For many teens, a summer job is a rite of passage and a chance to earn some cash.
But this year, it will also be a pretty hot commodity.
The tight economy and upswing in unemployment means there are more job seekers and fewer jobs. And those with little to no job experience are going to have to work even harder to secure a spot.
Job search Web site SnagAJob.com found in a recent survey that 73 percent of managers are expecting more applications than last summer but 23 percent expect to hire fewer people than last year.
Of course, that's not to say that finding a summer job is impossible.
But especially for teens, it's going to require lots of time, dedication and perseverance -- and that's before the first day of work.
"The hiring managers who do have open positions are planning on hiring fewer workers, but the silver lining is the top two items they are [looking for] are a positive attitude and flexible schedule," said SnagAJob spokeswoman Cathy McCarthy. "I think a teen or a student can go head to head with the older worker."
Seventeen-year-old Maggie Gargan has been looking for a summer job since February.
The senior at Sanderson High School in Raleigh is headed to East Carolina University in the fall to study elementary education and wants to save up some money.
"My dad told me to get a job when I was a junior and I just kind of blew him off," she said. "But now I'm, like, 'Oh, I need to have a job.' "
Gargan has applied for jobs working everywhere from retail stores to the parks and recreation department.
But so far, she's had no luck and is counting down the days to her June 13 graduation.
"At this point, I'm kind of, like, whatever I can get," she said.
Employers say they've seen an increase in the number of people applying for jobs -- not just teenagers.
"It's like buying a house in this economy, you've got the pick of the litter," said Mario Russo, co-owner of Cary Quick Serve Restaurants, which operates three Triangle Dunkin' Donuts-Baskin Robins stores.
The increase in applications from all types of workers can force store owners and managers to make some tough calls.
Matt Barry, manager of Dickey's Barbecue Pit restaurant in Cary, gets a mix of applications from teens and adults.
"[The teenager] might need that job for some money, but they don't need that job like a 27- or 28-year-old who has a kid or something," he said. "In the end I've got to look at what I need. Do I have full-time hours for that person with a kid, or do I only have a position with a few shifts a week? It's a hard call to make."
Showing you are serious about securing and keeping a job can help your chances, said Dan Mall, local franchisee of eight Jimmy John's sandwich shops.
"If you show me you want to work here, that's all I care about," he said. "I don't prefer 16 over 60. ... Everybody that starts has to memorize the menu in advance. Sometimes people do it, sometimes they don't. If they've done their due diligence on their end, I'll hire them."
Teenagers can especially help their own cause if they are willing to show a long-term commitment to the company, Mall added.
"Any time I hire somebody, I would like them to have a job with us through their high school career," he said. "Sometimes we hire kids and when they go to college they transfer."
And here's one last important piece of advice from Joan Brathwaite, who handles store operations for Raleigh-based Goodberry's Frozen Custard: "Sometimes the young people wait a little bit longer to apply, but anyone we hire for summer we would like to have them trained before May."
Some companies have completed their summer hiring.
Concert promoter Live Nation has already filled its 200 summer positions at the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek.
The company had almost 600 applications.
Teens who wait too long or are just unable to find a job this summer should not take that as a license to goof off, said SnagAJob.com's McCarthy. The next best thing is probably to volunteer.
"At least get something on your resume so that next summer you do have something to point to and you do have a reference," she said. "Otherwise you're just another year behind."
Get the biggest news in your email or cellphone as it's happening. Sign up for breaking news alerts.
A UNC Board of Governors committee today approved tuition and fee increases for 2012-13 and tuition increases for in-state undergraduates in 2013-14. 
The number of people seeking unemployment aid neared a four-year low last week, a positive sign that strong hiring could continue in the coming months. Keep up with the latest business stories with our free e-mail newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox!
Subscribe to Business - it's free!
Subscribe to NC Business News - it's free!
Subscribe to Technology/Biotech - it's free!
Create your own job - like Ben Armstrong
If you just can't find a job this summer, you might think about creating your own opportunity.
Services including computer skills, technical skills or house-painting skills could make fine self-started summer jobs.
Ben Armstrong would say that's definitely good advice.
The 14-year-old Raleigh eighth-grader started up his first business when he was 11 -- a Web and graphic design company called Red Tie Designs that he ran with two of his friends.
Thanks to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, his network of co-workers has expanded to nine teens across the country and in Britain and Australia.
With an expanded international presence, Ben changed the company's image, renaming it 9miles Media and relaunching in January.
On top of school work (which his parents insist must be done first) and running track for Wakefield Middle School, Ben said keeping the company going takes dedication.
But, he added, the company is gaining ground, doing more jobs and building a portfolio.
All of the money earned from the jobs so far has been divided among the designers who worked on the projects or reinvested back into the company.
He is planning to file incorporation papers with the state later this year.
"Teens have an amazing untapped talent as well as just a passion because they're not bogged down with day-to-day stuff that adults are," he said.
Ben said he doesn't know where his entrepreneurial spirit will take him but that he's enjoying being his own boss now.
"I go to school and someone asks me what do I do with my spare time, and I say, 'I run an international design business.' "
Staff writer Sue Stock
Here are some tips from the experts on how to move to the top of the resume stack this summer:
Have a positive attitude. Express an eagerness to work for the specific company to which you are applying. Don't just act like you need a job and this one will do.
Be flexible. The more flexible you can be about when you can work, the better. Odd shifts and weekend shifts are tough for employers to fill.
Work your network. Ask your parents, neighbors and any other adults you know if they know of someone with an available job. Sometimes a kind word from a friend is enough to get your foot in the door.
Don't nitpick. In today's economy, the more flexible you can be about where you are willing to work and what you are willing to do, the better your chances.
Focus your search. Pay attention to financial headlines and focus on companies that are doing well. Also look at companies that typically hire younger workers, including restaurants, grocery stores and retail.
Be professional. If your e-mail address is something you don't want the world to see, you might think about opening a new e-mail account on Gmail or Yahoo that sounds a bit more professional. Likewise, change your voice mail message to be professional.
Do mock interviews. Sit with your parents or your friends and practice interviewing. This way, you will get used to fielding questions about yourself.
Follow up. Persistence can show an employer that you are a dedicated worker and really want the job.
