Christian Woepke has filled out more applications than he can count. But like 66 percent of teens, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), he is unemployed.

“I am usually not even chosen to [interview],” Woepke said.

Although he does not currently have a job, Woepke did work at Schnucks for six months.

“I’ve had three interviews,” Woepke said. “But most places never call back.”

Some students do manage to find jobs despite the odds. Emma Flynn, senior, has not one, but three jobs.

“Before I got my first job, I filled out, like, 50 applications,” Flynn said. “But then I found my first job at the carwash through a flyer at school.”

Finding jobs has never been more difficult for teens, and the 16-18- year- old age group has the most problems according to the BLS.

“We hire anyone over 16,” Audrey Harris, manager at Oberweis Dairy on Manchester Road, said, “but it depends on the interview.”

Although stores such as Oberweis do hire teenagers, many teens still remain unemployed.

“I’ve applied to restaurants, fast food places, every store in the mall,” Woepke said. “It might be my work history, it might be my appearance [that keeps me from getting hired].”

Woepke, who has long, bleached hair and multiple ear piercings, quit his job at Schnucks because of low pay.

“I think that some jobs jump to conclusions. Hair too long, ear piercings,” Woepke said. “You can’t be passing up on a good employee for someone who looks nicer.”

Flynn, on the other end of the scale, found one of her other two jobs at a photography studio while working at the carwash.

“A regular customer at the carwash and I were talking,” Flynn said, “and I mentioned I was a photographer, so he asked me to show him my photos, and then he offered me a job.”

Her other job came after a manager saw her eating with some of her friends at Noodles and Co.

“He pulled me out of a crowd and gave me the application there,” Flynn said. “After a two-minute interview, he said ‘You have the job.’”

Flynn admits she was lucky.

“I think finding a job is really difficult,” Flynn said. “You have to stand out, have connections.”

Though some of the lack of employment can be attributed to the job market, some of the results could be because, according to the BLS, more students are in summer school than ever before.

“You have to do so much more for college. Trying to handle a job can be too much,” Flynn said.