Summer work can be a job to find

ALBANY — The coats, scarves, and boots have been pushed to the back of closets. Afternoons are warmer and the drinks are getting cooler. It’s the time of year some parents dread and the kids love. It’s almost Summer.

With teenagers out of school and being most likely to spend even more money, some have begun to look for jobs. Typically, these jobs range from babysitting to fast-food service. But with so many people out looking for these types of jobs, it makes it harder to find and keep one.

And along with finding a job, what would be the benefit of having a summer job as a teenager? And how do parents of teens feel about these summer jobs? Well, the best way to answer these questions is to ask people who have first-hand experience with the subject.

Arnelle Konde, senior at Westover High School, recently shared what her quest to find a summer job had been like.

“I felt that since I’ll be graduating and going out into the real world soon, it would be a great experience to get a summer job,” Konde said. “It would help me prepare for what I can expect when I begin to work in my chosen career.”

She’s finding there’s a good deal of competition.

“It’s been kinda hard so far to get a job because everyone wants to work,” she said. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that everyone loves money. I’m competing not only with other teens to get a job, but also adults.

“I’ve applied to at least five stores. And with the strict age policy of being 18 in most stores, that makes it even harder, with it being that I’m only 17 right now.”

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the youth labor force in America — those between the ages of 16 and 24 who are actively seeking work — rises sharply in the summer months, usually peaking on July. Last year from April until July, the number of employed youth increased by 2.1 million to reach 20.3 million. The youth labor force in that period also grew by 2.7 million youths, 13.5 percent, to total 23.2 million.

The BLS said that in July 2015, 52.7 percent of youth were employed. The labor force participation rate for all youths that month was 60 percent, well below the peak of 77.5 percent that was set in July 1989.

Youths last summer worked in a variety of areas. In July 2015, the BLS said, 27 percent of employed youth worked in the liesure and hospitality industry, which includes food services; 20 percent worked in retail trade, and 11 percent worked in education and health services.

Retail trade appeals to Konde. Asked what her dream summer job would be, she responded, “I’d probably work in retail, like Rue 21 or Wetseal in the mall. I feel like those kinds of jobs help build communication skills and teach you patience.”

Jared Perry, currently a college freshman at Fort Valley State University, had the opportunity last year of having a summer job. Eighteen at the time, Perry worked at the Boys and Girls Clubs and was paid for helping out there. He’d attended the club as a young boy and said it was his dream summer job.

Asked how it had benefited him, Perry said, “I had just graduated from high school and wanted to have my own money to spend. I figured it was either keep begging my parents for money or just earn the money myself.

“I liked working because it helped me become more mature and it was a great experience It was also nice to get paid to hang around the pool all summer.”

His father, Broderick Perry, shared his thoughts on teens and summer jobs. “I think it’s okay for teens to have summer jobs,” he said. “For most teens, it gives them a sense of independence, while at the same time it teaches them to be responsible.”

Asked whether he thought it was important for high school graduates to get a summer job before going off to college, Broderick Perry said, “No, I don’t. I think it’s nice if they can get a summer job before college, but I don’t feel like it’s a must.”

Hi advice to his son and other teens about summer jobs? “As far as working,” he said, “always be on time, always have a positive attitude, and always give 100 percent. And as far as far as earnings, always give God his 10th first. Learn to save your money. It’s easier to save when you purchase things you need and not always what you want.”

Kelsey Simmons, a senior at Westover High School, is an intern staff writer with The Albany Herald.