as a means to find work, because it’s very linear, and it helps display jobs in a way that’s easy to navigate. A lot of jobs on Hound aren’t even advertised in local classifieds, and there fore it gives the employee more to work with in terms of finding work.
In closing, more needs to be done about the job market, other wise the unemployment rate is going to go through the roof, and there won’t be much our president can do about it. It’s sad really, but there’s still hope left.
July 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
While it’s certainly tough out there for students, a bad economy can help to encourage teens to take alternate paths during summer months that can really bolster their resumes for job searches in the future and college admissions: volunteering, job shadowing, and interning. Colleges and future employers will appreciate the job skills acquired, while your teen may get the opportunity to interact with people or in situations that they may not usually be exposed to–always a learning opportunity!
Here’s a great article from Monster.com about how volunteering can set students on the right path towards a career they want:
http://content.office.monster.com/job-search-essentials/entry-level-jobs/volunteer-work/Volunteer-for-Your-Career/home.aspx
A great resource to direct your teen to is the tips and advice tab on the Office Live Students Facebook Page. It has advice on resumes, job searches, networking, interviewing, and career planning:
http://www.facebook.com/officelivestudent#/officelivestudent?v=app_7146470109&viewas=7300773
Cheers,
Kate
MSFT Office Live Outreach Team
http://www.facebook.com/officelivestudent