Part-time jobs are a great way for teenagers to make money, but they also help to give teens confidence and work experience in the job market. Having work experience at a young age helps students try to find jobs after graduation and provides an opportunity to gain important skills for careers and full-time jobs in the future, such as training in customer service, leadership and working with a team. Teenagers not being able to find jobs is a problem that not only affects them today, but also affects their life after high school.

 The past four years have been tough times for teens who are trying to find jobs. Even when it comes to simple jobs, like working at a pizza place, teenagers nationwide have been highly unsuccessful when it comes to landing jobs. This could be for any number of reasons. Teens have to compete with unemployed adults who are desperate and looking for any job they can get. Teenagers typically have less experience in the workforce and can most likely only work limited hours because of school and other activities. Because of this, employers are more inclined to hire adults who have more qualifications and experience under their belt, as well as plenty of free time to fill with work.

 Teenage unemployment rate is up to 12.8% , while the adult unemployment rate is at 4.9%. Also, the percentage of young adults who are able to find work during the summer has gone down to 34% from the original 55% in 1995. This is an issue that affects us locally. Junior Kieran Bailey said, “I applied to 6 different places and only got one call back for an interview. On the day of the interview the owner cancelled.”  Teens in the Raleigh area are having trouble finding jobs, also.  

 However, there are many ways you can increase the likelihood of being hired as a teenager. Looking for jobs that are in an area of interest narrows down the choices of where to apply. Also, if you apply for a job you are interested in, you will be more excited about the opportunity and it will be a positive thing for a potential employer to see. Another tip is to go into the place of business, dress up professionally and familiarize yourself with the manager, instead of just filling out an application online. This way the manager can put a face to the name and you will seem more professional and eager for the job. The more teens are aware of this issue, the more we can begin to try and find long-term solutions for it.