15-year-old Lulete Mola on her third day of work at her first job in McDonalds. Photo by Kyla Riley
Jevita Baheriy had been searching for a job with no luck. “Oh my God! It seems like I completed a thousand applications and there would be no calls back,” said the 17-year-old St. Paul resident.
Not only is there competition among teens for jobs, but also inexperienced teens find themselves competing with experienced adults. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, each year at least two million people between the ages of 16 and 24 swell the work force between April and July, making it even tougher for teens to secure a job.
“A lot of places don’t hire 15-year-olds, so that made my search limited, but not hard,” said Lulete Mola, an employee at McDonald’s. Lulete, the daughter of a single parent, wants to be able to buy her own clothing and help her mother with bills.
Porsche Stewart, 17, said she found herself repeatedly turned down for jobs, including one at McDonald’s. “I was a little frustrated because I’ve been filling out applications for weeks and I really didn’t know what I was doing wrong.”
Some employers say teens fail to answer all questions on job applications. Deron Carrington, who screens job applications at the YMCA on Arcade Street in St. Paul, said the applicants are being too brief. He said that if they have to leave a space blank, they should at least put not applicable (NA). If applicants lack actual work experience they could cite volunteer work or babysitting. Stewart said there were places on the applications that Stewart left completely blank.
“Attitude plays a key role, too. I want someone to be confident, but not to the point where they are starting to believe I need them,” said Eric Turner of the Martin Luther King recreational center.
Angie Galvan, who manages a St. Paul McDonald’s, agreed. “I am looking for someone who is enthusiastic and confident, but not overconfident,” she said.
Appearance is also important, Galvan said. Galvan understands that most teens may not have clothing that is business casual. As long as they are “neat,” it is fine, she said.
Arriving at an interview with a resume ready to hand to the employer “could only help,” said Carrington, even though fast-food restaurants and retail stores don’t usually require applicants to have a resume.
Employers who hire teens agreed that they are looking for:
Personable people
Reliability
Confidence
Appropriate dress
People with goals
If teens don’t know how to put together a resume or complete an application, Work Force Centers all across Minnesota will help.
It pays to be persistent. “I knew a couple of people who work at Cossetta’s so I asked if they were hiring,” Jevita said. “Just to make sure, I called and asked the manager if they were hiring and he said yes. After I completed the application, the manager interviewed me. I finally got the job after a long frustrating search.” Jevita said. She has been working for Cossetta’s. a restaurant in St. Paul, for a year and a half.
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