Landing that summer gig

By Jennifer Bragg


NEW YORK (CNN) -- Spring is in full swing and summer is rapidly approaching and that means its prime time for high school and college students to look for a job.

According to snagajob.com survey almost half of hiring managers don't plan to hire any seasonal workers this summer.

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That's about the same as last year, so it's not good news for high school and college students seeking summer employment.

A record low 28% of 16 to 19 year olds actually found work last summer and it's likely to be just as bad or even worse this summer.

So start looking now, be persistent and apply for as many jobs as possible.

You really can't be too picky when it comes to seasonal work.

No one is too young to network. Figure out who you know and how they might be able to give you a leg up.

This can be in person, over the phone, by e-mail or even through your social network.

But remember, if you are networking online, clean up your act.

Delete any pictures or information from your profile that you would not want a potential employer to see. And consider an e-mail address that incorporates your name. A hiring manager might get turned off by an e-mail address like "party dude" at blah de blah.com.

Parents can network for their kids as well. In today's tough job market, it is perfectly fine to ask for them to ask their friends if their company is taking on summer hires. They just might find their kid a job.

About pay

If you manage to score a job, congratulations. The average pay will be about $10.20 an hour.

But Charles Purdy of Yahoo! HotJobs says summer jobs should not be all about the money. These jobs are about career building too. So, if there aren't any great job opportunities in your area, think about volunteer work if you can.

Interning is another option. This foot in the door might bring you one step closer to a job after college.

And employees are increasing the number of interns hired because it's a cheap way to bring on more labor.

Nearly one quarter of employers polled by Career Builder said they will be hiring interns in the second quarter.

Check out internships.com or indeed.com. These aggregator sites allow you to type in your location and name the kind of internship you are looking for to help narrow down your search.

And for non-profit internships search jobs.change.org. To top of page

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