As the school year is winding down for high school seniors, the hunt for summer jobs is amping up. With a high school diploma in hand, seniors at Notre Dame Academy are seeking summer employment.

While the economy may be improving and there may be more job opportunities, there are still challenges. Young job seekers not only will compete with other teenagers, but in certain job categories they may be competing with recent college graduates and older workers.

“I would say that the job market right now is very competitive,” said Notre Dame Academy senior Matt Raymaker.  “Many adults in addition to teens are looking for employment opportunities and the businesses would probably choose a more experienced adult over a teenager.”

“I think the economy will have an impact for employers,” Notre Dame Academy senior Nathan Krcma added, “but a lot of teenagers are just looking for seasonal jobs so [they] are more likely to work for lower wages.”

Hot jobs among teenagers are retail, hospitality, and recreation.

“A lot of teenagers I know have jobs in the food industry, like waitressing or bussing tables,” said Notre Dame Academy senior Alyssa Vandenbusch, “and a few new places just opened which is nice because it opens new opportunities for a lot of vacant spots to be filled within the business.”

Nationally, youth employment peaks in the summer. Teenagers are still in demand for traditional summertime jobs, particularly babysitting.

“I babysit during the summer and I think that is a fun and easy job to hold,” said Notre Dame Academy senior Matthew Meyer. “You can ask around to neighbors and families you know and a bonus is having fun kids.”

“The pay isn’t too shabby either,” added Meyer. “I would definitely recommend babysitting as a summer job to all who can do it.”

Notre Dame Academy senior Natalie Dufek agreed: “A lot of people nanny during the summer, and depending on your own personal summer schedule, I’d say it’s a great job. I am going to nanny this summer along with a few of my friends.”

Timing is the key and the biggest thing is to get out there and get out there early.

“I would suggest to underclassmen who are interested in summer jobs to get a head start on looking during the year,” Raymaker said. “Many college students come back from school and are also looking for jobs which can make it pretty competitive.”

Notre Dame Academy senior Timothy Davison agreed. “Finding a job can be quite the difficult task so I would recommend starting to look early and if possible, finding something that is of interest to you.”

“I have been working on a golf course for the past few summers but this summer I decided to look elsewhere and found a babysitting job,” added Davison.

So with summer around the corner, the outlook is promising for seniors looking for seasonal jobs and eager to join the workforce. “I feel if you get a head start on looking for a summer job, you’re bound to find something,” said Vandenbusch.