10 guidelines about where to search and exactly how to act on job interviews

Even in the best of times, teenagers face plenty of hurdles when they look forsummer work opportunities. Would-be recruiters often worry that they’ll be undependable, late and generally flaky - and teens must convince prospective employers that they’re actually reliable and responsible.

This summer could be even tougher for teens, though, because competition for jobs is expected to be so competitive. In many cases, teens will be going head to head against adults who have decades of work experience behind them. And they’ll be doing so in a job marketplace that has fewer positions obtainable.

A latest questionnaire by SnagAJob.Com, an employment Site that connects people with hourly jobs, found that just about half of hourly hiring supervisors won’t be hiring summer time workers this current year. Even more ominous, 73 percentage of hiring executives anticipate receiving more applications this summer than they did last summer from job searchers of all ages.

Does this mean that youngsters should give up all hope of getting gainful employment this summer? Not at all! The following tips can support.

1. Begin looking now. Shawn Boyer, chief executive officer of SnagAJob.Com, said employers are already pondering about their coming summer staffing problems, even though we’re only in the month of April. A way to out raced at least some of the competitors is to begin your job search early rather than waiting for the school year to end. &Quot;Consider telling them, ‘I can work 10 hours a week now, and then I can ramp up my hours after school gets out,’ " Boyer said.

2. Get the word out about yourjob search. Begin actively sharing with people that you’re hunting for a work. Think about all the adults in your life: your lecturers, guidance consultants and trainers, your family doctor and veterinarian, your parents’ buddies, your friends’ parents, and so on. This technique could turn you on to job prospects.

3. Plan for a repeat performance. The questionnaire of more than A THOUSAND employing managers revealed that 65 per-cent of their summer season work forces will consist of coming back again employees. If you had a job previoussummerand you didn’t absolutely hate it, consider reapplying once more this year. Your past manager will be interested in you because you’re already trained.

4. Be pro. Try to make sure that every little thing you involve in your job application is spelled properly and is free of grammatical mistakes. Don’t use all lowercase or all uppercase words, Boyer advised. Be sure the e-mail address you put down isn’t silly or distracting. The same holds true for the voice-mail prompt on your cell phone or home phone.

5. Do mock interviews in advance. A job interview can be a lot more stressful than you might think. To work out the jitters ahead of time, do a few training job interviews with somebody other than a buddy or father or mother, Boyer recommended. &Quot;Practice with a guidance counselor, a teacher or a friend’s parent that you’re not that comfortable with so it will be more realistic," Boyer said.

6. Present some strength. Employers who bring teenagers on board say they appreciate their passion and restlessness to do whatever it takes to get a work done. Display those characteristics on your job interview - and on the task, as well.

7. Get suitably gussied. Dress nicely for your job interview, as if you were about to attend a religious company. Do this even if the dress code for employees is informal. Absolutely keep in mind to send a handwritten thank-you note after your interview - a step many adults routinely forget to take.

8. Play up your talents. Many teens show a trend to be hard on themselves and limit their successes. Try to remember that a job interview is not the place to beat yourself up. Rather, point out flattering details about yourself, such as being an honor-roll learner, juggling extracurricular activities and volunteering in the local community. &Quot;List out in particular the leadership positions that you’ve held," Boyer said. &Quot;That helps to dispel the idea that teens aren’t responsible.&Quot;

9. Know where to start looking. As bleak asthe job market placeis right now, Boyer said these places are still available to hiring teens: fast-food restaurants; movie theaters; merchandising companies that stock shelves for retailers - American Greetings is looking for this sort of help, he noted - and health care facilities. &Quot;There are a wide range of positions in the health care sector that don’t require you to have a certain level of credentials," Boyer said. &Quot;There’s valet-parking people’s cars, working in a hospital gift shop, working in a cafeteria, being a receptionist.&Quot;

10. Think of working at a bank. If you’re at least 18, you also may be able to land a job as a bank teller. Banks often need help over the summer months when many of their staff members go on trip, Boyer said - and he added that a bank job can look good on your curriculum vitae.