A slowing economy may mean a more competitive job market for teenagers in search of summer employment this year.

From left, Bennington High students Kathy Andersen, Amanda Matz and Lindsey Anderson, all 17, discuss job and scholarship opportunities with Omaha Public Library recruiter Gloria Sorensen at a job fair for teens at Swanson Library near 90th Street and West Dodge Road.

Teens will be competing with more mature and skilled workers who may have been laid off and are looking for any type of employment at this point, said Tobi Mathouser, coordinator of the Workforce Investment Act Youth Program in Omaha.

Younger teenagers, ages 15 to 17, will probably have the hardest time finding summer employment because they tend to have fewer skills and less job experience, Mathouser said.

Sixteen-year-old Kayla Duncan said she has turned in 15 applications in the last couple of months but has yet to land a job.

Her biggest challenge has been her lack of job experience, said her mother, Pamela Duncan. "But how is she supposed to get experience if no one will hire her?"

Duncan and her mother were among about 1,400 teens who attended an Omaha Public Library teen job fair last week in hopes of finding summer employment.

Brandon Brittain, 17, hasn't had any luck finding a job in recent months either. He also attended the job fair after having turned in between five and 10 applications at various retailers. He said it didn't take nearly as long for him to find a job last summer.

Tips for finding a summer job

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Start applying early.

Concentrate on applying at places that are busiest during the summer.

Only apply at places that are hiring.

Use resources such as workforce development offices that receive job listings from employers.

Dress in neat attire and appear well-groomed.

Source: Benson High guidance counselor Michael Emmer and Laura Harrison, business relations coordinator for the Workforce Investment Act Youth Program

Now is the time when teens and employers are thinking about seasonal hiring because school will be out soon, said Laura Harrison business relations coordinator at the Workforce Investment Act Youth Program. "April is usually when people get started."

Harrison said that in spite of a weakening economy, there are still options for teens who are looking for summer employment.

Summer youth programs, such as Girls Inc., Sun Dawgs and Boys & Girls Clubs, can provide jobs for teens once the younger children are out of school for the summer, she said.

And places that experience an increased volume of business in the summer, such as restaurants and the zoo, tend to offer lots of jobs as well, Harrison said.

Telemarketing agencies are usually a good bet for summer jobs, said Michael Emmer, career guidance counselor at Benson High.

Gallup also is recruiting heavily because there is an increased need for political surveys during election years, he said.

Emmer said it is important for teens to get an early start on their job search and to put their best foot forward in order to succeed in the more competitive job market this year.

Getting an early start paid off for 17-year-old Katie McClowskey, who took advantage of the Omaha Public Schools' spring break to apply for a summer job.

McClowskey had applied at several retailers before getting hired as a hostess at Rick's Café Boatyard. She already works part-time in a Hy-Vee Supermarket floral department, but she said she needed a second job to help save money before she leaves for college in the fall.

Her age had been the biggest obstacle during her job search, she said, because several businesses where she had planned to apply were only looking for applicants who were older than 18. Also, many of the jobs that were available only paid $6 an hour, she said.

"It's been a little frustrating," she said.

While younger teens may face more difficulty finding seasonal employment, both Creighton and the University of Nebraska at Omaha are seeing high demands for summer interns.

Some internships pay well — between $10 and $15 an hour — said Jim Bretl, director of the Creighton's Career Center.

Bretl said that the economic slowdown has been industry-specific. "Obviously there are no internships with mortgage companies right now, but there are plenty of other businesses out there."

It's typical for a company to bring on interns and part-time staff members who could potentially be hired full-time once the economy improves, said Bill Swanson, director of career exploration and outreach at UNO.

And many companies continue to do so in spite of the economy.

A recent job fair at UNO had the same number of employers as the fair last fall, Swanson said. "Even though the economy is a little skinny right now, it is not as bad as larger communities and on the coasts."