With an overwhelming number of jobs available in Lewis County, according to Catherine Kilty of Express Personnel in Centralia, it may be surprising that so many teenagers are struggling to find employment.
Many, such as 16-year-old Emily Newgard, have been searching for months with no success.
There is a legitimate reason behind this trouble: More and more employers are only hiring those 18 and older.
"(The age) 18 is a liability issue. I don't think it has anything to do with the job itself," said Abby Parks of Kelly Services.
The Olympia branch caters to the unemployed in Thurston, Mason, Lewis and Grays Harbor counties.
"They want someone who is qualified to do the job," Parks said. "They don't want someone who's never seen a computer sitting behind a desk and entering data."
The age limitation is a difficult hurdle for teenagers to overcome. Availability and a lack of experience add to the struggle. However, there are ways around these barriers.
"A lot of jobs want someone who has experience. The only way to get that is to know someone who will let you get it," said Glen Hunter, a teacher at W.F. West High School, Chehalis.
Connections helped W.F. West junior Nina Gant find her job at Dynamic Collectors in Chehalis. Her mother, who was already an employee, referred her to the company.
According to Darlene Held of Book 'n' Brush in Chehalis, there are four basic steps that anyone can take to improve his or her chances of being hired.
First, Held said, "Come in alone. Don't come in with a girlfriend or a boyfriend."
The next, dressing appropriately and being clean, is commonly reiterated. According to Julie Cole, associated student body bookkeeper at W.F. West, "It shows the employer (the applicant) is serious."
Being prepared to answer interview questions was another of Held's suggestions. Questions such as "Why do you want to work in this particular store?" are common during interviews, and are often the least prepared for.
Kilty added, "Be ready to answer questions that relate to responsibility and attendance at school. They need to demonstrate good attendance. It's big with employers."
Lastly, Held said, have a positive attitude.
May Maciel, an employee at Sears in Chehalis, agrees the most important trait an employee can have is "to be friendly to the customers and know how to take care of them, even when they're (unpleasant)."
Although teenagers are qualified for a variety of jobs, many find their niche in the fast-food industry. Often, they may think it is an expectation for people their age to work in that environment before moving on.
"People think that's all they can do, because we look at kids as lazy and they think it's an easy place to get a paycheck," said Diana Kaeger, a manager at Kentucky Fried Chicken in Centralia.
Joshua Sauer, a junior at W.F. West, has worked at Thorbecke's Fitness Center in Centralia for almost a year. When he was 15, he applied as a lifeguard. He sees his job as a step above the fast-food industry.
"If somebody's looking around at fast-food all their life, that's sad," Sauer said. "It's a stereotypical teen job."
His friend and classmate, Gabe Cornman, added, "Fast food is a good job to work at, but it's not for everybody."
There is hope for teenagers who don't want to start their careers flipping burgers.
What many don't recognize is that services such as Express Personnel and Lewis County Work Source are available to anyone 16 and older.
"There's seasonal summer work for teenagers." Kilty said.
"We'd love to get the word out to the communities."
All it takes, she said, is to "be at work on time, every day, with a 'willing to do whatever it takes' attitude."
Work Source offers a variety of courses that are free, and available to all ages. Field administrator Lee Stevens said, "We work primarily with what we call 'soft skills.' (These include) reporting on time, dependability, how to respond to the public, and how to dress appropriately."
There is another program available for people between the ages of 16 and 21 who qualify. Lewis County's federally funded Youth Programs through Educational Service District 113 helps those who are considered "low income" or "at risk." This includes high school dropouts, juvenile delinquents and foster children.
If using a professional employment service seems like too much of a hassle, W.F. West senior Staci Anderson offers her success story.
Not long ago, Anderson was hired at Sears, after going to the store every day for a week and reminding the manager she applied.
She said, "Make sure you're really confident in yourself. Don't say 'like' or 'um' or (be giddy)."
Nicole Morgan is a W.F. West High School student who writes an occasional story about teen life for The Chronicle.
