Teen Summer Jobs Plunge to Record Low

For this summer's would-be burger-flippers, camp counselors, and ice-cream scoopers, the first big hurdle is simply getting hired. New federal data show teen summer employment is sliding to historic lows, as fewer businesses bring on seasonal workers and those that do increasingly want experience and polished skills up front, ABC News reports. Between April and July 2025, the number of working 16- to 19-year-olds rose by 801,000—the smallest such bump since records began in 1948. This year is expected to be even worse, with inflation and high gas prices squeezing many of the small businesses that typically hire teens, Andy Challenger at outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas tells the Wall Street Journal.

Teens are also participating less in the labor force overall: only about one-third were working or job-hunting in April, and fewer than 3 in 10 actually had jobs. Career coach Chris Greene says automation, self-checkout, and app-based ordering have cut into traditional starter roles, while employers now expect soft skills like "professionalism, communication, and workplace etiquette" that teenagers once learned on the job. "Many teens struggle with eye contact, speaking confidently to adults, answering questions clearly or staying off their phones during interactions," Greene says. Many teens report weeks of unanswered online applications; some parents are stepping in so much that it turns off employers.

Greene argues the job hunt itself can teach persistence and communication—and says teens shut out of classic summer gigs can still build résumés through volunteering, internships, or small neighborhood businesses. "The biggest mistake I see is passivity," he says. "Most teens submit an online application and hope someone calls them back."

• Challenger tells the Journal that the weakest spot is the entertainment and leisure sector, with hotels, resorts, and amusement parks expected to hire 70% fewer workers this year. "The collapse in entertainment and leisure hiring announcements is one of the clearest signals we have," he says. "That is exactly the kind of work teens depend on." According to job search website Indeed, lifeguard positions are an exception, with ads for lifeguard jobs jumping 78% from this time last year.