Slim Pickings for Youth Looking for Summer Jobs

Since the financial crisis of 2008, job openings have been hard to come by. That's been especially true for young people looking for work to pay for school or support their questions. 

In 2012, the International Labour Conference in Geneva called youth unemployment a crisis, saying, "persistent youth unemployment and underemployment carry very high social and economic costs and threaten the fabric of our societies."

Sasha Schmittgens, a senior at Oakville High School, reached out to Mehlville-Oakville Patch asking us to include youth-friendly options in our weekly Who's Hiring column. 

"It is hard to find a jobs these days, and it would be nice to know local business that are hiring that is close to home," Schmittgens said. 

Schmittgens is saving for college by working part-time at Andre's Banquet Center, but he's also looking for a day job in the summer. Applying online makes sending out his resume simple, but Schmittgens says he may be at a disadvantage for online applications.

"I think being a teenager, it's hard to find a job that is willing to hire you," he said. "Since I am a teenager, I have no past experience and the applcation looks lame. A human resources prson would just pass it."

Schmittgens says one of his strategies is to apply for the job in person so employeers see he's a young person instead of just skipping over him online.

Schmittgens wrote his resume at South Tech High School and hopes to attend Ranken Technical College and pursue information technology. 

Is your company hiring young people for the summer? Post job openings on Patch here!