Navigating a Tight Summer Market: Strategic Tips for Youth Job Seekers in 2026
It’s shaping up to be another tough year for summer job seekers.
Competition is still high as fewer companies open up entry-level or seasonal roles amid ongoing economic uncertainties and the rise of artificial intelligence.
“It has been slow,” said Alexandra Tillo, senior talent marketing consultant at Indeed Canada, referring to fewer summer jobs being added to Indeed’s job search site, compared with previous years.
“We’re not expecting this summer to be easier for youth and teens to find a job than it was last year,” she said.
The slower job market has disproportionately weighed on young people.
Youth unemployment rose to 14.3 per cent in April, Statistics Canada reported on Friday, more than double the current overall unemployment rate of 6.9 per cent.
Still, experts say that shouldn’t dissuade young Canadians from putting themselves out there.
The easiest and most common way to look for a job is to apply to postings online, said Laura Hambley, a registered psychologist and founder of Canada Career Counselling.
“The challenge with that is that’s what everybody is doing,” she said.
Hambley said job seekers should still apply to those positions — just like everyone else — but also, go a step further and talk to people.
“Networking is still standing out as the No. 1 way that young people can land jobs in uncertain markets,” Hambley said.
That means talking to your neighbours, parents’ friends, coaches and anyone in the community and telling them you’re looking for work.
It increases your chances of landing a job, Hambley said.
“You’re breaking into different networks and people are aware that you’re looking,” she said. “If you don’t say it, people might assume you don’t need a job … or maybe you’re doing summer school.”
Tillo said being creative with your resumé can help you get ahead of the curve.
Sending a short video resumé, for instance, can make you stand out from a pile of generic, AI-spun applications, she said.
“Having a little quick video — like 30 seconds — (outlining) who I am, why I’m motivated: That’s something I’ve seen companies react to very positively,” Tillo said.
Adding reference or character letters can boost your application, too, Hambley said.
“Employers don’t usually get that,” she said. “It just makes you stand out.”
And if you’re not hearing back, Hambley suggested looking within your community for entrepreneurial opportunities, such as dog walking or mowing a lawn for an elderly neighbour.
The upcoming FIFA games in Toronto and Vancouver are set to drive up demand for summer workers in the retail, security, food and accommodation sectors — most of them among small businesses.
Hambley said nothing beats an old-school walk-in to a local business and asking if they’re hiring.
“It sets you out from the crowd,” she said. “They may have (got) a hundred or a thousand resumés online, but one young person came in, made eye contact, smiled — and that young person is going to stand out.”
With fewer job listings, some people may not land a role this summer. But don’t get discouraged, experts say.
Hambley suggested volunteering, because it “builds your confidence, gives you experience, you can add it to your resumé, and it exposes you to people who might hire you in the future.”
Tillo said signing up for free courses online or a summer certification program, such as first-aid training or a safety course, can equip youth with practical skills as they work to land a job.
“Maybe it’s going to be next summer,” Tillo said. ”(But) stay coherent in your course of action.”
This article was first reported by The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press
