More than 44 percent of American teenagers who want summer jobs aren’t finding them, or aren’t getting as many hours as they’d like. In Vermont, the unemployment rate among 16-19 year olds is nearly four times the overall state average.
Carrie Ballou is a Workforce Investment Act youth case manager for the Department of Labor in Central Vermont. She says the problem is the result of a number of factors.
"Employers have to be very conscious with their dollars. They’re not going to spend $50 to advertise for summer help when they’ve got adults in their 40s and 50s who are coming in and seeking jobs as well," Ballou said.
Teenagers can also be at a disadvantage because of their lack of experience with job search strategies and etiquette.
The non-profit group ‘Linking Learning to Life’ has tips for teens who want to improve their job prospects.
Those include having a professional email address, and keeping Facebook pages appropriate, because employers are looking at the social media site.