Summer Job Forecast Not Sunny
One in two managers to forego seasonal hiring, SnagAJob.com survey finds; more than half also say youth work ethic isn’t what it used to be
RICHMOND, Va., March 24, 2008 – Teenagers looking for summer employment in the weeks and months ahead are likely to find fewer “help wanted” signs this year. Nearly half (49%) of hiring managers at traditional hourly employment standbys such as retailers and restaurants say they do not intend to take on any new seasonal workers in 2008, a consequence of the uncertain economy.
Compounding the economic conditions is the fact that hiring managers who do plan on hiring are less than impressed with the work ethic that teens bring to the work place. More than half of those surveyed (56%) agreed with the statement that “today’s youth do not have the same work ethic as previous generations have had.”
But according to SnagAJob.com, the nation’s leading online source of hourly jobs that commissioned the survey of more than 1,000 summer employers, teens who are persistent and demonstrate the right attitude will markedly increase their odds of landing a job, a sentiment that hiring managers echo. Four in 10 hiring managers (39%) say the most important thing they look for in an applicant is a positive attitude and an eagerness to want the job.
“Employers are facing an uncertain summer and anticipating slower-than-normal sales, which have led to tighter budgets,” said Shawn Boyer, CEO of SnagAJob.com. “This one-two punch will make this summer a challenging job market for teens and others. The news, however, is not all bad. There will be jobs for the filling, but applicants should plan on hitting the Web or pavement early, making a professional impression and being conscientious about their search.”
Of the employers who indicated that they would do no hiring this summer:
- 31 percent say they do not have the budget this year to add employees,
- 18 percent anticipate their business levels will be down.
At businesses that do expect to be hiring, managers are suggesting that applicants will be competing against more job seekers:
- A whopping 93 percent predict they will receive more or the same number of applications as last year (Plus, many open positions will go to returning workers.)
- 36 percent predict of seasonal positions will go to new employees; the remaining 64 percent will be staffed by those who previously have held a summer job for that company or location.
“In a tighter market, summer workers are going to need to prove their mettle, or there likely will be someone waiting in the wings to take their place,” Boyer said. “In previous research, we’ve found that nearly nine in 10 Americans have had an hourly job at one point in their lives, and summer jobs are often the first place we learn basic job skills. Given many employers’ perceptions about young workers, teens have an opportunity to go against this stereotype, proving themselves as hard workers and a group that’s very motivated to find a summer job.”
In order to improve the odds of being hired, Boyer offers the following tips to summer job seekers:
- Start your job search as soon as possible, if you haven’t already. The survey found that 76 percent of hiring managers expect to fill their seasonal jobs by May, so you can’t wait until school lets out to find a job.
- Have a positive attitude, and demonstrate it to hiring managers. While you’ll earn valuable work experience at a summer job, having a positive attitude is more important than bringing on-the-job experience. Show your desire to land a job by being enthusiastic in a job interview, learning about the company beforehand and expressing a willingness to do the required tasks, especially positively interacting with customers and co-workers.
- Be aggressive about your job hunt, applying online and in person. If you apply for an hourly job through a company’s online posting or directly at its Web site, your application will be routed directly to the hiring manager making a decision. Additionally, select several places where you’d really like to work and follow up with an in-person visit. This shows that you’re extremely interested in the position, and you can confirm that your application is being considered.
- Be able to work the desired schedule. In hourly positions, you must be able to work the shift a company needs, an especially critical need for companies hiring for nights and weekends. Indicate on your application all of the times you are able to work. After all, 28 percent of hiring managers said the most important thing they look for in a summer job applicant is their ability to work the daily schedule the company needs.
Methodology
This online survey was conducted by IPSOS Public Affairs, a third-party research firm, on behalf of SnagAJob.com between Feb. 19-25, 2008. Respondents included 1,101 hiring managers with responsibility for hiring summer, seasonal employees paid by the hour. The margin of error for the entire survey is 2.95% at a 95% confidence level. The margin of error for the sub-population of hiring managers who said they would be hiring summer employees (557 respondents) is 4.15%. Similarly, the margin of error for hiring managers who said they will not be hiring (544 respondents) is 4.2%.
About SnagAJob.com:
SnagAJob.com, America’s largest hourly job Web site, has helped connect hourly workers with quality full-time and part-time jobs in a wide range of industries since 2000. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., SnagAJob.com also provides both job seekers and employers with valued insights and a cutting-edge interface that are unique to hourly employment. That, combined with more than 120 million annual searches, 9 million registered job seekers and 100,000 active job postings, makes SnagAJob.com exceptionally qualified to share the experiences of the hourly workforce with the rest of the country. Current clients include The Home Depot®, Target®, FedEx®, Boston Market®, Chick-fil-A®, Bed Bath & Beyond®, T-Mobile®, Michaels® and Jiffy Lube®. Learn more about the No. 1 source for hourly employment at www.SnagAJob.com.