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The unemployment rate for older teens has doubled since 2001. Last month, the nationwide unemployment rate for 16-to-19-year-olds rose to 15.5 percent, up 1 percent from a year earlier, according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Katie Paszkiewicz, 16, of Winona, scans groceries at Midtown Foods on Gilmore Avenue Tuesday where she had her first day on employment one day earlier. Paszkiewicz enjoys her new job that replaced babysitting. "I like it," she said. "But I like babysitting too." (Photo by Andrew Link/Winona Daily News) |
In the late 1990s, Minnesota’s teen unemployment rate fell below 10 percent, but it’s been on the rise since 2003, said Jennifer Ridgeway, regional analyst with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Last year, the state’s teen unemployment rate hit 13.6 percent.
A high unemployment rate and competitive job market is making it harder for Minnesota teens to land summer work.
“Getting a job is a job in and of itself,” said Vicki Decker, director of career services at Winona State University. But it’s not impossible.
Decker recommends assessing your interests and abilities to find a job that will be a good fit: volunteering, babysitting, extracurricular activities and computer skills can all be pluses when searching for a job.
Think of a job search as a precursor to what you might do as a career, she said. If you want to be a nurse, try to get a job at a health care facility. If you want to be a chef, work at a restaurant. If you’d like to teach, check out jobs at daycare centers or youth programs.
Decker suggests preparing in advance by learning as much as you can about the company. Learn about a restaurant’s menu, a store’s merchandise and the business’s history.
Be prepared when you drop off a résumé. Some companies will do interviews on the spot, so dress appropriately. Also, plan on arriving to the interview a few minutes early but not so early that you get more nervous, Decker said. It’s also a good idea to follow up with a phone call.
And don’t think of being nervous as all bad.
“It’s like getting nervous before a performance,” she said. “It gets that adrenaline going so you can perform better.”
Don’t slump or chew gum during the interview. Be sure to make eye contact. Leave the cell phone in the car. Be sure to have a few questions to ask your perspective employer, such as what the expectations are for the position. Don’t ask about salary on the first interview.
Perhaps most importantly: If you don’t get the job, know you’re in good company.
“The most qualified person doesn’t always get the position,” Decker said. “It’s based on fit. You have to look at it as a learning experience.”
And if you can’t find a job, become an entrepreneur. Decker says there’s often demand for services such as babysitting and lawn care.
You never really know how those first jobs may turn out. Sharon Neitzke, 45, got her first job at Midtown Foods when she was 16. She started as a cashier and is now the scanning coordinator at the Winona Mall location. She’s seen her share of summer job seekers.
“They don’t have to have any experience,” Neitzke said. “What they do need is a good personality, a basic concept of math and they have to enjoy working with the public. It’s pretty basic.”
Neitzke got her start after her brother recommended her for the job. Many of the Midtown employees have had family members working at the store. She says it’s a good idea to talk to someone at the store when dropping off an application so they can put a face with the name.
“I’ve worked with so many kids,” Neitzke said. “They keep us young.”
Contact Käri Knutson at kknutson@winonadailynews.com or (507) 453-3523.
