With the summer months around the corner, you must be bracing up to spruce up your professional profile with some work experience. The summer time proves to be ideal for college students to work part-time and stack up their savings for the next academic session.
However, getting part-time jobs can be challenging in the summer! For many employees, the timeframe matters a lot. They might be willing to employ candidates for a longer tenure rather than hiring you for just 2-3 months. So, how do you plan to navigate these challenges and make your bank?
With educational expenses increasing, it pays to be careful about how when you swipe your credit cards. A high-paying summer job goes beyond ensuring your cash flow to manage your meals and living expenses. Besides, you would find some of your peers aggressively clearing their student loans.
Landing a good-paying summer job can help you adopt this aggressive stance to gain financial freedom. To remain financially afloat, you need to be prudent while picking the right summer job. Make the most of your summer breaks with this comprehensive guide to financial management for students.
5 factors to consider before employing yourself this summer
A goal-oriented approach to your summer job hunt would help you balance your academics and workload. College students contribute around 8% of their college budget from their savings and income. With the right choice of job, you can stream in even more.
Prioritize these aspects when you hunt for the right job this summer.
Hourly pay
Are you aware that the minimum wage rate fixed by the Federal government is $7.25 an hour? In California, students should earn at least $13 per hour. Check out the minimum wage rate for your state and go for decent-paying jobs. With the extra cash inflow, you can clear off your student loan debts faster and stride towards your financial freedom.
Professional commitment
Once your semester commences after the summer break, you won’t be continuing with the job, right? So, look out for jobs that are typically designed for college students. Getting into a long-term professional commitment can mess up your academics.
Time schedule
Do you want to commit your summer holidays solely to stack up your savings? College students often plan outings with their friends and family. Look out for a part-time job that would allow you flexibility while earning money.
Experience
Here comes the context of aligning your financial goals and professional life. What type of job are you looking for to engage yourself this summer? Have you considered work profiles closely aligned with your career? Why engage in a random job rather than working towards your career goals? A strategic approach to job selection can make your experience count in your resume.
Job location
Would you like to work online or prefer an on-site job for the summer? Your academic commitments and work schedule largely determine the number of hours you can spare. Don’t go for a summer job that involves long commutes. If you are preoccupied with internships or other commitments, go for a freelancing or part-time online job for college students.
7 high-paying summer jobs college students should consider
Here’s our list of high-paying jobs for college students that should help you boost your bank balance.
Landscaper
Do you have green fingers? Why not spend your summer days amidst nature? As a landscaper, you would be pruning bushes, mowing lawns, and maintaining flowering plants and gardens. Of course, working as a landscaper requires physical stamina. However, spending your summer time outdoors can be rewarding as well.
At $17.45 an hour on average, you can make a few hundred dollars during your vacation. It’s all about weeding, digging, and cutting: a decent job working with trimmers and clippers. The demand for landscapers is pretty high in both residential and commercial establishments. The best thing is you can be flexible with your schedule, choosing whether to work part-time or full-time on lawns and gardens.
Office jobs
Do you know that office assistants in the US earn at least $16.59 an hour? If outdoor jobs don’t suit you, why not engage yourself in an office job that complements your professional goals? It’s nice to spend the hot summer days in the AC, working on your system to make some decent bucks!
Office assistant jobs are available in plenty, and you can schedule your time at your convenience. In this profile, you would be coordinating with the staff to maintain resources and office supplies, prepare documents, handle emails, or supervise the supplies. Working as an office assistant would significantly help you hone time managerial skills. You can refine your skillset by juggling responsibilities like scheduling appointments and vendor management.
Paid internships
Paid internships go a long way in adding value to your resume. While earning money, you would also gain hands-on experience. Depending on your professional field, the average pay per hour varies. However, marketing interns earn a median hourly pay of $14.33. For engineering interns, the pay scale is slightly higher, around $17.62 an hour.
Given that your time is valuable, make the most of your summer holidays. Why go for unpaid internships just to make your resume look better? Lots of paid internship opportunities are available in most academic fields.
Remember, paid internships come with limited slots. Try to apply with your resume and cover letter as early as possible. Some of these opportunities open up a year in advance. Check out these opportunities with your college resource center.
Hotel receptionist
College students looking for flexible work hours during their summer jobs may consider the profile of a hotel receptionist. Most hotels hire receptionists to manage their calls and customers 24/7. So, you may find a slot that suits your schedule.
As a hotel receptionist, you would be assisting guests in checking in and out, attending phone calls, booking reservations, and receiving payments.
For hotel receptionists, the national average base wage is $16.09 per hour. So, if you are comfortable with this position, you can earn a decent income during your summer. Some of the large hotel chains also develop grooming programs for their employees. Working as a receptionist at one of these organizations, you can think of a viable career path after college.
Farmhand
Here’s another rewarding outdoor summer job for you. You would earn around $16.14 an hour working as a farmhand. So, if you are okay with getting your hands dirty, why not work on farms?
As a farmhand, you would be repairing fences, mucking stalls, and working on mundane farm jobs. It’s all about making your farm owner profitable and earning good money for clearing off your student loan debts.
While the work seems physically demanding, you will love those rewards at the end of the day! Besides, this work profile brings you the opportunity to take care of animals on ranches, bathing, feeding, and monitoring them, as well as grooming animals. At the same time, you would get hands-on knowledge on operating farm equipment, transporting animals, and irrigating crops.
Mover
Up for some heavy lifting? Maybe, you’d make up for whatever you have spent at the gym over the years. Professional moving companies are on the hunt for muscular hands. If you don’t mind channelizing your stamina moving goods and heavy objects for others, try out this work profile.
Moving domestic and commercial properties involve more than physical strength. It’s all about cultivating a sense of responsibility as you move business or residential goods, coordinating with teams, and traveling short distances. Besides, you can find moving tasks for transporting furniture from stores to homes.
The pay scale looks better for all the energy you put in. Movers can make as much as $35 an hour, depending on the company you work at and the efforts you give!
Dog walker
If you love pets but don’t like the profile of a pet sitter, try out dog walking jobs. This is one of those tasks that bring in easy money. Spend time with your furry friends while their owners remain away to make bank this summer.
You’d be responsible for taking them out while their owners remain away. Make sure they get the right kind of exercise when you spend time with those pets. If you are comfortable handling dogs of different breeds and sizes, you can earn as much as $17.79 an hour.
Moreover, if you are comfortable working longer and remaining indoors, why not work as a pet sitter to boost your cash inflow?
Where can you find the best summer jobs?
While you are just a Google search away from exploring all your summer job opportunities, don’t miss out on these places!
Job search websites: Have you checked out SnagAJob or Indeed for flexible summer jobs? Open a profile on these platforms to explore local job opportunities. Use the filters to customize your preferences while mentioning your expected pay and experience.
Social media platforms: Social media proves to be a great place to explore those vacancies. If you have a particular company in your mind, follow them on LinkedIn or Twitter. Facebook also allows professionals to grow their network.
Industry databases: In case you’re ready for an industry-oriented job for summer, why not check out the job list in the database? Industry websites help college students land tasks closely aligned with their careers. For instance, BeautyLeap and LandscapeIndustryCareers are ideal for those willing to venture into the grooming and landscaping professions, respectively.
Network and communicate: Have you reached out to your professors, mentors, friends, or seniors about suitable job opportunities? Put your networking skills to use as you prepare yourself for your summer job.
Inquire in person: To seek employment in the service industry, inquire in person. This is one of the best ways to find decent summer jobs. Based on the demand for part-time workers, these organizations may interview you on the spot!
Starting early!
Summer jobs can be highly rewarding if you know where to look out for them. Once you land a suitable job, start planning for your future. In case you are working full time, you might get benefits like a 401(k) account. As a thumb rule, try to save at least 15% of your monthly income for your retirement.
Put aside your leisure expenses and cultivate your financial maturity right from your college days. You won’t feel deprived after working the entire vacation by splitting your income prudently between parties, movies, concerts, and future commitments.
FAQ
Is getting a summer job worth it?
Yes, that’s the reason most college students put their vacations to use. Firstly, you get to earn money and handle your student debt smartly. Next, you can put aside some funds for your upcoming semesters, living expenses, and leisure activities. Most importantly, you can make your summer job experience count on your resume when you pitch it to employers in the future.
How many hours do students work in the summer?
If you are over 16, you can legally work up to 40 hours a week during your summer vacation. Now, you need to schedule your time based on your academic and domestic commitments. Nevertheless, over 40% of college students work full-time to make money.
What are the benefits of doing a summer job?
Apart from the extra income you earn during your summer break, engaging yourself during your vacation also brings other benefits. For instance, students learn to handle money responsibly and start building their credit scores. These jobs may also add value to their resumes. Most importantly, engaging in a summer job can boost your communication and time management skills.
How to prioritize my studies while doing a summer job?
Striking a balance between work and studies is crucial. So, try to set a flexible work schedule, so you have a few hours each day to study after attending your workplace. Besides, get adequate sleep and take healthy diets so that you get enough stamina to manage your workload after studying.
What are some good tips for getting a summer job?
After deciding the type of job you want to engage in during the summer, update your resume and prepare your cover letter. Check out vacancies in your college network, or go for local job listings. Also, scan the websites of reputed organizations to grab opportunities corresponding to your preferences. Cultivate networking skills, and don’t miss out on paid internships.
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