Now that Memorial Day is behind us, it's crunch time for summer job hunting -- which savvy students started weeks ago. Most college students already are on a three-month break and high schoolers soon join them. The best places to apply include restaurants, hotels, golf courses, landscapers, supermarkets and other stores, advisers say, as well as city recreation departments, day camps and amusement parks.

As in recent years, young applicants for seasonal jobs face extra hurdles. "Part of it is the labor market overall," says economist Sean Snaith at the University of Central Florida. "The other part is skilled workers who have lost their jobs and have been forced to step down the ladder and accept positions they never would have considered a few years ago." In Kalamazoo, Mich., teen job counselor Don Edgerly shares that conclusion: "Before we see any long-term turnaround for young people, we're going to need to see more adults getting back into the types of positions they previously held."

On a brighter note in that same Michigan city, community college student Jequisha Hamilton says job searching persistence paid off with a server's position at Steak 'n Shake. "I kind of got sad a couple of times when I didn't get a job, but I didn't give up," said the 19-year-old, who put in around 20 applications . "Never give up when looking for a job. If you do, you won't get one." The manager hiring her was impressed she brought a resume, Hamilton says.

Student says: "No teenager should feel obligated to find a job. There are plenty of other ways to find work experience. For example, I am shying away from employment this summer and looking into internships and volunteer work in order to gain a wider range of experiences." -- Jacob Rudger, 16, Belmont, CA, blogging at pacifica.patch.com

Employer says: "What we look for are dependable, reliable, honest, trustworthy teenagers that are able to . . . work on the weekends, holidays, whenever we need them." -- Danielle Baeza,Wonderland Amusement Park in Amarillo, Texas

Parent says: "Now is a good time to talk to your teenager about employment. There are many benefits to summer work, but it is important to find the right job situation. Help your teen assess the opportunities and weigh the benefits and drawbacks." -- Bill Black, Murfreesboro, Tenn.