Teen summer jobs hit historic lows as fewer employers hire seasonal workers
Teenagers have long marked the start of summer with first jobs at local restaurants, pools, camps or retail stores. But federal labor data and many teens' real-life experiences suggest those opportunities are becoming increasingly difficult to find, reshaping what summer work and early-career experience look like for a generation coming of age in a very different economy.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Population Survey, the number of employed 16- to 19-year-olds rose by 801,000 between April and July 2025, not seasonally adjusted. That marks the smallest April-to-July increase in teen employment since the data series began in 1948.
The slowdown appears to be continuing into this year. In April 2026, 5.19 million teens ages 16 to 19 were employed nationwide, down from 5.48 million during the same month last year, according to BLS data.
At the same time, teen workforce participation remains far below historical highs. The labor force participation rate for 16- to 19-year-olds, which measures the percentage of teens either working or actively looking for work, was 33.8% in April 2026, according to BLS data. The employment-population ratio, which reflects the share of teens currently employed, stood at 29.5%.
For many teens, finding even part-time work now involves weeks of applications, online portals and silence from employers.
"I probably applied to around 20 places before I heard back from anyone," Julian Rivera, 17, from northern New Jersey, told "Good Morning America." "I applied to grocery stores, restaurants, retail stores, pretty much anywhere hiring teens. A lot of places either weren't hiring anymore, or they wanted someone with experience already."
Rivera eventually landed a part-time restaurant job, but he said the process felt more competitive and discouraging than he anticipated.
"You hear adults say, 'Just go get a summer job,' like it's simple," he said. "But it's not like that anymore."
His mother, Melissa Rivera, said she was surprised by how much the hiring process has changed since she was a teenager.
"When I was younger, you could walk into a store, ask for an application and probably get an interview on the spot," she said. "Now everything is online, and there's so much competition. I still wanted him to have that experience of working, making his own money and learning responsibility, but it took a lot more persistence than we expected."
Why teen jobs are becoming harder to find
Chris Greene, founder of YoPro, a career development platform focused on helping teens and Gen Z navigate resumes, interviews, and internships, said he hears similar stories every day from young people trying to break into the workforce.
"I'm hearing a lot of frustration from teens right now," Greene told "GMA." "They have a genuine desire to work and take that first step into the workforce, but they're facing significant challenges."
Greene said many traditional entry-level jobs that once served as stepping stones into adulthood have become harder to access as employers adopt more automation and streamline staffing with features like in-person self-checkout systems, online ticketing kiosks and mobile ordering.
He added that employers also expect more up front from younger applicants.
"Years ago, a summer job was where teenagers learned professionalism, communication, and workplace etiquette," Greene said. "Now, employers expect many of those skills before they even hire someone."
The communication skills-gap employers are noticing
Greene said communication has become one of the biggest differentiators among teen applicants.
"Many teens struggle with eye contact, speaking confidently to adults, answering questions clearly or staying off their phones during interactions," he said.
He said he encourages teens to treat the hiring process itself as practice for adulthood.
"The biggest mistake I see is passivity," Greene said. "Most teens submit an online application and hope someone calls them back."
Instead, Greene advises teens to follow up professionally, introduce themselves in person when possible and rehearse common interview questions ahead of time.
"We spend a lot of time practicing questions like 'Tell me about yourself' or 'Why do you want to work here?' so they can answer with confidence, clarity and professionalism," he said.
Greene said he also increasingly sees parents stepping deeply into the hiring process, sometimes filling out applications or contacting employers directly on behalf of their children, which can backfire.
"Employers notice when parents pick up or return applications, call to ask whether a business is hiring, or try to 'pitch' their child for a position," Greene said.
Instead, Greene said he encourages parents to help teens practice interview questions, organize applications and build confidence while still allowing them to navigate the process independently.
Summer work is changing, but the lessons still matter
Even as traditional summer jobs become harder to secure, Greene said teens can still build valuable skills through volunteering, freelancing, internships or entrepreneurial projects.
"Create an offering that solves a real problem," Greene said, pointing to examples like helping small businesses manage social media, organizing donation drives, or creating neighborhood childcare or sports programs.
For teens like Rivera, the experience of searching for a first job has already become its own lesson in persistence.
"You definitely have to keep trying," he said. "At first, I thought if I applied somewhere, I'd hear back quickly. But I learned you have to follow up, talk to people and not get discouraged."
