Max Fader assembles a sandwich at the Panera assembly line. Photo by Brett Melnick '12

In previous years, landing a summer job has been almost a rite of passage for high school students. However, in a lingering recession with unemployment rates at about 10 percent, finding a job can be a challenge. Without searching early, high school students nationally, especially those who waited too long to begin their job search, have found themselves struggling to find a part-time job to fund their summer activities.

Surprisingly bucking this trend, Olney has become a hot spot for youth employment as a number of new establishments, from brand new grocery stores to gourmet pet food shops, has opened over the past year. For students looking for employment, the key is to apply as soon as the stores open for business.

“I think a lot of kids wait until school’s nearly out to find jobs, which is why so many kids don’t succeed,” said junior Caitlin Kyber who got a job in April at Cheeburger Cheeburger.

Students do not always have the most impressive resumés due to their lack of real world experience; therefore, they are immediately at a disadvantage to those who have graduated high school, college or have worked a full time job. With more adults losing jobs in a lingering recession, teens are hit even harder with unemployment because of older people’s willingness to take on jobs that are traditionally thought of as low paying or youth jobs.

Youth and lack of experience can be an advantage, however, in the hospitality and retail arenas. In fact, some employers show a preference to youthful applicants because they draw in large crowds that are willing to spend their parent’s money. Through lively youthful faces, businesses can better attract customers because it makes them feel welcome and gives them a sense of comfort.

Junior Max Fader seems to fit this description perfectly. “In our little town of Olney, community is a big thing,” said Fader. “Having bright young faces that a customer may or may not know is a comforting feeling.” Fader was employed in May at Fair Hill Plaza’s newly built eatery, Panera Bread.

“Olney is very community based, which I think has a lot to do with the fact that many local kids can rely on landing jobs in our area,” added Kyber.

With the opening of so many new establishments, Fader believes that students can find work. “It was not really hard to get a job,” he said. “There are so many restaurants that are hiring right now that all I really had to do was turn in an application and sit down for an interview to get the job.”

Due to the location, along with obtaining a job with ease, many local high school students enjoy the short travel to work. “I am so excited to work in Olney. Cheeburger is only five minutes away, which means much less time and money is wasted on commuting,” said Kyber.

While nationally teens face the most competitive summer they have had to deal with to date, Olney seems to stick out as an exception. With an excess of restaurants and dessert stops, little more than a simple application gets teens that one job to get them out of the house and into a uniform this summer.