Teenagers are shooting out over 50 applications and getting ghosted even for volunteer jobs: ‘I’ll take anything at this point’

The summer job market for teenagers has hit an all-time low since the Great Recession, making it exceedingly difficult for them to find employment. A recent report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas reveals that the number of jobs available for teenagers dropped significantly in May, June, and July compared to the previous year. Simon Chow, a 17-year-old from Montreal, Canada, applied to over 50 different seasonal jobs but faced rejection and ghosting from employers at every turn.

Samantha Rosaforte, a 19-year-old from New York, applied to around 80 summer jobs in the city and also experienced no response from most employers. Despite the challenges, some teenagers are finding ways to secure summer gigs. Chow managed to secure a summer job as a busboy after months of relentless applications. Samantha Rosaforte eventually secured an internship at HelloFresh after applying to multiple positions.

The parents of these teens, like Estelle Keeber, have noticed the difficulties their children face in finding employment. Keeber says that her two sons have had to turn to entrepreneurship to make summer coin, repairing bikes and doing garden landscaping for local homes. Despite the tough market, some teens are still managing to find work and gain valuable real-world experience.