summer jobs

Use These Tips to Find Great Summer Jobs

June 19, 2021 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

When you think about finding a summer job, you often think about teens looking for work. That’s definitely one situation. However, many different people are looking for summer jobs this year. No matter your age or experience, use these tips to find great summer jobs.

Reasons To Look for Great Summer Jobs

Obviously, teens and young adults often seek out summer jobs. They’re between semesters at school. They want some extra pocket money. Moreover, they want to get some work experience under their belt before they head out into the workplace full-time.

However, not only teens are looking for great summer jobs this year. Many people are on the job hunt. While some are looking for a permanent position, others are seeking something just for the summer. Examples include:

Families that want to do work together during the summer months
People who have been out of work for awhile and need to boost their budget
Folks who are traveling for the summer and want to work their way as they go
People with full-time jobs who want a side gig during the months of the year with lots of daylight

No matter the reason, there are a ton of great summer jobs out there. You just need to know how to find them.

5 Solid Tips to Find Great Summer Jobs

These tips to find great summer jobs apply no matter how old you are or what job you might seek this summer:

1. Treat The Job Search Like It’s a Job

It’s tempting to put just a little bit of effort into your job search. After all, it’s summertime. You want to go enjoy your life, too. However, that’s a mistake. You should treat the job search as though it is a job in and of itself. The more seriously you take the job search, the more likely it is that you’ll get the job that you want.

How to Take a Job Search Seriously

Commit to a schedule for your job search. It doesn’t have to be 9-5. However, it should be comparable to a full-time job. Note that if you already have a full-time job and are looking for a second summer job, then your job search schedule would reflect that difference. In that case, you might commit to searching for three hours per night after work.
Do your research. Decide what kind of job you’re looking for. Then dig deep to find all of the opportunities available in your chosen area. Don’t just browse the first Google search result and end there. Instead, put in effort to find all of the potential jobs out there.
Dress the part, figuratively. In this case, that means taking the time to rework your resume. Write cover letters. Update your web presence. Everything related to your job search should look like you’re the person who deserves the job.

2. Make Your Want, Will, Won’t List

This is a great way to make decisions about nearly anything in your life. Basically, you take three sheets of paper. Then you label one “want,” another “will,” and the last one “won’t.” Then you brainstorm as many things as possible related to the question at hand. In this case, the question is – what kind of summer job do I want?

Tips to Find Great Summer Jobs You Actually Want to Work

On your want list, you’ll put all of the qualities that you would desire in the perfect job. Consider:

Preferred salary
Desired / required hours
Dress code
Work environment
Work duties
Benefits
Length of commitment
Remote vs. in-office opportunities
Who you’ll be working with

Next, write your won’t list. What are the things that you absolutely won’t tolerate in a job? There’s no point in even applying to jobs that have items from your won’t list.

Finally, use that information to make your “will” list. These are the things that you’ll accept even though they aren’t your true “wants.”

For example, you might want a job that pays $30 per hour. You definitely won’t take a job that pays minimum wage. However, under the right conditions, you will take a job that pays $20 per hour.

Knowing this information makes it much easier to search for a job. After all, you can easily filter out what won’t work for you, focusing on what will.

3. Put the Word Out There and Network As Much As Possible

Of all the important tips to find great summer jobs, this might be the most important. Yes, there are tons of job boards available online. Certainly, you do have a chance of getting those jobs, especially if you treat the job search like a job in and of itself. Nevertheless, it’s always better if you know someone to help you get the foot in the door.

Therefore, you should make sure that you do as much as you can to network to find the jobs that you’re seeking. First of all, this means that you have to put the word out there to your existing network. Let everyone know that you’re searching. Moreover, tell them what you’re searching for and don’t hesitate to share why you think you’re the perfect person for the job.

Next, get into networking outside of your existing circle. Identify the types of jobs that you want for the summer. Then start heading to places where you can meet people hiring inside those jobs. Job fairs, business events, meetups … these are all great ways to start meeting the people who can hire you this summer.

4. Ask for Help

It’s totally okay to ask other people for help in getting summer jobs. Think about your unique situation in order to find the people that you can ask.

For example, if you’re a student looking for a summer job, then you might want to ask your school counselor for assistance. They always have tips for finding great summer jobs. Plus they might provide you with a reference.

If you’ve been unemployed for awhile and on assistance, then you might want to check with your unemployment counselor. You’d be surprised at how helpful they can be with tips for finding great summer jobs. Of course, they can help you find long-term solutions as well.

Maybe you know someone who has the kind of company that you want to work for. You don’t have to ask them for a job (although you could.) However, you might ask for a lunch meeting to pick their brain about how to get that job.,

You can also opt to find a job in freelance marketplaces like the ones below.

Platforms	Best For:
Fiverr	Finding Freelancers
Bark	Finding Unique Freelancers
Appjobs	Gig Economy Professionals

5. Create Your Own Summer Job

You don’t necessarily have to rely on someone else to hire you this summer. You can start your own job. If you’re a teenager, then you might choose petsitting, babysitting or learning how to use social media for income. If you’re older, then you might want to launch a side business, write an ebook or begin to sell your consulting services. You can try it out for the summer. Then, if you like it, you might grow it.

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Fewer Teens Have Time For Summer Jobs

July 5, 2019 By Amanda Blankenship Leave a Comment

Summer jobs used to almost be a right of passage for teenagers. However, only one-third of teens (ages 16 to 19) held a job over the summer. In the early 2000s, at least 60 percent of working-age teens held a summer job. So, what is causing teens to bail on working during summer vacation?

Why Fewer Teens Have Summer Jobs

One reason teenagers simply aren’t seeking out summer jobs is time constraints. About 45 percent of teens are enrolled in summer classes (up from 10 percent in 1985).

“Families are focusing now on education — getting good grades and being college-ready,” Ellen Davis, president of the National Retail Federation Foundation, stated. “Students are also focusing on athletics. A lot of teenagers are opting out of the workforce, and many of them aren’t finding their first job until they graduate from college. That has huge implications, not only for businesses who are trying to hire young people but also for young people who aren’t learning the skills they need to be successful in the workplace.”

Because of this, many businesses are searching for older workers to fill the positions that may normally be filled by teens. In summer 2000, 24 percent of the food service workers were teenagers. Last year, that fell to just 19 percent, while food service workers 55 and older rose 4 percent (from 8 to 12). This has led to companies like McDonald’s to partner with AARP to fill seasonal roles.

Other large employers, like Walmart, are still attempting to appeal to teenage employees though. The retailer has begun to offer SAT and ACT prep courses to teen employees. These courses may usually hinder teens from working, however, with it being scheduled and backed by the company, scheduling conflicts won’t occur.

It is still up in the air as to whether the trend will continue to swing downward in the years to come. One thing is certain though, teens are focusing on school and sports more than nailing down a job (and money of their own).

Readers, what do you think about this? Should teens have summer jobs or should they be more focused on school?

These 10 Cities Have the Best Summer Jobs in 2018

May 25, 2018 By Amanda Blankenship Leave a Comment

Relatively low unemployment means that fewer teenagers are looking for summer jobs this year. And that means more opportunities are available for adults who want to earn some extra cash.

And while you might have a good idea of what a summer job looks like (based on the duties, for instance), some jobs may pay better than others and be in locations with below-average costs of living.

Some cities simply have more summer job openings than others. So WalletHub analyzed over 180 U.S. employment markets based on the number of opportunities, affordability, and things to do in your downtime. Here are the top 10 metropolitan areas in that analysis.

Cities with the Best Summer Jobs

Scottsdale, AZ

Depending on the kind of position you are looking for, Scottsdale could be the perfect city to travel to. The cost of living is low enough to propel this city to the top spot among cities with the best summer job prospects.

Available positions include camp counselors, internships, activity leaders, and other temporary positions.

Orlando, FL

As you can imagine, Orlando has a variety of summer jobs available as well. Of course, a number of seasonal positions will be open at the city’s various theme parks. You’ll also be able to snap temp jobs as a summer camp counselor, a line cook, or even a groundskeeper.

The difference between Orlando and Scottsdale’s summer job markets comes down to affordability — or rather, the fact that Orlando is a bit pricier than Scottsdale.

Columbia, MD

You may not have visited this city yet, but Columbia, MD is a great place to look for summer employments. Positions available for summer workers include nanny, camp counsel and swim instructor.

And like a number of the cities on this list, it is also relatively affordable to live in Columbia.

Denver

Jobs available in Denver are similar: nanny, camp counselor, office assistant, and intern.

Even though Denver is a growing city, it is still fairly affordable to live there, making traveling for a summer gig potentially worth it.

Portland, ME

There are a number of temp jobs available for the summer in Portland, Maine. In addition to the usual summer camp counselor positions, there are open spots for summer school teachers, cashier, and custodial work.

Although Portland is slightly more expensive than the cities formerly mentioned, it’s still more affordable than the next five on the list.

Miami

Miami is actually one of the more expensive cities to live in in the U.S.

However, it’s also one of the best places to land a great summer job — including such roles as sales representative, treatment program intern and summer camp counselor.

Some positions are temp-to-hire, as well — which is good to know in case you find yourself falling in love with Miami.

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Internships, camp counselor positions, sales jobs, and a number of other seasonal gigs are opening up in Fort Lauderdale.

And while it’s slightly more expensive to live in Fort Lauderdale than Orlando, it’s much cheaper than Miami — making it easier to bank the money you earn over the summer.

Atlanta

Atlanta is another location some people may consider pricey — and some estimates consider it more expensive than Miami.

However, Atlanta has lots of jobs advertised as summer (or seasonal) gigs; they include camp counselors and delivery drivers.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City has a good number of seasonal job openings as well. Companies in the area are searching for bus drivers, summer school teachers, nannies, camp counselors, and sales assistants.

Although this city is slightly more expensive than some of the others on the list, many of the jobs also pay more.

Rapid City, SD

South Dakota isn’t somewhere many people think about traveling in the summer. However, Rapid City, SD has some of the best summer jobs available. They include driver’s helper, groundskeeper and art teacher, among others.

The average pay versus the cost of living makes it a great city for banking summer pay.

Should You Relocate Just for the Summer?

All in all, relocating for a summer job probably might not be the best idea for everyone. However, if you live within driving distance of one of these cities, or attend college there, these summer jobs can help you make a bit of extra money while you have some downtime.

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