Despite a competitive market, finding a summer job is highly beneficial for teens

A lifeguard overlooks an outdoor swimming pool. Etienne Laurent/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Etienne Laurent/Getty Images Teenagers hoping to hold the whistle as a lifeguard or camp counselor, or just work any job this summer are having a hard time getting hired. "They now have more competition. There may be fewer jobs available," says Brad Hershbein, an economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. "They kind of get stuck with the short straw." Many factors are contributing to the competition for entry-level jobs: AI, inflation, tariffs, even those oil tankers stuck in the Persian Gulf. But all signs are pointing to 2026 being the worst job market for teens in decades. "So many people are increasingly desperate to find a job, any job, especially if they have college loans," Hershbein says. "That makes it that much harder for someone younger to be able to compete." The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 219,000 fewer teens working this May compared to last May. Their participation in the labor force has been sliding since a peak of nearly 58% in the 1970s. Today, about a third of teens are in the labor force, either working or looking for summer work. Mariella Silva, 19, had to hustle before finding a summer job as a barista at Zeke's Coffee, a roastery and coffee shop in Washington, D.C. She says now that she's working, she feels more grown up. …