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Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Summer Job Market Should Improve for Oregon Teens this Year



This afternoon's guest blog post from our state employment economist brings a bit of good news for teens looking for work this summer:

The industry sectors that employ the most teenagers were hiring faster than usual this spring, and that should lift the prospects of teenagers looking to land a job this summer. Accommodation and food services added 900 jobs in April, retail trade added 700 jobs, and health care and social assistance added 1,400 jobs. These three sectors employ roughly two out of three teens ages 14 to 18 who work in Oregon. Although April’s job growth includes workers of all ages, it’s likely that some of these jobs are going to teens. In addition to the nonfarm jobs, more than 5,000 teens will find work in Oregon’s agriculture sector this summer. 

Teenagers face a much tougher time finding summer jobs following the recession because they are competing more with older job seekers that have experience and flexible schedules. In 2006, more than 51,000 teens found work with a new employer during the summer months. Summer hiring of teens fell during the recession to roughly 27,000 and has improved slightly since then, but not as much as hiring has picked up for other age groups. 

Teens looking for jobs this summer can take advantage of the advice and resources in the Employment Department’s Oregon Careers 2014 magazine. The extra preparation will help to impress potential employers, which is essential when competing for jobs against other teens and older workers.

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