In the present day, job hunting for teens has been increasingly harder. Teens are going to social media to especially big-market cities advocate and discuss their experiences and struggles with finding a job. Teens that live in cities like NYC, and Los Angeles had a 16.54% unemployment rate in 2024 compared to the country average of 8.9%. Eleanor Roosevelt High School has a ton of stores nearby that students can work at but more often than not, adults are working at such places. Now that begs the question, what is causing teens to be left out of more jobs?
One of the causes of the recent teen unemployment rate is the fewer number of entry-level jobs. Most adults are starting to enter entry-level jobs like hospitality and retail. This is also due to jobs having higher standards for requirements which flushes most of the working population to entry-level jobs. This causes teens to have higher competition when it comes to work and eventually it becomes harder for teens to come across a job opportunity. I asked Senior Heather Pina-Ledezma about her experience finding a job. She stated, “My experience looking for a job has been quite difficult. I have been searching since October of 2025 because I am a senior and have finally adjusted to my schedule. I took my half-day schedule as an opportunity to find work, as I want to earn money for personal expenses and future goals like school and travel. When I first started looking, I was offered a temporary community outreach position at THE SPACE at Beltway Plaza. After that role ended, I applied for seasonal positions at places like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Five Below, but I have not had much luck getting hired. I have done some side hustles like cat sitting and starting a small business selling treats, but it is not the same as having a stale job. Overall, the experience of looking for a job has been challenging but I’m still trying.”
Another one of the causes of the spike in teen unemployment is the experience gap. Employers are often more inclined to hire more experienced workers due to the lower stress that it takes to get the employee started at the job. More often than not, employers do not want to have to deal with the mistakes an inexperienced worker makes and the time it takes to develop a new employee. This causes a lot for employers to become more likely to choose an older applicant than younger. In our second student interview, Junior Belen Chavez De La O described how he felt job markets for teens can be improved.
“I think the job markets for teens can be improved in several ways. As we know, AI is taking over a lot of technical companies and positions which have left job vacancies for many. One way the job market can be improved upon is the removal of AI. AI also uses up tons of energy and water which have affected our electricity and water sources and has caused us to pay higher electric and water bills.”
As we are getting closer and closer to summer, more job opportunities are going to appear for ERHS Students, make sure to send in applications, check job listing sites and ask your counselor for help as well!
Here are some links & information to get you started!
- Greenbelt Theatre Teen Paid Apprenticeship: Indeed
- Indeed Search for Part-Time Jobs in Greenbelt: Indeed
- Our Schools Counselors:
- Career Coach: Ms. Chantel Taylor: [email protected]
- Grade 9:
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Ms. Chandrika Ramsey: [email protected]
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Mrs. Lolethia Lomax-Frazier: [email protected]
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- Grade 10:
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Ms. Veronica Alston: [email protected]
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Ms. Pamela Roberts: [email protected]
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- Grade 11:
- Mrs. Thea Johnson: [email protected]
- Mrs. Devonne Wood: [email protected]
- Grade 12:
- Mrs. Chereka Russell: [email protected]
- Mr. Jason Powell: [email protected]
- Most jobs hire 16+
