In a sign of the tough economy, an event targeted at Camden youths yesterday drew not just high schoolers seeking seasonal employment but also veteran workers, such as Howell, in need of permanent positions.

"I need something with decent pay, with benefits," said Howell, a Camden resident who has been unemployed since September. She has worked in offices and as a day-care provider, a bus aide, and an instructional assistant in schools.

Adults are expected to give teenagers serious competition in the job market this summer.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the jobless rate among teens is rising - 15.8 percent last month, up from 14.6 percent in March 2007. But overall unemployment is also up, about a half-point from a year ago, making this a particularly difficult time for the young and untrained to land work, said Cathy McCarthy, a vice president at SnagAJob.com, a national employment Web site.

"If you can hire an experienced adult who has a number of different jobs on their resume, then you're going to look at that person before you hire a college or a high school student," McCarthy said.

In 2007, 34.5 percent of Americans ages 16 through 19 found summer employment, compared with 45 percent in 2000, said Joseph McLaughlin, a research associate at the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University.

"Last summer was the worst in 60 years, and we think this summer will be worse because of the weakening adult labor market," he said.

McLaughlin and his colleagues believe that the seasonal teen employment rate will drop about half a percentage point from last year.

A SnagAJob.com survey of managers at teenagers' summer-job standbys, restaurants and retailers, seemed to validate that prediction. Because of the economic downturn, 49 percent said they did not plan to hire any seasonal workers.

In the packed One-Stop Career Center auditorium in Camden, where the fair attracted about 350 applicants, Howell talked about the changing climate for all job seekers.

"It's way harder," she said. "A couple years back, if I'm out of a job I can get another, no problem."

Employers can afford to be pickier now, said Mark Mitchell of Camden.

Mitchell, 32, is an experienced forklift operator, but he has served jail time for drug offenses. Though he has worked since being released, prospective employers no longer call him back.

"I'm just not finding anything," he said. "I'm out there all the time."

He'd like to return to his area of expertise, but at this point he'll take almost anything, Mitchell said.

Colleen Dromgoole, a recruiter from U.S. Vision, which makes eyeglasses in Gloucester Township, wasn't sure whether it was the bad economy, the free pens, or the signs touting her company's good benefits, on-site day care, and flex time, but her table was perpetually busy.

"We had heard maybe 100 people would be here, but this is huge," Dromgoole said, eyeing the long line of people waiting to hand in applications. Like all of the employers, she said her company would review the forms later.

There were men in suits, and there were teenage girls in hoodies who were carrying babies. There were soon-to-be high school graduates, and there were workers with years' experience.

A worried-looking Catrina Rigney filled out an application for Summer HEAT, a state program that matches youths with employers seeking seasonal workers. Rigney had heard that Clementon Park, the Camden RiverSharks, and the Susquehanna Bank Center were hiring through the program. Also present were representatives from UPS and the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.

Shore businesses may be one bright spot for local teens. New visa quotas have resulted in a shortfall of the seasonal foreign guest workers who typically run amusement-park rides, scoop ice cream, and sell T-shirts to tourists.

Those jobs won't help Rigney, 19, a senior at Camden's Woodrow Wilson High School with no way to get to the Shore.

"I've put applications in at malls, but I haven't heard anything," she said.

She's headed to college in the fall, and end-of-school expenses are piling up, Rigney said. She was crossing her fingers that something would come out of the job fair.

"Class dues, prom dress. I've got to get my car fixed. I've got a lot to pay for, and I need a job - anything," Rigney said.

Woodrow Wilson counselor Wanda Goodwater and instructional aide Irene Swenson brought 19 of their students. The women were hopeful that the students would find work, but they know what the teens are up against.

Two summers ago, the Camden School District funded a program that paid students to learn job skills. That helped many find good positions, Swenson said.

"They cut the funds," she said. "We don't have that training any more. Our kids need jobs."

Mariam McFarlane, 18, a Wilson senior, said her job search overwhelmed her. She isn't going to college, and she hasn't had luck finding a job.

"The malls, they don't hire anybody," she said. "I've been looking for months."

Ready, Set: Start Applying Now

Start your job search now. Most managers fill summer positions early, so waiting until school ends is not a good idea.

Stay positive. Be enthusiastic in job interviews, and learn about the company before you arrive.

Be aggressive in your job hunt. Apply online and in person. After a phone call or Web application, follow up with a visit. It shows you're motivated.

Keep your schedule flexible. Companies often need hourly employees on night and weekend shifts.

SOURCE: SnagAJob.com

Inquirer staff writer Jane M. Von Bergen contributed to this article.