SUNRIVER, OR -- Applying for that first job can be a daunting task for many teens. To help avoid some of the stress associated with the process, SHARC is hosting its first Summer Employment open house for teens, age 15-18, Tuesday night. 

Shawn Cannon is the Recreation Director for the Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic & Recreation Center (SHARC). She tells KBND News, "We just recognize that they’re not coming to us with a lot of advanced skills and knowledge of how to be confident in an interview and presenting themselves in a good manner, so we though this would be a great way to kind of gain some of those skills in advance and help them out." And, she says hiring young teens involves parental support. Tuesday's event also includes tips for parents. "Especially when you’re hiring 15- or 16-year-olds who may or may not have a driver’s license or are even able to drive, it’s a partnership with the parents. The tips for parents are to help them to work with their teens, in general, on getting that resume ready and presenting themselves in a manner. But, also recognizing that it’s a commitment on both parts when they take a seasonal job."

Cannon says about 70% of SHARC's summer seasonal employees are under the age of 18. "We typically, between our attendant, lifeguard, staff, tennis and Adventure Camp – which is our kids program – we hire just about a hundred seasonal staff, annually." On the other end of the spectrum, she says about 5% of summer staff are retirees who want to stay involved in their community. "Our tennis program, in particular; some of our attendant positions, lifeguards even, front desk seasonal, those will get a little more mature applicants that are looking for that seasonal job."

Tuesday's teen employment open house begins at 6 p.m. at SHARC. The center will host its annual summer job fair the following week: March 29, from 9 to 11 a.m. To learn more, click HERE to visit SHARC's events calendar.