SARASOTA - There aren't many summer jobs out there these days, and students out of high school or home from college will likely have a tough time finding work.

Many businesses are cutting jobs and more people are trying to get those jobs that are open.

"I was walking up and down Main Street desperately looking for a job."  Home from college, Brittney Bentley was trying to find a summer job.  Out of the nearly fifty resumes Brittney gave out, only a few called back.  "It was really hard.  A lot of places said no, so I kind of had to section out Sarasota and do each section at a time.  I only got calls back from 3 places."

One of those places was a yogurt shop on Main Street in Sarasota.  Whiteberry opened its doors two months ago, and the owner says they had no shortage of possible employees.  "No...I didn't do any sign.  I mean they are just pouring in here.  There is no sign, no ad," says owner Linda Doan.

They've recieved nearly sixty resumes to date.

So what made Brittney land on top?  "Halfway through the interview, she was like 'Do you know anything about our product?'  And I was like 'Yeah, my dad did your floor, and he rants and raves about it.'  And then she was like 'Well, I guess I have to hire you'," says Brittney.

That kind of connection with a potential employer can make the difference.

But according to Jobs, Etc., a Suncoast training and employment center, many businesses on the Suncoast are downsizing, making it even more difficult for students to step into a summer position.

Hemingway's Retreat has been on St. Armands Circle for 20 years.  "We used to hire people out of high school or still in high school and we had great response from it," says manager Robert Bonace.  But now, they say their employees are staying on the job longer, and its been more feasible to hire one full-time employee rather than several working part-time.

U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics show that in April, more than 13 million Americans were unemployed, a 6 million increase from the previos year.

More unemployed makes landing those summer jobs harder for students.  Jobs, Etc. says if you are looking for summer work you want to make sure you stand out.  So market yourself by applying to jobs that interest you, and your enthusiasm will show.

Jobs, Etc. has a lot of helpful information on their website, at www.jobsetc.org/.