The jobs are scarcer, the salaries are lower and the unemployment is higher. Summer jobs are hard to come by, but that only means that this summer, college kids have been more creative in their job picks.
Still - the numbers are grim.
This year, the teen unemployment rate jumped to 14.6 percent from 13.6 percent last year, according to the federal statistics.
And the total number of youths in the labor force is actually declining.
Statistics from the early 1980s and 90s indicate that proportions of employed youths decline during economic recessions but do not return to their previous high numbers once the economy picks up. The 1996-1998 Current Population Survey reported that during this period, only 33 percent of youths ages 15-17 had summer work, down from 43 percent in the late 1970s.
But there is still hope.
Shop till you drop
Working the register at the mall has always been a popular job for teens. But this summer, some employers admit retail salaries will be lower than usual.
"The number of applicants we have is always highest in summer because students want a little extra money," said Suzanne Alexander, manager of Benetton at Tyson's Corner in McLean.
"As far as hourly rate, yes, it helps us out; money isn't so much an issue to teenagers as it is to those who are a little bit older and want more."
Despite the wage drop, teens are still flocking.
"We depend on the teen-age workforce a lot. As far as Benetton is concerned, most of our workforce is comprised of teen-agers," Alexander said.
Office space
For those who prefer sitting in front of a computer rather than standing at one, office jobs like temping and computer programming are still enticing.
But while retail offers lower wages, technology offers fewer jobs.
"The tech industry has really reached a downturn," said Amy Siniawski, human resources generalist at VCampus Corporation in Reston. "So many jobs have been lost in the process or don't have the finances to even be created. Returning students looking for work are the first to feel this recession."
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute sophomore Lauren Bonaddio agrees. She began her job search in May by posting her resume on Monster.com.
"I didn't have any office experience, but in order to get experience, I needed a job," Bonaddio explained. "Employers either wanted someone already trained, or someone permanent who would be worth the time to train. Being a student, I didn't fit either description."
After weeks of waiting with no job offers, Bonaddio joined Volt Services Group, a temporary employment agency.
"For the first month I had something every week - it was better than nothing because the pay was better than retail," Bonaddio said. "But ever since then I've been unemployed."
VCampus client development associate Art Wright isn't surprised.
"Don't count on finding a high-paying job this summer, especially in the IT field," Wright warned.
The 24-year-old had been out of work for the past six months before recently being hired for the e-learning company.
"There are tons of highly qualified people out there who have lost their jobs due to the dot-com bust," he said. "When hundreds of these people are applying for the same job, it's doubtful they'll pick a student out of the lot," he said.
But resume experience still makes technology jobs appealing.
"You really get an idea of what the real world is like," America Online intern and Emory University sophomore Andrew DeBenedictis said.
"You get respected like an adult and given real responsibility. Although it'd be nice to feel the sun shine from time to time."
Can I get my coffee to go?
Exchanging keyboards for cappuccino, best friends Jason Lorenzini and Ian Graham opted to take another route.
"After searching forever and not finding any jobs that could use our computer skills, we went for Starbucks," said Lorenzini, a sophomore at Boston College.
"We had to decide between that, or Frederick's of Hollywood," which is a low-budget version of Victoria's Secret.
The two agree that they are happy with their pick.
"It's a hip, jazzy and upbeat environment," Lorenzini promised.
"And the regulars are the best part," Graham added. "There's always this certain group of people, super-friendly, super-polite - until they decide who gets to pay. I had one guy thrusting a fifty at me, another with a hundred, and then two guys with platinums. They tend to get really loud and almost physical."
"But then, of course, you shout over the commotion that there's a silver Mercedes with its lights on," Lorenzini said. "See? There are lifelong tricks you learn here to get the whole place to clear out."
The great outdoors
Exiting the indoors altogether has been the answer for some students.
When second-year College student Jonathan Powell was unsuccessful in his attempt to get a business internship after four months of searching, he joined the Oyster Construction Company in Franklin, a small town in Southern Virginia.
"The long hours suck, and I have to work in mid-90 degree weather," he said. "But the closest mall we have down in Franklin is 30 minutes away, and well - that's just Belk."
These students prefer the sunshine and the less-structured atmosphere.
First-year College student Whitney Spivey worked as a camp counselor at The Potomac School after a very competitive application process.
"I love being outside," Spivey said. She began searching in March to land her position, an important advantage for the small amount of jobs available this summer for teens.
"This is how I grew up - I couldn't stand to be stuck inside in a cubicle all day," she said.
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