TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) _ This is a tough time to be a teen looking for a summer job.

A slowing local economy, competition from more experienced workers because of rising unemployment and the state’s new higher minimum wage all are working against teenagers looking for temporary jobs, according to local experts.

``There’s no doubt about it. Summer jobs will be tough to find this year,’’ said Sean Lopez, Pledge-a-Job coordinator.

Much of the reason lies in the prevailing economic doldrums.

``The demand for employment has definitely slackened in recent months, and leaders are cautious with hiring plans,’’ said Marshall Vest, director of the Economic and Business Research Center at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management.

Job growth in Pima County has fallen from 2.4 percent last year to 1.1 percent this year, according to the Department of Economic Security.

Plus, layoffs also are sending experienced workers back into the job market. There were 4,200 fewer jobs in Tucson in February than in the same month a year earlier, the latest DES figures show.

On the bright side, the areas with the biggest layoffs _ manufacturing, construction and financial services _ don’t employ many teens in the summer. However, other prime prospects for summer jobs, such as hotels, restaurants and retail trade, also have taken an employment drubbing in the past year.

Former employees in those industries have experience and are looking for work.

High school students may find themselves competing with a more mature work force for entry-level employment in Tucson this summer, said Pledge-a-Job’s Lopez.

Students will have to fight for jobs this year and really show their enthusiasm and desire for the position, Lopez said.

Pledge-a-Job is a work force development board that helps students find jobs during the school year and for the summer months. In its summer youth employment program, Lopez said, the organization usually helps around 1,500 students find jobs in Tucson.

A rise in the minimum wage in January may mean that employers are less willing to take a risk on an inexperienced worker if they have to pay $6.90 an hour versus the $5.15 minimum wage just last summer.

Jo Jensen, the owner of Santa Barbara Ice Creamery, said that the current economy is hurting her business, which she says has dropped by two-thirds this year.

She says she pays the current minimum wage, but that dairy product prices have gone up so she has to rely on only a few longtime employees.

``I feel bad for the kids looking for jobs,’’ she said. ``It’s tough out there. They really need to soul search to see if the job is what they want to do.’’

Danny Martinez, 18, is one of the lucky ones.

The Sabino High School senior plans on working full time this summer as a cashier _ he works part time now _ at the Target store.

He said the job means more than just a paycheck.

``It teaches you a lot about personal skills and it improves your life,’’ Martinez said of what he has learned while ringing up purchases.

He believes it prepares him for bigger jobs down the road. And the summer job will help him pay for college when he starts at the University of Arizona in the fall.

He advises other teens looking for summer employment to pay close attention to their appearance when applying.

``The first impression is really important,’’ Martinez said. ``Dress nice and be as professional and formal as possible.’’

Another possibility for those who may not need the money but appreciate the experience is an internship, Vest said.

An internship will give teenagers critical experience for the job market next year, when the economy is expected to improve, he said.

Information from: Tucson Citizen, http://www.tucsoncitizen.com