Summer jobs can be fun and rewarding if you know when and how to look for them.  Summer is a great time to take extra classes, earn some money or get relevant experience in your career field. I’m going to use my own summer experiences to show you what works and what doesn’t.

The summer after my first year in college I partook in an internship/learning program through my university. I lived with an alumni family in New York, worked in the area and had some required assignments to earn course credits for it. It was partially relevant to the career I wanted to pursue, and I actually applied early to the program and planned ahead of time.

Student internships are always a useful way to gain experience in a particular field or at least to expose you to the working world. Check if your school has any established internship or summer programs you can participate in. Try to hone in on your career interests so you can target internships to get the best possible experience for your career goals. If you can afford it, it might even be worth it to take an unpaid internship over a paid gig if it’s more relevant to the career you want.

My second summer in college I had decided I wanted to be back in my hometown since I went to school out of state. This time, I hadn’t really planned anything out before leaving school for the summer. I assumed I would find a retail or food service job when I got back home and earn some extra money.

Well, as it turns out most companies had already hired their summer staff by the time I started applying. I managed to get a waitressing job at a new café opening but wasn’t getting any hours so when I saw an advertisement for a camp counselor position, I jumped on it. I quickly learned that most summer camps do hire before summer starts and I found out first-hand why that one was still hiring…

Start early! I know the school year is chaotic and planning for the summer can seem like just another thing on an ever growing to-do list but planning early on will prove worthwhile. You don’t want to miss out on opportunities because you didn’t think ahead.

The last summer between my college years I was returning from a semester abroad and asked family and friends if they knew of anywhere hiring for the summer. Fortunately, a relative was willing to hire me on at his company and I was able to get some administrative experience and exposure to the world of finance.

Talk to friends, family and acquaintances about summer positions. A lot of companies, especially businesses owned by friends or family are looking for extra help during the summers or are willing to take on interns. 

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Amanda Ryan is a Program Development Associate & Senior Resume Writer at RedStarResume. Amanda is a highly skilled resume writing expert and career expert who also specialises in creating, writing and developing career content, working alongside student and graduate job seekers and developing career content for newsletters, partners and career websites.

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