By Meghan Runte
Over the summer, teens across the country use their extra time working so that they have a productive way to spend their time and make money for activities. However, recently it has been harder for teens to find jobs due to college age students and adults holding onto their entry-level jobs longer and technology replacing many positions.
Business Teacher Mr. Nick Terry strongly believes that teens should get experience in the workforce from a young age in order to be as successful as possible in the future. Terry said that “summer employment gives you a taste of the pace and decorum of the ‘real world’, but the entry-level nature of the roles makes up a valuable part of the perspective aspiring leaders need. Having experience at all levels of an organization offers priceless insights that will be utilized when it is time to manage the shoes you once filled.” He added that if one does not have experience in filling those roles, it will be much harder in the future to connect to and manage future employees.
Terry explained that the difficulty teens have finding jobs is because “the two prevailing arguments are that graduates and college students are struggling to find field or degree-centric work in an arguably slowing economy, and that increases in the minimum wage are first pricing out less-experienced workers with fewer skills.”
Terry added that “society and our economy thrive the more and earlier our young people participate in employment. We are already seeing signs of a young workforce with much more theoretical knowledge but far less practical experience than their predecessor.”
Out of 73 random McNick students, about 47% said they had a job over the summer, and 42% are still working this job during the school year.
Junior Izzy Tanner applied for over 20 jobs over the summer and said the hardest part was getting a response from employers. She currently works at a coffee shop with mostly high school seniors.
Senior Luca Centurion is a general contractor and works with mostly adults. Centurion stated it was not hard for him to find his job because “the boss was looking for work and asked me if I could work for him.”
Junior Izzy Payne works for her parent’s business, a local children’s gymnastics gym. Payne “worked as a gymnastics instructor for younger kids. [the ratio of adults to students on staff] was about 50/50 at the location I worked at, but at other locations they are mostly college and older.”
Terry said that in order for students to be successful in the hiring process, students should “talk about yourself and your skills; many young students are uncomfortable doing so, and their modesty can come across as a lack of engagement or enthusiasm. Strut your stuff in
the interview they are expecting you to.”
He explained that for an entry level position, interviewers look for three main things. First, he said, students should come to the interview showing immediately your reliability and punctuality. “Show up 15 minutes early and they will be checking frequently to see if you have pulled up yet. Wait in the car and prepare, then walk in 7 to 5 minutes early with a smile on.” Secondly, he said students should show that they can get along with fellow employees and be enjoyable to interact with. “Let your personality bleed through; they are interviewing because of resumes/need; they will hire you because of personality.” The last thing interviewers are looking for is id this job means something to the interviewee. “Explain that you are future and goal oriented and that this summer job is a part of your plan, then explain the plan.”
Terry said that although teenage employment is phasing out, entrepreneurship and leadership is taking off. Many students are starting lawn-mowing businesses, taking out trash, painting nails, and reselling stuff they know longer want. “Every day I am blown away by the stories I hear from real students here at McNick about how they found a way to make a buck. Remember, if you can’t find opportunities in the market, you can always make them!”
The McNicholas Milestone 