Kurt Soller asks in Newsweek, “by banning online sales, are the Girl Scouts failing our daughters?”  8-year-old Wild Freeborn became a Girl Scout earlier this year, and set out to sell 12,000 boxes of the organization’s cookies. As a smart and forward thinking kid she decided to use the internet to increase her sales.  With the help of her dad she posted a YouTube video, starring Freeborn in Girl Scout gear, touting her straightforward sales pitch. “Buy cookies! And they’re yummy!” and set up an online order system that was limited to customers within their local area (so Freeborn could personally deliver them). It worked, but she got in trouble because the organization has a longstanding prohibition of online sales.

I can understand the safety concerns, but the Girl Scouts (and every other youth group) have to be encouraging their kids to utilize the internet. What do you think? How important are internet skills to you?  Similarly, Anastasia points out on YPulse that Saving Journalism Should Begin In High Schools – is your high school teaching kids internet schools?

In this weak economy and tight job market, students have to start their summer job search earlier than ever. To help our peers, we’ve put together five tips to help make the job search a little easier.

1. BE BRAVE. Even in this economy, there are employers looking for the affordable, enthusiastic, and energetic help that teenagers provide, but you have to go out and ask for it. Don’t let yourself be discouraged by news of the economy, and don’t be afraid to apply for jobs.

2. BE PREPARED. Bring a resume and a cover letter whenever you apply for a job. Teens are now competing for jobs with adults and having a well-written resume is essential. It shows that you are serious about the position, and that you are mature and responsible. If you need help writing a resume, MyFirstPaycheck.com provides a helpful dynamic free resume.

3. BE POLITE. You are applying for a job so dress up, make eye contact, shake hands, and avoid using slang. First impressions matter — they are your chance to prove yourself — so take advantage of the opportunity.

4. BE PERSISTENT. Persistence pays off.  Send a thank you note to interviewers, follow-up if you do not hear about the job after a week, and keep applying.

5. BE CREATIVE. Look for work in places other than the mall. The weak economy means that people are going to be looking to cut costs in areas such as lawn and child care. Get a few friends together and start a landscaping or a babysitting business.

Do you have any other tips?

Here in Philadelphia (like every where else) we’re faced with a tough economy and the city is forced to make some tough budget cuts.  One of the proposals is to close the swimming pools this summer.  I’m not going to argue that one facility is more important to the other, but Kia Gregory makes the often over looked point in today’s Inquirer that not only do pools give kids something to do and somewhere to go over the summer, but they keep plenty of kids employed.

Lifeguarding is a great summer job and Myfirstpaycheck.com has many listings, but when cities close pools they are putting jobs and teens  in jeopardy.

Since the city cannot afford to keep everything open on it’s own how Philly kids stay cool this summer depends on us. Check out this great fundraising drive, and please donate if you can.

Last year we wrote ‘Where Are The Snow Shovelers?’ in resonse to my grandmother’s post about the lack of teenage snow shovelers in her North Shore neigbhorhood.

Well, as you might have seen it snowed a lot on the east coast today and it seems like there were some teens out making money ($200 in one day? not bad) - maybe we gave up on teens too early?

I wanted to pass on this story of a teacher at an Albuquerque middle school who is teaching her kids the skills they need to find summer jobs.

Joan Krieger is an example of what teachers everywhere should be, and are, doing. Let me know if you are a teacher trying to figure out how to teach job skills, but struggling to figure out how, we can help.

If you haven’t noticed, the economy sucks and the job market is as dry as Arizona in the summertime. Normal jobs that teenagers used to be able to work in the summer are now filled by laid off adults and college graduates.  I myself am a recent college graduate and have friends who can’t even find work at McDonalds.  So if you haven’t noticed this by now you deserve a slap in the face. Wake up! Times are tough, but we all still need money. So what do you do? The answer to the above question really depends on who and where you are.  Some job markets have more opportunity then others.  For instance, if you are in Cape Cod, MA there is an influx of job opportunities there in the summertime due to the seasonal nature of business and tourism there.  But if you are in the suburbs of Philadelphia, you may not have the same opportunity.  Myfirstpaycheck.com is a great resource for you to turn to in order to find out which areas still have jobs you can fill.

Years ago before I started my own company I took finding a good and lucrative job into my own hands and actually moved to Cape Cod, MA for my summer break.  I knew that during the summer there are countless opportunities there to find part or full-time work with great pay.  And it was in Cape Cod that I was inspired to start my own business, Sand Shack, which I now run full-time, and its products can be found in stores across the country.  Everything fell together when I took it into my own hands to find a job that was right and fun for me.  I lived well that summer, got a girlfriend (no longer with), and made a ton of money (for a teenager).

Ok, well not all of you can up and go to Cape Cod or any other seasonal tourist locale this summer, but I challenge you to think outside the box when looking for work.  Where do you have relatives living where you would like to work this summer? If you are old enough, and still in school, why don’t you and your friends rent a house this summer somewhere where you can all find jobs

There are opportunities out there, you are just going to have to look harder and exert more effort in pursuing the opportunities that are left.

You may even have to purchase a plane ticket.

Guest Post From Brian Linton is the founder and president of Sand Shack LLC. He has his own online video show and regularly writes about his entrepreneurial adventures and insights at brianlinton.com.

Forbes.com has an article about a survey from Harris Interactive that found that more teens volunteer than work part time.

“The random national telephone survey released this week by the Federal Way-based charity World Vision found that more teens volunteer to support a charitable cause – 56 percent – than have a part-time job – 39 percent.”

but adds,

“The Harris Interactive survey found a quarter of teens have become more involved in charitable causes or organizations as a result of the economic downturn, but the economy has also led to cuts in allowances, and has teens working more hours at a paying job.”

So are kids working more or less? It’s hard to tell, and while I hope that teens are getting more involved in their communities, the current state of the economy is forcing more kids into the workplace. Hopefully myfirstpaycheck.com can help them.

Is Shore Economy Bucking the Tide? The Inquirer certainly seems to think so – what do you think? Do teens have a chance of finding summer jobs at the shore or at other summer destinations?

TAMAR LEWIN has a good article in The Times about the college financial aid system and the confusing FASFA form. You should check it out if you are trying to figure out how to pay for school.

You are generally not going to be able to pay for college with after-school and summer jobs (especially with escalating school costs and the decreasing number of jobs) – but it is still important to work and save. Teens to need financial aid to close the gap to pay for college.

Check out our summer job listings to find jobs near you, but check out the Fafsa, and instructions for filling it out, online at fafsa.ed.gov. Finaid.org is another good resource for information, at no charge, about the Fafsa and financial aid.