Searching For A Summer Job

For 16 to 19-year-olds, the search is on for summer jobs.

But according to new statistics from the Bureau of Labor, they may have a hard time finding one.

That's because 24 percent of high school aged students are unemployed and looking for work.

"I think it's going to be a bit improved from last year, but still fairly challenging," said Christian Harris from the New York State Department of Labor.

With only a few weeks of school left, experts say now is the best time to start filling out applications and giving them to employers.

"It's a network. Talk to your family and friends. Tell them that you're out there looking. If they see anything out and around, head to the malls, head to any of the restaurants around you," said Harris.

For some, the search can be a long process.

The competition for jobs that pay around minimum wage is fierce.

This leaves some young job seekers to take matters into their own hands.

"I"m trying to get a group of guys, and one of my neighbors, he kind of runs his own company. I'm going to try and get a couple of my friends to go join him and see if we can make money," said Nick Yesenesky from Endicott.

"The more flyers you pass out and the more you get out there, the better chance you'll have of getting a job."

It's that kind of dedication that employers are looking for.

"Prove to them, either through a work history or something that you're doing through school that you're a reliable individual, someone who's willing to work hard," said Harris.

That can take a lot of hard work.

The Labor Department says the highest demand for summer work from high school students is in the areas of leisure and hospitality.

It says students may have a more difficult time finding a government job, since budgets have been cut.

45+ Companies Confirmed for Career Fair Friday June 17th | News ...

From The Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce:

The Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Broome County IDA and Broome Community College, will host a Career Fair on Friday, June 17 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Broome Community College Ice Center in Binghamton.

Sponsored by BCC and BCIDA, our June Career Fair will include employers from across the Greater Binghamton region, with positions available in many different fields, industries and services. The job fair is free and open to the public.

So far, over 45 of Greater Binghamton’s best employers have confirmed participation in the Career Fair to meet and interview candidates for career opportunities. Many varied types of industries are registered to attend including, health care, high tech, finance, education and manufacturing, just to name a few. A list of confirmed companies is included on page 2.

Prospective employees do not need to register for this event – just show up at the BCC Ice Center with plenty of copies of their resume. A unique feature of our job fair is that each resume is collected, scanned and can be accessed on-line after the job fair by participating job fair employers.

In addition, Workforce New York and the NYS Department of Labor have added two workshops at the Job Fair on “Rediscovering Your Skills”. Details are on page 2.

The Greater Binghamton Chamber has been providing Career Fairs to the business community for over a decade. It is an opportunity to bring together employers and job seekers in one venue. Our Career Fairs are designed to connect people with opportunities in our community. The Greater Binghamton Chamber coordinates these events twice a year (in June and in December).

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