( June 14, 2007) — It’s quite common for a high school student to get a job during the summer. Many students find themselves in search of jobs—whether it be for the quick buck or for necessity. This search creates immense competition. The simple fact is that it’s getting harder and harder to find jobs without even taking into account their meaning or usefulness in the long run. Like many students, junior Avis Kirakosyan is having a hard time finding jobs in Glendale. “I can’t find a job anywhere,” Kirakosyan said. “Wherever I go, there are no more applications left.” But not all hope is lost, as Kirakosyan is looking into broader options. “A bunch of stores have online applications, so I hope those work,” he said. If just trying to find a normal part-time job is hard, imagine trying to find something enjoyable to do. Senior Julie Park is a student struggling in her job search. “I need something to let me use my creative abilities, but for a high school student, it just seems impossible,” Park said. Park is unable to find such a job due to many requiring a fulltime commitment. “School is the top priority, and full-time just isn’t possible.” Another hardship Park has to face in finding a job is her inability to find work that doesn’t require students to have prior experience. “I mean, we’re just in high school; what other experience do we have at this point? It doesn’t make much sense,” she said. Other students are having a better time in finding creative jobs. Junior Josh Kirkwood has had luck in possibly securing an internship at a film studio. “Cinema and Stroup has gotten me so into the whole movie thing, I can’t wait to be working.” Yet, some companies specifically try to trick job-deprived desperate students. “I got a letter in the mail; $16 dollars an hour—flexible schedule, it said to call immediately for an interview. I did,” said junior Sara Alparaz describing her job searching horror story. “I went into the place, and they told me I needed a $200 deposit and that I’d be working on commission. What a waste of my time.” Many students have been finding similar advertisements addressed to them in the mail or through email. Although many students have problems finding jobs, there is a stark contrast in numbers from the Department of Labor, which reported in Oct. 2006 that there was an 8.3 percent decline for teens in the work force, attributed to more teens focusing on schoolwork. So remember, jobs are there—just look harder. As the summer closes in, many scramble to look for jobs. Whether it be in food, retail or telemarketing; students will continue to search for their summer cash cows.