10 guidelines about where to search and how to respond on job interviews

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

This summer could be even more difficult for teens, though, because competition for jobs is expected to be so competitive. In many cases, teenagers 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 placements available.

A latest study by SnagAJob.Com, an employment Site that connects people with hourly jobs, found that just about half of hourly hiring executives won’t be getting summer workers this season. Even more ominous, 73 percentage of hiring supervisors anticipate receiving more applications this summer than they did last summer from job hunters of all age groups.

Does this mean that youngsters should abandon all hope of obtaining gainful employment this summer? Not at all! The following suggestions can help.

1. Begin hunting right now. Shawn Boyer, chief executive officer of SnagAJob.Com, said recruiters are already pondering about their approaching summer staffing issues, even if we’re only in the month of April. A way to out raced at least some of the competitors is to start your job search earlier 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 searching for a work. Think about all the adults in your lifetime: your instructors, guidance counselors and coaches, your family doctor and veterinarian, your parents’ good friends, your friends’ parents, and so on. This strategy could turn you on to job prospects.

3. Plan for a repeat performance. The questionnaire of more than 1,000 hiring executives revealed that 65 percent of their summer season employees will consist of returning staffs. If you had a job lastsummer timeand you didn’t absolutely dislike it, take into consideration reapplying once again this year. Your past employer will be interested in you because you’re already trained.

4. Be pro. Try to make convinced that everything you involve in your job application is spelled properly and is free of grammatical issues. Don’t use all lowercase or all uppercase characters, 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 mobile phone or home phone.

5. Do mock interviews in advance. A job interview can be a lot more difficult than you might imagine. To work out the jitters ahead of time, do a few practice interviews with a friend or relative other than a friend or parent, 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. Show some energy. Employers who bring teenagers on board say they appreciate their passion and restlessness to do whatever it takes to get a task done. Display those attributes on your job interview - and on the job, as well.

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

8. Play up your good points. Many teens show a habit to be hard on themselves and reduce their accomplishments. Bear in mind that a job interview is not the place to beat yourself up. Rather, highlight flattering facts about yourself, such as being an honor-roll university student, juggling extracurricular activities and volunteering in the 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. Understand where to start looking. As unsatisfactory asthe job marketplaceis at this time, Boyer said these places are still open 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 about working at a bank. If you’re at least 18, you also may be able to land a job as a bank teller. Bankers often need help over the summer months when many of their employees go on vacation, Boyer said - and he added that a bank job can look good on your resume.