Remember how Spark News is always talking about how the job market is particularly sour for young adults? In fact, a few months ago Spark News reported on an infographic that discussed how young adults were drifting away from summer jobs all together. This could be attributed to the weak job market, but Course Hero reasoned that more young adults were getting ready for and attending college instead. Whether or not the majority of young adults are shying away from summer jobs is uncertain. What is certain, though is that there will be a large amount of young adults that are looking for summer jobs and experts say they had better start looking right away.
According to the Washington Business Journal, 23 percent of employers expect to fill their summer positions by the end of April and most say they will have found the right candidates for their summer positions for sure by the end of May. That may seem like a long time away for most young adults, but if you really think about it and how much time it takes to fully apply for each job then you will realize that in order to get on top of the summer job search trail you will have to get started now. As I have said before in Spark News, applying for a job is in and of itself a full-time job. Especially with the job market being as weak as it is now, you will have to devote a lot of your time to finding a job if you expect to gain some money or experience this summer. That is why it is a great idea to get started now.
For young adults searching for a summer job, the small pick-up in the job market may work towards their benefit. According to the Journal, the number of job openings for young adults will be close to the same as last year. Specifically, 30 percent of hiring managers expect to hire as many college or high school students as they did last year with 10 percent saying they will hire more.
Even more, the pay for these entry-level positions or internships intended for young adults will be above minimum wage. Last year, young adults were met with an average hourly pay of $10.90. The pay is expected to stay the same this year and many young adults can benefit greatly from pay like this, even if it is just part-time work. If you are a high school student and intend on trying to find a job this summer, it may be a bit difficult getting started on your job search now while you are still in school, but you should at least start looking around for the kind of job you think you want and also getting a resume together.
If you are a college student and have high hopes of finding an internship for the summer, then this “apply now” advice is particularly important for you. Companies are just starting to post internship opportunities for college students because they know that most colleges break for summer in May. With just a month and a half left to find their interns, they will be hitting the job boards hard. That is why you should start preparing now. One of the best ways to put yourself above the competition and get noticed by employers is to create a Profile Video on Spark Hire that can be sent along with your resume. With a Profile Video, you can show companies your personality as well as your communication skills. For the most part though, I can guarantee that the majority of applicants will not supplement their resume with a video, so be one of the first and get noticed by the company you want today!
SOURCE: Washington Business Journal
IMAGE: Courtesy of Main Street
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