How Are American Teens in 2022?
Published April 19, 2022
A perfect storm of current events affecting American teens might keep them from taking jobs this summer, according to a new outlook from global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
Will Lackluster Summer 2021 Gains Portend This Summer’s Teen Job Market?
Last summer, despite the availability of jobs teens typically fill, low COVID cases, and lifted restrictions, 41% fewer teens found jobs than in 2020, when the most teen jobs were added on record. Challenger analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics since 1998 (see table 1).
The firm predicts teens will gain 1.3 million jobs in 2022, on par with last year’s teen job market.
“The most immediate concern for teens is their mental health. Teens are savvy. They know what is happening in the world, what’s happening overseas, how divided many in the country are. They may even see that division firsthand at home,” said Andrew Challenger, Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
“Couple that with inflation concerns and supply chain disruptions that could keep hiring down for companies nationwide, and teens may not only opt out of work, but the jobs they would take might dry up,” he added.
In a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 44% of teens reported they experienced persistent thoughts of sadness or hopelessness in 2021, up from 26% in 2009. This rate was even higher for girls and LGBTQ+ youth last year, at 56% and 77% respectively.
News of the war in Ukraine is ubiquitous on social media, where 54% of teens get their news, according to a 2019 study by Common Sense Media. The war is a concern for 31% of companies recently surveyed by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. and 92% of those respondents are primarily concerned with the mental well-being of their workers as they deal with the news.
“This concern for the mental health of employees is not just for adults. We know COVID-19 upended normal school routines for years. Teens who are entering college in the fall have not experienced a normal school year since they were sophomores,” said Challenger.
“Teens are contending with isolation, civil and social unrest. Employers who hire teens know they do not exist in a vacuum. Teens are under strain,” he added.
The war is also disrupting supply chains overseas, as are renewed COVID lockdowns in China. Meanwhile, inflation rose 8.5% in March, increasing the cost of gas, energy, and food.
“Companies might respond by slowing hiring, and teens might decide their wages and hours are not worth the higher costs to get to and from work,” said Challenger.
At least for now, jobs appear to be plentiful. According to the latest Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey, there were 11.3 million job openings in February, with 32,000 new job openings in arts, entertainment, and recreation, industries traditionally popular for teen workers.
“Summer jobs could certainly boost the mental well-being of teen workers. However, just like with adults, it depends on the culture of the organization. If the teen works for an empathetic leader, is learning new skills, has a career trajectory, and has flexibility and purpose in the role, the job could be a welcome bright spot,” said Challenger.
In fact, in the most recent Challenger survey, HR executives ranked flexibility, empathetic leadership, career-pathing, and meaningful work as the most important worker priorities, even over compensation.
“Workers are quitting in droves for greener pastures and new opportunities. Many teens have reflected on what is important in their lives. While it might include summer employment, it could just as well mean taking up a new hobby, pursuing sports or volunteer opportunities, taking additional classes, or helping care for family members,” said Challenger.
“So many ever-shifting factors will go into teen employment this year. Will COVID cases rise to the point where restrictions limit the number of jobs available? Will inflation and the measures implemented to combat it prohibit many companies from hiring teens? Will consumers have the disposable income to spend at places that hire teen workers?” said Challenger.
“The jobs are available, but it remains to be seen if teens will take them,” said Challenger.
Adolescent Mental Health Concerns
In a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 44% of teens reported they experienced persistent thoughts of sadness or hopelessness in 2021, up from 26% in 2009. This rate was even higher for girls and LGBTQ+ youth last year, at 56% and 77% respectively.
News of the war in Ukraine is ubiquitous on social media, where 54% of teens get their news, according to a 2019 study by Common Sense Media. The war is a concern for 31% of companies recently surveyed by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. and 92% of those respondents are primarily concerned with the mental well-being of their workers as they deal with the news.
“This concern for the mental health of employees is not just for adults. We know COVID-19 upended normal school routines for years. Teens who are entering college in the fall have not experienced a normal school year since they were sophomores,” said Challenger.
“Teens are contending with isolation, civil and social unrest. Employers who hire teens know they do not exist in a vacuum. Teens are under strain,” he added.
The war is also disrupting supply chains overseas, as are renewed COVID lockdowns in China. Meanwhile, inflation rose 8.5% in March, increasing the cost of gas, energy, and food.
“Companies might respond by slowing hiring, and teens might decide their wages and hours are not worth the higher costs to get to and from work,” said Challenger.
Teen Summer Jobs Are Available
At least for now, jobs appear to be plentiful. According to the latest Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey, there were 11.3 million job openings in February, with 32,000 new job openings in arts, entertainment, and recreation, industries traditionally popular for teen workers.
“Summer jobs could certainly boost the mental well-being of teen workers. However, just like with adults, it depends on the culture of the organization. If the teen works for an empathetic leader, is learning new skills, has a career trajectory, and has flexibility and purpose in the role, the job could be a welcome bright spot,” said Challenger.
In fact, in the most recent Challenger survey, HR executives ranked flexibility, empathetic leadership, career-pathing, and meaningful work as the most important worker priorities, even over compensation.
“Workers are quitting in droves for greener pastures and new opportunities. Many teens have reflected on what is important in their lives. While it might include summer employment, it could just as well mean taking up a new hobby, pursuing sports or volunteer opportunities, taking additional classes, or helping care for family members,” said Challenger.
“So many ever-shifting factors will go into teen employment this year. Will COVID cases rise to the point where restrictions limit the number of jobs available? Will inflation and the measures implemented to combat it prohibit many companies from hiring teens? Will consumers have the disposable income to spend at places that hire teen workers?” said Challenger.
“The jobs are available, but it remains to be seen if teens will take them,” said Challenger
# # #
| SUMMER EMPLOYMENT GROWTH AMONG WORKERS AGED 16 TO 19 TABLE 1 |
|||||
| Year | May | June | July | Summer Jobs Gained | Change from Prior Year |
| 1998 | 270,000 | 1,058,000 | 675,000 | 2,003,000 | |
| 1999 | 415,000 | 750,000 | 852,000 | 2,017,000 | 0.70% |
| 2000 | 111,000 | 1,087,000 | 311,000 | 1,509,000 | -25.20% |
| 2001 | 58,000 | 1,124,000 | 560,000 | 1,742,000 | 15.40% |
| 2002 | 161,000 | 985,000 | 510,000 | 1,656,000 | -4.90% |
| 2003 | 152,000 | 859,000 | 458,000 | 1,469,000 | -11.30% |
| 2004 | 168,000 | 827,000 | 597,000 | 1,592,000 | 8.40% |
| 2005 | 183,000 | 1,007,000 | 546,000 | 1,736,000 | 9.00% |
| 2006 | 230,000 | 1,033,000 | 471,000 | 1,734,000 | -0.10% |
| 2007 | 62,000 | 1,114,000 | 459,000 | 1,635,000 | -5.70% |
| 2008 | 116,000 | 683,000 | 355,000 | 1,154,000 | -29.40% |
| 2009 | 111,000 | 698,000 | 354,000 | 1,163,000 | 0.80% |
| 2010 | 6,000 | 497,000 | 457,000 | 960,000 | -17.50% |
| 2011 | 71,000 | 714,000 | 302,000 | 1,087,000 | 13.20% |
| 2012 | 157,000 | 858,000 | 382,000 | 1,397,000 | 28.50% |
| 2013 | 215,000 | 779,000 | 361,000 | 1,355,000 | -3.00% |
| 2014 | 217,000 | 661,000 | 419,000 | 1,297,000 | -4.30% |
| 2015 | 182,000 | 609,000 | 369,000 | 1,160,000 | -10.60% |
| 2016 | 156,000 | 691,000 | 492,000 | 1,339,000 | 15.40% |
| 2017 | 75,000 | 1,023,000 | 190,000 | 1,288,000 | -3.80% |
| 2018 | 130,000 | 951,000 | 307,000 | 1,388,000 | 7.80% |
| 2019 | 216,000 | 1,053,000 | 468,000 | 1,737,000 | 25.10% |
| 2020 | 594,000 | 1,129,000 | 469,000 | 2,192,000 | 26.19% |
| 2021 | 219,000 | 625,000 | 451,000 | 1,295,000 | -40.92% |
| AVERAGE Since 1998 | 178,125 | 867,292 | 450,625 | 1,473,545 | |
| AVERAGE Since 2006 | 169,200 | 822,664 | 397,449 | 1,391,444 | |
| SOURCE: CHALLENGER, GRAY & CHRISTMAS, INC., WITH NON-SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA FROM THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. | |||||
TIPS FOR TEEN JOB SEEKERS
- Start Early
For teens seeking summer employment, June is traditionally the most popular month for teen hiring. However, teens who want to find work for the summer would be wise to start readying their resumes and applications in March or April. - Create and connect to your network
Many teens may not think they have a network, but that could not be further from the truth. Teens should reach out to their friends, parents, instructors – both current and past, coaches, and friends’ parents to inquire about potential opportunities. They should also seek out the managers of places they frequent to see if they are hiring. - Create a resume
Teens should include extra-curricular activities, volunteer experience, or any other information that would show an employer you are able to work as part of a team, are a self-starter, or can manage a project. - Look in unexpected places
While summer camps, retail establishments, and theme parks or movie theaters come to mind for teens, in a period of expansion, many offices will need administrative staff who can organize files, take calls, or even manage social media profiles. Teens can also investigate summer paid internships in industries they find appealing or for which they are passionate. These are great avenues for teens to gain real work experience.
# # #
Contact Colleen Madden Blumenfeld for more data or to set up an interview with SVP Andy Challenger.
Your Money Matters: Tips for teen summer jobs
Published May 2, 2022
Challenger SVP, Andrew Challenger was interviewed on the Your Money Matters WGN-TV segment with Patrick Elwood on tips for teen job seekers. Read and watch the entire interview here.
Six Flags will hire 15,000 across the U.S. for seasonal jobs this week, testing teen labor force
The teen labor force saw a historic drop last summer as students opted to stay out of the seasonal workforce.
By Dom DiFurio
PUBLISHED AprIL 25, 2022
The hiring push comes as experts raise questions about what summer labor trends will look like for teenagers who stepped away from summer work in large numbers last year. In 2021, teen participation in summer jobs dropped 40% from summer 2020, according to a Challenger, Gray & Christmas analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. It was the largest year-over-year decrease since at least the summer of 1998.
“So many ever-shifting factors will go into teen employment this year. Will COVID cases rise to the point where restrictions limit the number of jobs available? Will inflation and the measures implemented to combat it prohibit many companies from hiring teens? Will consumers have the disposable income to spend at places that hire teen workers?” Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. president Andrew Challenger said in a statement last week.
“The jobs are available, but it remains to be seen if teens will take them.”
Young Gen Zers are ‘flocking’ to summer jobs as businesses desperate to fight the Great Resignation offer higher pay and require less experience
BY Madison Hoff
May 23, 2022, 10:15 PM
The summer jobs out there for teens vary, but Glassdoor senior economist Daniel Zhao noted they tend to be in-person roles. Andy Challenger of outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas said restaurants, hospitality businesses, and amusement parks especially see excess demand in the summer, so teen job seekers can address some of this demand amid the labor shortage.
