Emurse

As classes come to an end, many high school seniors and college students begin to realize that summer vacation is a great opportunity to earn some extra cash and some priceless experience. Whether looking for your first job, or your first career-oriented job, summer placements are ideal for testing out your interests, gaining experience, and building a well rounded resume. Although it can be hard to give up three months of fun in the sun, a great summer job can be a positive first step in building your career!

Finding the Perfect Summer Job

It is never too early to start looking for a summer job. Many companies plan on seasonal help and would be delighted to have an employee lined up a few months, even a year in advance. Be upfront about your interest and availability when you first contact them. If they would rather you wait to apply, then get all of the information you can. Knowing who you should ask for, when to call back, and when does the seasonal help usually begin can be valuable. Make sure to your calendar to follow up.

A great place to begin is your personal network. Ask your parents, pastors, teachers, coaches, neighbors and family to see if they know anyone in an industry or company that you are interested in. Ask if they can connect you or at the very least pass on your interest. A personal contact is always the best way to apply for any position! If you use this tactic, be prepared for some extra pressure to perform. When someone helps you get a job, they are putting their reputation on the line. You will be expected to meet expectations!

Newspapers, career offices, and online job search tools are also great resources when beginning your job hunt. Many industries will seek out high school and college career centers in the area for summer help. Ask if your local career center has a resume file and check in with them often.

Most seasonal work is entry level by nature, so don’t worry too much about not having experience. Check out our post on writing a great entry level resume, and tips for writing a resume without work experience. Be prepared to point out scholastic endeavors, volunteering experience and even hobbies. When you are given an interview, focus on how hard you will work and how committed you will be to that opportunity.

Do not be afraid to aim high and apply often. Often, you should take minimum requirements with a grain of salt. Employers would like to find an employee with 5 years experience, but everyone needs to begin somewhere. It is also a good idea to apply to a number of different companies and a wide variety of positions. When job hunting, it is never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket. Too many first time job hunters learn the hard way that this can backfire and leave you jobless.

Emurse tip: Consider creating a detailed resume for your own personal reference, documenting details such as company address, phone number, start pay end pay, supervisor, etc. Often summer jobs and part time jobs require you to fill out applications, not hand in resumes. Having this information already compiled in an easy to read format can save you time and headaches when filling out dozens of applications.

If the job you really want is an unpaid internship, but you need a summer job that pays the bills, consider picking up a second part time job to make it work. Many jobs, such as waiting tables, lifeguarding and retail offer flexible hours. Take the job you want at fewer hours per week to get the experience, and balance it with a paying job that can work around your schedule! Do not overwork yourself, but do not be afraid of the opportunity to prove your work ethic and get more experience under your belt.

Types of Summer Jobs

Internships / Professional gigs offer the most bang for your buck when it comes to gaining experience. These types of positions tend to be somewhat competitive but extremely rewarding. The closer you are to college graduation, the more you should strongly consider an internship.

Retail jobs offer great flexibility and are often abundant in supply. These types of jobs tend to be very friendly towards seasonal employees. Waiting tables offers many of the same benefits. Both increase your ability to handle monetary transactions and face-to-face customer relations.

Outdoor jobs are all the rage. While lifeguarding is often a popular choice (and a great one), landscaping is a great way to earn some extra cash while showing strong work ethic. You might even get into shape

Up for something different? Check into an area theme park. If there are not any theme parks near you (and even if they are), Disney offers a fantastic summer program for college students attracting seasonal employees from all over the world.

Consider working as a summer camp counselor. Often, these opportunities can provide you with lasting relationships that prove valuable later in life. The social encounters you will face can help increase on-the-job skills such as communication, conflict resolution, diversity training, leadership, organization and managerial skills. These jobs are not only fun, but loaded with responsibility. The YMCA runs camps nationwide and offers an online interface for finding positions.

Summer is also a great chance to also try your hand at entrepreneurship. If you have a skill, talent or interest that can be put to work - go for it! Are you a great babysitter? Can you design a website? Do you enjoy lawn-work? Could you be a tutor in a tough subject? Think of some ways to market yourself. Start with your inner network and then reaching out to the wider community. Running your own show can be a lot of work, but it provides insight into the “real world” while building valuable managerial skills.

Job competition can be fierce. Summer jobs help you gain valuable experience that can set you apart from the rest. They can be a great way to meet new people, create lasting memories and earn some extra cash all at the same time!

Have comments or suggestions? Maybe a great memory of a particular summer job that you just loved? Join in the conversation in the comments below!

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Check out the absolute best way for creating, sharing and storing your resume online. Also, try out our job search and find that great summer job!