First Things First

Sydney Malisce • February 28, 2026

After submitting job application after job application, many Peninsula students begin to wonder if their effort still matters. Seeking employment has become an increasingly difficult challenge for most teenagers, because after showing genuine willingness to put in the work, they are mostly met with silence. They are encouraged to be responsible and put in effort for what they want, but today's job market seems to be rejecting and ghosting teens who apply for any job (The Pitch). For those who do manage to get hired, their jobs often come from personal connections, such as family or friends who are business owners. Businesses are not replying to teen applicants, and instead handing the job out to adults (The Suffolk Journal). This has created a discouraging and unfair environment for young people. Senior Taylor Wickett explained her experience as a young adult applying for jobs.

“I have applied for [three jobs] and did not hear back from all three,” Wickett said. “I tried applying again and still never heard back and honestly it made me feel insecure and dumb as a teenager. If I was an adult I would have heard back, even though I have the qualifications for working. I've worked as a counselor in training at a surf camp which gave me experience for my current job at a swim school. I also am a Link Crew commissioner which helps a lot for jobs that need experience/planning skills.”

For young adults, family and friends are one of the main reasons they are finding businesses willing to hire them (Linked In). Many students have been willing to speak up on the fact that connections play a role in their ability to get hired, whether it is a family member knowing the manager or it being their own company they work at. In this way, even teenagers who are qualified for a given job are at a disadvantage if the adults in their lives do not have a way for them to get a job. Job opportunities have become a question of who has the most familial connections rather than selecting the most qualified candidate. Some argue that since, in an ever-worsening economy, adults rely on part-time jobs to help support themselves and their families, and thus it makes sense for teenagers to get these jobs. Although that is true, it could be seen as completely excluding teens from an opportunity to work. Though, some employers may view older workers as a safer choice, especially in positions where larger responsibility is required. Senior Maya Palinkas had struggled to find a job before her sister recommended her to her boss at Poke Me. Prior to her ability to get hired at poke me, she applied for a job at Petco, handles, and a few little shops but got ignored each time. Her sister reached out and asked if Poke Me had any availability because Palinkas was looking for a job, and two months later, they asked Palinkas if she could sit down with them for an interview. She was hired quickly after that even though they had not asked for her resume.

“For me, a resume was not necessary because they knew my sister, my mom, and the kind of person I was from my interview,” Palinkas said. “My boss tells us all the time how connections are important and me having my sister was an example of that.”

When applying for a job, a reply is expected, whether it is good news or bad news. Teens who experience “ghosting” from employers are wondering why they receive no reply. Businesses who have stopped replying to teens who have applied for the job, result in giving it to someone else instead. Everyone has to start somewhere and gain experience, knowledge and social skills, but without access to that, it can result in teens being unprepared for their future. When opportunities to build skills and independence are taken away from people due to superiority or connections they don't have, the lack of experience can follow students into adulthood. Without the knowledge earlier on, it could result in a harder competition for future jobs. Even if some teens are not looking to gain experience, they are still working for a responsibility that can not be found without a day job (Forbes). By earning money, they can support themselves financially without having to rely on anyone else. This lack of communication can be discouraging and can cause students to feel lesser and invisible. Senior Sasha Fox touches on the importance of getting a job as a teen.

“Jobs are put on future resumes and college applications, so [not having a job] could affect whether or not they get into a certain college or if they get a job in the future that is vital to their career,” Fox said. “It is very important people get early work experience because they would get to work with actual leaders and managers. They can build connections and experience through work and have the ability to learn to [adapt] to a different structure that they are not used to.”

The struggle PVPHS students face in finding jobs reflects a much larger issue in this economy, but it does not have to lead to pessimism. While businesses continue to take away the opportunity for teenagers to gain experience in a working community, they can continue to build skills through volunteering, internships, and other opportunities. There will always be other options to strengthen their future in working and life skills (College Raptor).