Summer is right around the corner. Many college students are starting to pull together their summer plans, which may include getting a part-time job, seasonal work or an internship.
Summer Jobs
This is a great opportunity for college students to earn some extra money and add to their resume.
Where Are They?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 5 industries that attracted seasonal workers in the summer of 2009 between the ages of sixteen to twenty-four were:
- Leisure and Hospitality
- Retail trade
- Education and Health Services
- Government
- Professional and Business Services
However, the current state of the economy may affect college students who are looking to get the same jobs that they did last year. While the national unemployment rate is staying steady at 9.7%, some of these sectors are recovering slower:
- Leisure and Hospitality – 12.5% unemployment rate
- Retail trade – 10.1% unemployment rate
- Professional and Business Services – 12.4% unemployment rate
Alternative Sectors
There are alternatives for college students who can’t find hospitality, retail or office jobs. In March 2010, job growth continued in the temporary help services and healthcare industry. The federal government is also continuously looking for educated college students to fulfill internships. For college students who are taking some classes during the summer, government positions are ideal because they can create flexible schedules.
A summer job can give a college student “hands-on” training for a future career. When evaluating your summer job or internship, ask yourself these questions:
- Does this job interest me?
- What’s the hourly wage?
- How many hours per week? Is there any flexibility?
- What’s the level of responsibility?
- Is this going to interfere with taking summer classes?
- Could this help me learn valuable career skills?
- Will this help me build contacts for my future career?
- Could this summer job turn into a recurring, part-time/full-time job?
Is This Job BENEFICIAL?
Make sure you understand your short-term and long-term goals. If you’re just looking some extra money, you’ll choose your job based on salary. However, make sure that there’s a long-term goal, such as valuable job experience or gaining business contacts.
Being short-sighted can hurt you if you graduate and don’t have any experience in your chosen field. Sometimes it’s worth taking a low-paying summer job or unpaid internship if it’s going to lead to bigger and better opportunities. Just make sure that your financial circumstance will allow you to take the job.
I'm MLR. After graduating from college debt free, I decided to write a blog encouraging people to adapt responsible and sensible personal finance rules.
March 12th, 2011 at 12:08 pm |
Greeat article! Getting a job helps build experience, your resume, and puts money in your bank account.
Cheers! The Marketeer
The Marketeer´s last [type] ..The Food Service Industry
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March 15th, 2011 at 10:55 pm |
I absolutely agree with the unpaid internship piece.
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June 1st, 2011 at 8:09 am |
All these job types are important for students to put some extra money into their pockets. Maybe your reader community can also consider, when taking a job, to look at aspects of providing ‘give back help’. Give back help, in my opinion, answers the questions “Are you doing something that helps society?” Take for example, providing much needed assistance for the people of Haiti or Japan. The jobs may not pay much or anything at all, but the rewards can be fantastic. The student, when they get back to school will have contributed to something very real & will have something interesting to share. Then there are companies like mine that helps parents keep their kids safe on the Internet. This is another example of give back help – helping our future, helping our kids be safe. Again the jobs in this area can be rewarding & also put a little (sometimes a lot) of money into the students pocket. Just food for thought.
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July 12th, 2011 at 10:16 am |
This will really help the students to explore which area they can get into. This is really helpful article for those. I will recommend this article to some of the students
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August 22nd, 2011 at 12:26 am |
It is not easy to find a job especially summers…Many students are applying or it…
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August 25th, 2011 at 9:02 pm |
It is never easy to get a job with appropriate salary…
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September 19th, 2011 at 2:34 am |
I know a friend who is looking for summer jobs but she did not succeed because she cannot find what she really likes…
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September 20th, 2011 at 6:35 pm |
Summer jobs are always fun and exciting…You don’t just enjoy but you earn money as well…
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October 4th, 2011 at 9:57 pm |
No matter how you like at it a summer job is good for you one way or the other. You get some cash, some experience and a sense of what life is like with a crappy job!
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October 6th, 2011 at 9:58 pm |
Looking for summer jobs is never easy and we have to be patient with it…
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October 11th, 2011 at 5:45 am |
It is not easy to find a job especially NOW, US is exporting jobs too despite what Obama said.
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October 13th, 2011 at 1:10 am |
It is important to have the best summer job for you…
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October 19th, 2011 at 12:05 am |
Aside from the extra money, I agree that students should consider choosing a summer job that would provide them with the skills and knowledge they intend to use in their future goals. Summer jobs are also best in providing ideas on what employment would feel like. I agree that looking for summer jobs is not as easy compared before. It is great that you provided suggestions.
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October 19th, 2011 at 9:57 pm |
Summer jobs are very important especially to students who want to earn money…
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October 19th, 2011 at 10:09 pm |
A summer job can be a great introduction to the real world and help students figure out what they want to do – or more importantly what not to do.
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October 20th, 2011 at 7:57 pm |
Summer job is is good, but what I’ve noticed to be the most helpful in landing an immediate job is networking with people prior to you needing a job and then when the time comes you have already built a relationship with them and they are probably willing to give you a part-time or even full-time job if you need one.
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October 26th, 2011 at 10:37 pm |
Summer jobs are some of the things that students look for when summer comes…
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November 4th, 2011 at 9:36 pm |
Good day! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading your blog posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same subjects? Thanks a lot!
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November 7th, 2011 at 1:49 am |
As per my thinking the digital marketing/ad- world is the best place for a summer job. all you need to do is socialize and get paid for it.
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November 8th, 2011 at 1:44 am |
This was perfect for people who were looking for summer jobs..
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November 15th, 2011 at 2:53 am |
When i look for a summer job, i usually list all the possible jobs that i can think of that relates to my interest the most. Then i trim it down to how beneficial the jobs will be in the future and if it will look good in my resume, then i further trim it down to the highest possible pays for the jobs. Then i’ll try to look for those positions starting from the top of the list.
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November 20th, 2011 at 8:16 pm |
This is a nice article. Students really need this kind of article, as a guide and for reference.
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December 23rd, 2011 at 1:07 pm |
I involve in summer jobs every year and mostly look for Education and Health Services.
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January 23rd, 2012 at 3:22 pm |
I think I’d go for education since I love teaching a lot. Good thing I was able to seek a teaching career during summer. What’s your favorite aspect there?
Thanks for sharing the statistics! Very helpful and informative!
-Charice
http://pickupedia.com/blog
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January 31st, 2012 at 7:19 am |
I hope I had this kind of job offers. I need to share this with my other friends. It’s kind of you to share these opportunities. Can you post frequently about this job offers?
Thanks for sharing!
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January 31st, 2012 at 7:19 am |
I hope I had this kind of job offers. I need to share this with my other friends. It’s kind of you to share these opportunities. Can you post frequently about this job offers?
Thanks for sharing!
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February 22nd, 2012 at 1:25 pm |
Most summer jobs are great student jobs, this includes those who arrive for work from other countries. Although, the economy may be sluggish overall, there are jobs available; especially in tourist towns.
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April 20th, 2012 at 1:21 pm |
I’m looking for a summer job that would hone my skills in writing and arts. What do you recommend? Thanks for sharing some inputs about summer jobs here.
-Emma
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May 9th, 2012 at 8:54 am |
Thanks for this wonderful post. I would love a job that I can benefit from most. I guess that would be a Health & Education job.
What would you suggest?
-Steven
Steven Lawson´s last [type] ..useful article
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May 16th, 2012 at 10:04 am |
I think summer jobs are a great avenue for widening one’s skills. Have you ever done a summer job before? I did, I wrote for a publication in our town. I enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing!
-Jannet
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May 20th, 2012 at 10:36 am |
Based on my experience, people seeking a summer job, which are mostly coeds do not really bother much to look for one because of the presence of online-based paid work. It is easier to stay at home and earn as long as you have stable connection and high-speed computer. Don’t you think?
Nice post. Thanks!
-Tina
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May 24th, 2012 at 5:46 pm |
Whenever I start doing a job, be it summer or any other job, I’ll go for professional and business services.
Thanks for sharing this article. It was very informative.
-Jude
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May 28th, 2012 at 8:39 pm |
Thank you for sharing this article, this is very helpful.
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July 9th, 2012 at 6:17 pm |
So true. Summer jobs can be a great way of creating contacts in your chosen industry. Even if you can’t find a job in your industry, make sure to do some kind of internship or even volunteer work in your field so you develop contacts.
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October 13th, 2012 at 12:34 am |
I am impressed with your site as it is helping people in taking their financial decision.So, I would like to send an article for a guest post in your site.
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October 24th, 2012 at 3:38 am |
That’s a cool guide for anyone wanting to get a decent summer job. Thanks.
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January 31st, 2013 at 3:41 am |
When i’m actually looking for a summer job it needs to be a job where i can learn something, so i’m studying IT, so i want a job in the IT :)
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March 31st, 2013 at 5:39 am |
What has really got me excited is the area of Hypnotherapy. My cousin runs a practice and I’m looking forward to spending a few months learning so much. And I’ll get a small payment too so even better. Plus, it’s a great grounding for my University work.
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May 22nd, 2013 at 10:15 am |
Wow! Thank your for making this post. It was really for me because I’m planning to get a summer job. Making sure that a job is helpful for you in the future is very important before getting a job as a college student, I agree with all of the things you said above. Kudos!
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