I haven't noticed a really big slow down for my friends and I, but then again maybe that's because we are all 19 and sophmores in college now.
Personally, I've been lucky, I started working in computers when I was in the 9th grade, so now I've got a solid 3 summers worth of experience (paid) and I'm currently working for small computer consulting business. Experience got me the job. Hell, I was able to turn down a job working for the state because the pay wasn't competitive.
My friends don't seem to be having trouble either though. Here a couple of jobs they have:
camp counselor for a local church or school
hostess
grease monkey at a tire shop/oil change place
Best Buy
manual labor in car parts warehouse
network/system administrator
webhosting
ymca
valet
That's just the stuff I could think off the top of my head. Maybe its my location (Raleigh, NC we've got an overflow of computer/IT people though) but I haven't noticed it too much. Sure the 15 and 16 year old kids can't get that job at Best Buy or EBgames that they wanted but tough luck, gotta keep looking for anything and everything. Before I got the computer job my Dad suggested getting my CDL and doing parts delivery for Napa or Carquest or some place like that.
As far as the economy goes, yes its down but the president and congress have very little control over that. They can't make immediate changes to the economy. Any kind of change that congress wants to do takes years to have an effect. Come on guys, that's just basic econ
