An employment research company said on Monday that U. S. teenagers may find the summer jobs they want have been scooped up by older workers.

The job market for 16- to 19-year-olds had the slowest May since 1969 with 6,000 in the category finding jobs, said Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Challenger, Gray & Christmas further revealed that among slightly older workers, 20- to 24-year-olds, 270,000 found jobs in May, "suggesting that these older workers are taking the jobs typically held by teens."

The report also said that the hiring rate for teens in May was 95 percent lower than May 2009, when 111,000 16- to 19-year-olds found work in the month.

The company's Chief Executive Officer John Challenger, said, "Even with the early hiring surge, it appears that the summer job market for teenagers may be far worse than expected."

He further said, "Knowing how competitive the market would be, many teenagers may have tried to get a head start on their job searches, even if it meant picking up hours during the school year. This might explain the spring employment gains." (With Inputs from Agencies)