This summer, Connecticut students are struggling to find jobs to earn money before returning to school. The task is not easy, as many employers aren't willing to hire only for the summer months.According to Department of Labor Economist Patrick Flaherty, the 2009 unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds was 15.2%, the highest among all age groups. Many students seeking summer jobs gave up their search or never began looking because jobs were rare to come by. "This year we are expecting a slight drop in unemployment among this age group," says Flaherty, "In terms of the number of people being hired, this year has been better than last year." Jobs in retail and food services have gone up. Flaherty says more companies are hiring this year, but it is harder to find jobs as more seekers have created stiffer competition.
Last summer, Orange resident Heather Parauka, a sophomore interior design student at the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, was home for nearly two months actively searching before she landed a summer job at Petco in Stratford. "It wasn't easy at all," says Parauka. " I started looking as soon as I got home from school and applied to 10-15 different places before I heard back from any of them; there were times when I wanted to give up because I didn't think I'd find anything."
Parauka's job search included interviews at four different stores, three of which were not looking for summer employees, but permanent staff. One of the main factors in landing her interviews, and finally her job was following up. "It shows the employer that you're interested and enthusiastic, which is exactly what they're looking for," she says.
This summer, Shelton resident Ariana Faustini is looking for a lifeguard job. The St. Joseph's High School junior finds that many pools and beaches are holding jobs for their lifeguards from prior years. "I've already applied to six or seven places, and I only had an interview with one of them so far," she says.
Rebecca Olmstead, manager at Holiday Hill in Cheshire received over 200 applications this year from high school students and adults. She's filled all 40 positions in lifeguarding, food staff and outing leaders.
"For camp we received 100-200 more applications and more are coming in every day," she says. "The volume of applications we received this year is around the same, but there has been an increase in applications from younger high school kids and college kids."
Olmstead says, "We hire on a first come first serve basis, responding to those students who have applied the earliest first. It shows that they are responsible in planning ahead and not waiting until the summer to find a job."
Allison Baker, assistant manager of Forever 21 clothing store in Milford also says applications have skyrocketed. Of the 60 applications she received, she hired 13.
Despite difficult times, landing a job for the summer does pay off. "Last summer when I was offered the job at Petco, I felt like I won the lottery," said Parauka. In November of last year the Orange resident had saved enough money to rent an apartment in Boston with her roommate, and this summer she is taking classes. "When I look back on my struggle last year to find a summer job, in the end it was definitely worth it."
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