Teenagers looking for summer
employment are likely to find fewer “help
wanted” signs this year. As a consequence of
the uncertain economy, nearly half (49%) of hourly hiring managers do
not intend to take on any new seasonal workers in 2008.
Compounding the economic conditions is the fact that managers who do
plan on hiring this summer are less than impressed with teens’
work ethic. When asked why the youth labor participation rate has
diminished in recent years – a trend tracked
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics – more than
half of those surveyed (56%) cited “today’s
youth do not have the same work ethic as previous generations have had.”
But according to SnagAJob.com,
the nation’s leading online source of hourly
jobs that commissioned the survey, teens who are persistent and
demonstrate the right attitude will increase their odds of landing a
job, a sentiment that hiring managers echo. Four in 10 hiring managers
(39%) say the most important quality in applicants is a positive, eager
attitude.
“Employers are facing an uncertain summer and
anticipating slower-than-normal sales, which have led to tighter budgets,”
said Shawn Boyer, CEO of SnagAJob.com. “This
one-two punch will make this summer a challenging job market for teens
and others. There will be jobs for the filling, but applicants should
plan on hitting the Web or pavement early, making a professional
impression and being conscientious about their search.”
Thirty-one percent of the employers who indicated that they would not be
hiring this summer said they did not have the budget to add employees,
while 18 percent anticipate having lower business levels.
At businesses that expect to be hiring, managers are suggesting that
there will be competition among the job seekers. Ninety-three percent
predict they will receive at least the same number of applications as
last year. Thirty-six percent of seasonal positions will go to new
employees; the rest will be staffed by those who previously have held a
summer job for that company or location.
Boyer offers the following tips to summer
job seekers:
Start your job search as soon as possible, if you haven’t
already. The survey found that 76 percent of hiring managers
expect to fill their seasonal jobs by May.
Have a positive attitude, and demonstrate it to hiring managers.
Having a positive attitude is more important than bringing on-the-job
experience. Be enthusiastic in a job interview, learn about the
company beforehand and express a willingness to do the required tasks,
especially positively interacting with customers and co-workers.
Be aggressive. Apply online and in person. If you apply
for an hourly job through a company’s
online posting or directly at its Web site, your application will be
routed directly to the hiring manager. Select several places where you’d
really like to work and follow up with an in-person visit. This shows
that you’re extremely interested in the
position, and you can confirm that your application is being
considered.
Be able to work the desired schedule. Twenty-eight percent of
hiring managers said the most important thing they look for in a
summer job applicant is their ability to work the daily schedule the
company needs.
Methodology
This online survey of 1,101 hiring managers was conducted by IPSOS
Public Affairs, a third-party research firm, on behalf of SnagAJob.com
between Feb. 19-25, 2008. The margin of error is 2.95% at a 95%
confidence level.
About SnagAJob.com:
SnagAJob.com, America’s largest hourly job
Web site, has helped connect hourly workers with quality full-time and
part-time jobs in a wide range of industries since 2000. Headquartered
in Richmond, Va., SnagAJob.com has 9 million registered job seekers and
100,000 active job postings. Current clients include The Home Depot®,
Target®, FedEx®,
Chick-fil-A®,
T-Mobile®, Michaels®
and Jiffy Lube®.
Learn more at www.SnagAJob.com.
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