Mason City, IA As unemployment climbs it seems those standby jobs are even hard to come by. That's what new studies show. Take a look at these numbers. The Wall Street Journal shows February employment in the administrative and support services jobs was down by 11-percent. Retail trade is falling by four percent. Jobs in food services and drinking establishments dropped about one percent. Unemployment numbers are at more than 25-year high. That's bad news with the upcoming summer job hunt. Good news for employers.
The growing applicant pool for employers is bigger.But what about those teens just searching for that perfect summer gig? It's no secret jobs are tight right now. The nation is in a recession. There are wide- spread company layoffs, furloughs and even hiring freezes. So what's that all mean for a kid just looking to make a dollar this summer?
As we're finding, area youth are under a lot of pressure to impress with a growing amount of applicants of very qualified people. It's not just "help wanted". For some, it's "jobs wanted."
Taylor Olson is enjoying a little pampering on this day. It's all about hanging out with friends and the manicure. It should be. It's her senior prom! Her worries are simple now. In about a month, Taylor's graduating, moving into a place of her own, attending college, all while looking for a job.
Taylor says it's a growing frustration, especially knowing she's competing against other adults looking for the same spots. Taylor is part of a growing number of teens looking for summer employment. She's finding the search for steady cash flow is tough.
Taylor knows it's a tough economy. Studies shows teens are competing with very qualified adults for what used to be simple summer spots. With the current economic downtown, places normally hiring that age group may already be struggling. Or employers are finding more adults are seeking jobs that are often seen as mainstays for high school and college students. In fact, Taylor's in competition with folks like Cresco's Liberty Shaffer.
Liberty's husband lost hours at a big manufacturer in Cresco. "So even though he works 32 hours a week, we still have a mortgage payment, car payments and food." So she's helping make ends meet. She's picking up hours at the popular A&W/Long John Silver's. Her time on the clock is a bonus for Wayne Mashek.
He says, "With this economic downturn, it's giving me a bigger, broader, applicant pool to hire new employees. We're getting an older clientel in that regard."
Wayne's the owner and manager of the family-run business. He's going on six years in the restaurant industry. Before hiring potential summer help this year, Wayne's going through lots of applications. They range in age and experience and are giving him a little food for thought.
"I recommend to high school kids to dress up. Make sure their applications are completely filled out. Be aggressive. Don't be sad if I don't call you back right away."
Labor market studies show the national teen employment rate for June and July of 2008, sitting at more than 30%. That's the lowest in 60 years. Wayne Mashek thinks it's a good motivator for the kids.
