Looking for a J-O-B

 “Got a job?” That’s the question local teens are asking, and the answer for many is unfortunately “no.”

The weak economy has made it difficult for professionals to find a job—and the effect seems to have trickled down to the teen employment market as well. This summer in particular, local teens have had a harder time than ever finding ways to earn $7.25 per hour, the current minimum wage.

Not only are there fewer part-time and seasonal jobs to be had in Scotch Plains and Fanwood, but the jobs that might have been available have been snapped up by returning employees.

“This year, all of the Fanwood summer camp counselors came back from the previous year,” said Bob Budiansky, Director of Fanwood Recreation. “I was shocked that out of ten total camp counselors, all ten returned this summer. It really defied the odds of probability. I didn’t even run an ad this year. The counselors all did such a good job last year that there was no need to look for anybody else.”

Shannon Frank, School-Age Child Care Director for the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, agreed.

“Unfortunately, it’s very hard for new teens to get into our workforce,” Frank said. “The number of jobs has decreased. I had a lot more staff in past years, and I don’t have people leaving. They already know the system. It’s easier to hire someone you know is good, and the parents prefer continuity from summer to summer. The camp kids get excited when they know their old counselors are returning.”

How did these lucky teens snag their jobs in the first place? For many teens, who you know and being in the right place at the right time certainly helped. Almost all the teens polled by Patch started the process early in the spring and had landed their summer jobs via some kind of connection or referral. Networking for teens appears to be just as important as networking for adults.

Plainfield resident Jeff Harris, 16, works at the Sun Tavern as a food runner and busboy.

“My dad knew the bartender, and we used to eat here all the time,” Harris said. “I first tried to get a job at Bowcraft, but I got turned down because I applied too late and they had a lot of returning people. One day, we were talking to the manager at the Sun Tavern and she asked me if I wanted a job. I got lucky.”

Caitlin Hoynes-O’Connor, 17, of Fanwood, has been a counselor for Fanwood’s summer camp program for the past two years.

“My mom told me about this job,” Hoynes-O’Connor said. “She works for the town, and she knew about it. I was lucky because of my mom. Before this, I worked at the Double Dipper in downtown Fanwood for almost a half a year. My sister had worked at the Double Dipper before, and that gave me some credibility there.”

Kevin Ehnes, 18, of Roselle Park, is a games and ride operator at Bowcraft Amusement Park. He, too, was hired through a family connection. His brother worked at the amusement park, and when Ehnes was looking for a job in 2007, the reference came in handy.

One of the ways teens can get a leg up on the competition is through internships and training programs. While these types of positions usually require volunteer time and commitment, they can sometimes pave the way for a future paying job.

“The YMCA has a Counselor in Training program,” Frank said. “Our CITs are camp program participants. They don’t get paid, but they do receive on-the-job training and are certified in CPR and first aid. They work alongside our current camp counselors. I’m going to look at the CITs I had first before I look to hire someone else. It does give someone an edge to be in the program if they want to work here.”

Mariel Mital, 15, of Fanwood, got her job at the Fanwood Memorial Library through their volunteer program.

“I volunteered here at the library last summer, and I just got hired. There aren’t many other jobs for 15-year-olds. All the jobs I’ve seen are really for 16 and over. This job is really fun. I’m a big reader. I have stacks and stacks of books at home. It’s great for me.”

“I’ve been going to this pool since I was born,” added Fanwood resident Michael Scannell, 19, who works as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at Willow Grove Swim Club. “I wanted to be a lifeguard, and I got my certification. I went through training and then started as a sub last summer. This summer, Willow Grove hired me. It’s my first full-time position, and I really like it. I have to work, but I get to be outside and talk to people.”

Part-time job seekers can find some tools online, but not many are free, relevant to this area, or geared to high schoolers. Even in the current technological age, most teens say the best way to get a job is the old-fashioned way: going door-to-door.

“Finding a job wasn’t too bad for me, but I have a lot of friends who haven’t been able to get jobs this summer,” Scannell said. “They apply everywhere, even major chains and stores like Best Buy. They’re just trying to get any job they can. They look online but a lot of it’s just walking into stores and asking if there are jobs available. Monster.com and those things are geared towards full-time, after-college work. A lot of online places will turn you down just for saying you’re looking for summer work. If they have a position open, they don’t really want someone who’s going to take off after the summer. I have friends who are still looking, and it’s almost time to go back to college.”

For some teens, volunteer experience—not money—is the incentive for their job search. Volunteerism has increasingly become a big part of a student’s college profile and resume, and many need to fill those gaps in order to be more attractive candidates to their college of choice.

"In my English class, we’re doing a portfolio to get ready for college,” said Fanwood Library volunteer Raushan Palejwala, 15, of Scotch Plains. “The college portfolio is something you bring in to a college interview to make you look better. It has your goals in life, how we’re going to get there, what’s going to hold us back, and that kind of thing. There’s also a resume we have to fill out. The resume is really for after college, but it helps us see where we want to get, and there’s a section for volunteer work. I had a job where I was getting paid, but so far I don’t have any volunteer work to put down. That’s why I’m volunteering at the library. I also plan to see if there are any volunteer jobs at Overlook Hospital during the school year. If that works out, I’ll have two volunteer jobs throughout the year. It would be nice to earn a little money, too. I am a CIT at the YMCA right now. I don’t get paid, but next year I might get to be a counselor. I hope all of that helps me get into a good college.”

“At first I thought the Fanwood summer camp was a volunteer thing,” Hoynes-O’Connor said. “I like working with kids and thought it would be good for college. But then I found out it’s a regular paying job, and that made it even better. I also work at Chelsea Senior Living. I’ve been doing that since I was 15. I’m doing a lot of stuff to prepare for college now. That—and learning how to drive!”

Other teens are volunteering per President Obama’s summer service initiative, “United We Serve,” which began June 22 and runs through the new National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.

“I think there’s a shortage of summer jobs in town right now and a lot of teens have turned to volunteerism,” said Meg Kolaya, Director of the Scotch Plains Public Library. Kolaya said the library was not able to bring teens on staff this summer due to a hiring freeze, but is thrilled that so many of them have chosen to volunteer instead. “We’ve trained a lot of kids and it’s been a tremendous help to us.”

Ultimately, the most important thing for job-seeking teens to remember is that no matter what the situation, it always comes down to ability, attitude, and performance. Just because a teen might have worked there before, doesn’t automatically guarantee the job again next year.

“At the Y, I’m looking for candidates who are self-initiators,” Frank said. “Ideally, I want someone who can identify there’s something that needs to be taken care of and can handle it themselves. I like to hire self-starters and people who are extremely reliable, responsible, and take direction well. Hopefully next year, I’ll have more jobs to offer!”