We're all feeling the impact of tough economic times, even down to the most junior employees in the workforce. Right now a shortage of summer jobs is hurting many Stateline teens.

A sunny day at the skate park is tough to beat for many Stateline teens, but believe it or not, this is not how Kyle Rockwell wanted to spend his summer.
"I kinda really need to get a job and I've been trying for about the whole summer and a little bit of last year," says Rockwell. "I've probably put in at least 15, 20 applications so far to different places and I've checked on them but they don't want to call me back."
Rockwell and his friends blame a sluggish economy for their crash and burn experiences in the summer job market.
"A lot of people are losing their jobs so they gotta get people that maybe have more experience to get into the job, rather than newcomers like teenagers," says Rockwell.
Beefaroo on South Alpine has been hiring this summer. They've brought on up to a dozen extra high school kids. But they've also seen an unusual influx in applications from older workers.
"We have had a few adults that we've hired during the day and they say they've been applying and a lot of places aren't hiring, the factories and the KMart and outlets, stuff like that, so when they come here and we are hiring they seem pretty surprised," says Beefaroo manager Judy Jackson.
Oliver Vranjkovic had to change his summer plans to make sure he could get a job. He had hoped to stay in Milwaukee where he goes to college, but when he couldn't get hired there, he came home to Rockford and a standing gig at Beefaroo.
"Jobs aren't out there anymore like they used to be," says Vranjkovic.
As for Rockwell, even though he feels like he's spinning in place, he isn't letting his bad luck keep him down for long.
"I'll have to get a job eventually!" says Rockwell.

Rockwell is entering his senior year of high school. He says his struggles to find a summer job are scaring him for the search post-graduation, but he's trying to stay positive.

On the business end, restaurants we spoke to say that in the past they've had to pay to advertise for summer applicants this time they're not doing that, instead they're turning people away.
Places like Beefaroo are also able to hire more because their business is doing better right now than many sit-down restaurants, where prices are a little higher.