Finding a summer job in Tulsa may be harder than ever

Summer is almost here. And lots of teenagers will be looking for summer jobs. But rarely has the economy been looking so bad. <br><br>News on 6 business reporter Steve Berg says fFor summer job seekers

Wednesday, May 28th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Summer is almost here. And lots of teenagers will be looking for summer jobs. But rarely has the economy been looking so bad.

News on 6 business reporter Steve Berg says fFor summer job seekers like John Allen, the heat is on. "I need the money, Iâ€™m tired of mooching off my parents."

Johnâ€™s father Elston Allen, "If he wants to drive, he's going to need to be able to put his own gas in the car, help pay for his insurance, that type of thing, so having a job will help him understand what it's like to take care of some of those responsibilities."

This is the first time the 10th grader has ever looked for work. And according to one study, he's picked the worst summer since World War II to look for a job. "It is kind of hard because everywhere I go, it's like, "we're just accepting applications, we're not hiring."

Brad Brooks with Workforce Tulsa, â€œthere's definitely more employees looking for jobs than there are jobs. And the lack of jobs for the adult has a trickle-down effect for lack of jobs for the youth. Some of the jobs that were usually filled by youth are now being filled by adults who have to take those jobs as stop-gap measures."

Officials say one of the best bets for teens is the old stereotype, fast food, but with more schools letting out this Friday, they say these jobs will be going fast. That's okay with college-student Erin Stockwell. "The worst job for me would probably be in some food chain or something.â€ If you're willing to work and you're not real picky about what type of job you're looking for, there's still a lot of jobs out there for young people." Provided the old-timers don't beat them to it.

Besides food service, typical teen jobs include retail and customer service, along with more seasonal jobs like movie theaters, amusement parks, and lifeguarding.