Teens Are Struggling to Find Summer Jobs in 2025 — But Refusing to Give Up

Summer is here, and teens are looking for jobs to make some money for themselves. There’s nothing more rewarding than receiving your paycheck after a few weeks of work — not only is it a great feeling, but it also symbolizes independence. You earned this moment. 

This summer, though, many teens all over the country seem to be struggling to find jobs. According to The New York Times, job availability for teens is estimated to be at its lowest point since 2010. So we wanted to see for ourselves how teens were spending their time this summer: Is working in the equation? Are businesses actively hiring teens, or has competition for summer jobs made this process more of a struggle? Are they willing to hire teens for seasonal employment only?  

Despite the struggle, most teens we spoke to had secured jobs this summer — and many of their friends are working too. Job roles ranged from camp counselors and tour guides to lifeguards, with some teens even working two jobs. It seemed like most were aware of the difficulty of finding a job, but many were able to able to overcome this obstacle.

Belija, 19, credited her employment to casting a wide net: “Honestly, it was just luck and applying to a bunch of positions.” Those who were still searching for opportunities mentioned that companies don’t seem interested in hiring periodic employees. Dauphin, 19, said, “Most places local to where I live aren’t hiring seasonally, so it’s hard to get a job just for the summer.” Cameron, 17, works year-round and says most of his employed friends do too, because it’s easier to secure a position that isn’t temporary: “If I were a business owner I’d want an employee who’d be in it for the long haul.”  

As most teens were able to land summer jobs, the question becomes: How are they managing and spending the money they’ve made from work? When asked about their spending, the most popular answer was food and clothes — because what else matters besides those two necessities? However, a couple of teens mentioned saving and investing their money. 

While we most likely came across a lucky bunch, it seems as though teens are keen on finding a job no matter how many tries it takes nor the current state of the job market. Watch the video above to find out what they had to say.