Unless you have been living in a cave for the last 18 months, you know that our country is in a major recession. What that means for you, whether you are 16 or 66, is that your job is less secure — and a new job is going to be harder to come by. For teenagers looking for a summer job, the pressure is especially intense. There are fewer jobs than normal, and each one is being fought over by a far greater number of applicants. There is some good news in this whole mess: There are a growing number of programs, many of which are funded by the federal government, to aid 14 to 24 year olds ...

Salon.com ran a great piece this week with advice for teenagers looking for a summer job. The article acknowledges that Yes, it is tougher than ever before to find a summer job if you are a high school or college student. You are suddenly competing with recent college grads and the growing ranks of unemployed workers, whose experience will likely trump your enthusiasm. That doesn’t mean, however, that you throw in the towel and resign yourself to watching soap operas all summer-long. The bottom line: You need to get creative and think like an entrepreneur. If you want an internship wi...

Every Thursday, the JobMonkey blog answers your burning questions about your job search. So far, we have covered how to negotiate a salary offer, how to write a cover letter for a nursing job, and how to find a summer job at Disney World. Do you have a question about your job search? Send me an email or leave me a note in the comment section. Dear JobMonkey, I am a Stay at Home mom looking to earn some extra money, while still staying at home with my kids. I need to find something that I can do during nap times or at night, once my kids are in bed. I have looked at some Work at Home sites, but...

Every Thursday, the JobMonkey blog answers your burning questions about your job search. In past weeks, we’ve talked about negotiating a salary offer, pursing a nursing career, and supporting a laid-off spouse. Do you have a question for the JobMonkey? Send me an email or leave me a note in the comment section. Dear JobMonkey, Hi! I am a 17 year old high school student from Germany. I want to work at Disney World this summer. What do I need to do to get a job at Magic Kingdom? Thanks, Greta Dear Greta, I have to tell you that we get a lot of letters like yours. Most of them have come fro...

Are you a high school or college student looking for a summer job? You might be feeling overwhelmed right about now with all the news that summer jobs are hard to come by in ‘09. It’s true that tough economies equal fewer jobs and more competition for them. But that doesn’t mean you are doomed to a summer of pathetically watching soap operas. You can still land a great summer gig if you follow these seven golden rules of job searching: 1. Work on your resume. Even if you lack on-the-job experience, you can demonstrate leadership and community activism through school activi...

CNN Money is reporting that graduate students are finding that summer jobs and internships, once a main stream to full-time employment, have all but dried up. According to the article, on-campus recruiting is down more than 10% this winter. Whereas summer job and internship offers are typically made in the fall, employers are now holding back due to economic concerns. “[Employers] don’t know what’s happening six months from now,” said Pamela Bierman Mittman, the assistant dean of career services at New York University’s Stern School of Business, “this year t...

Are you a college or high student looking for a summer job? The time to start your search is now. Be sure to check out JobMonkey’s featured employers, like Sea World in San Diego, California; Yellowstone General Stores in Bozeman, Montana; and the Alaska Princess Tours Cruise Line. All of these companies offer great summertime employment options. Now, in addition to being a great way to earn money during your vacation, many summer jobs offer a host of other benefits* — many of which last a longer than your paycheck will. Here are ten of the top benefits of getting a summer job: 1.Â...

Resort work is seasonal work. Which makes it ideal work for students looking to earn some cash during their summer or semester breaks. Resort jobs are perfect for young, energetic individuals with good people skills. There are a wide variety of resort positions, from food service jobs to front desk jobs, and from lifeguards to massage therapists. Check out JobMonkey’s section on working at resorts for the lowdown on the types of employment, working conditions, pay scale and more. ...

Until now, I’ve been focusing on introducing you to JobMonkey’s vast resources about paid employment. Here and there, I have mentioned internships or summer jobs, but even still, most of these opportunities offered some kind of monetary compensation. And let’s face it; money is pretty important if you want to put a roof over your head, food in your belly and gas in your car. But there are times in life when money truly isn’t everything. If you are looking for an incomparable life experience and can afford to take the time to do some incredibly meaningful work that is...