When I was in school I typically started looking for a summer job a couple of days after my exams ended. I always wondered why some people found such terrific jobs while I seemed to have so much trouble.
The best summer jobs I ever had were places where I already had some kind of an in. The first was in my senior year of high school, at a local utility company where my aunt worked. There I earned much better than average income for my age and got some great accounting experience. During my university years I had a summer job with our local school board that I heard about from my next door neighbour who, again, worked for there
But what about when you do not have an in? Yes, I found jobs, but they were not always that great. Having a crummy, low-paying job can not only wreck your summer, but also lead to financial hardship during the school year, I often found myself working 2 or 3 part time jobs throughout the school year to make my rent and tuition payments, never mind having spending money for entertainment.
There are ways that one can avoid such pitfalls. The 3 things I never did, but should have: Plan, network, and start early.
Plan
Some people have terrific summer work experiences that help them in their permanent job search when school is over. While I had some ideas about what I wanted to do when I completed my post-secondary education, I always looked at summer work as a way to get through school, a means to an end, as opposed to a foot in the door when I finished my degree. When I received my BA, I found that most of the jobs I was interested in required some previous experience or credentials I had not managed to get while I was in school. Seems pretty stupid, but I never had a plan, aside from getting a degree, as to how to obtain the career I was interested in. This left me, and many others who graduated during the economic recession at that time, casting about just to get a job never mind a career.
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Network
Being in a school environment affords a student ample opportunity to get information about many career opportunities. Once the summer jobs I found through my aunt and neighbour had ended I felt as though my network of ins had pretty much been exhausted. What I should have been doing was building that network! Interviewing people who had the jobs I was interested in obtaining when I graduated and getting information on the experience and credentials that I would need would have been a giant step forward (this can sometimes even lead to internships or seasonal employment if you make a great impression). Networking with my friends, their parents, my parents’ friends and so on. Joining campus clubs or volunteering my time in areas related to my field of interest would also have been beneficial. High schools guidance departments and post-secondary employment service centres could, and should, be utilized. More than that, there are teachers and professors to speak to. Being shy and just a little bewildered by it all, I failed to develop any connection with my university professors or TAs who could have provided me with valuable resources, including summer work experiences which in turn could have advanced my career aspirations.
Networking can also work in reverse, that is, you might learn what jobs to avoid. The summer prior to my final year of university I opted not to move home because I didn’t want to lose my apartment. There were posters all over campus exclaiming “Work Outside on Boats!” Sounded great to me! Early in May I reported for work at a Toronto yacht club. The job was not that glamorous, it was cold, hard work scrubbing boats that had been stored outside for the winter. We were assured that things would get better as the weather warmed up and after the initial spring cleaning was out of the way. Indeed, it probably was for the young man who had subcontracted the work from the club and the 2 or 3 friends he kept on after laying the rest of us off! There I was, with a lease and no income. Complaining of my misfortune around campus I learned that others were aware of this shady outfit, it is a small world after all! If only I had taken some time to look into the job before committing to it, I would have saved myself a world of trouble.
START EARLY
Planning and networking needs to be happening all the time. As a student I operated under the misconception that I should be focussing solely on achieving good grades. In retrospect, I could and should have given some of my study time (and social time) over to career planning. A person can get so bogged down with their studies (and in my case juggling part-time jobs) that they neglect to do the work that will truly affect their career more than a high grade-point average.
Start early, plan early (understanding that a plan made early will also need to be flexible), network early, and look for summer work EARLY. It never occurred to me that I should be looking for my summer job during the dead of winter. Being fixated on my studies in February led to a great deal of frustration in the spring. The fact is, many summer jobs are advertised in the winter and early spring. Seasonal job fairs take place months before the summer work term and this is when the bulk of hiring will take place.
Does the early bird really catch the worm? While there may be an element of luck involved in job searching, starting early and applying the plan and network approach will improve your odds of landing a great summer job that might just launch your career.
Watch the video related to summer job search
With such a high unemployment rate, what can college graduates expect when they step into the real world this summer? Seniors at Northwestern University will be graduating in June, and many of them are afraid they might be joining the country’s unemployed. Katharine Euphrat talked to some of them about how the recession has affected their job search.
if any of you guys out of school for the summer need to make quick cash for the summer check out /watch?v=pVGGvHLjgT4
Looking good so far! The Georgetown Summer Program will help a BUNCH! This is because it shows that you show immense interest in the school and thats a big factor when GU picks students. Georgetown is notorious for having unpredictable admissions but if you look at the stats your in school record pretty much matches up to the accepted students' records. Looking at your academic stats it looks like you locked yourself practically in the top 1% of your class? Just remember to work hard like you have been doing and you'll be [especially junior year!] . Georgetown heavily weighs two things very big and I would go as far as saying these are probably the main things that will help you in (along with GPA): Standardized test scores and essays. Georgetown wants essays to go outside of the norm so think outside the box. As far as test scores if you can get a 2000+ on the SAT or a 30+ on the ACT you pretty much have a great chance there. Remember an interview is mandatory for admissions purposes so dress business casual and come prepared to answer some interesting questions! Being a hispanic american also helps a bunch!
Good Luck and Take care
I would like to invite you to get my FREE e-book “GET A GREAT JOB FAST!” It’s a new century and a new job hunting dynamic. Lots of free tools and tips to get you working quickly. Got a very good review last weekend. Best wishes in your search. We need to help each other out!
Learn to spell and speak properly, You're not going to get a job if you type/speak like that.
Dear Ms (her name),
I really hope your summer STARTS off well ! I really want you to know how much your teaching impacted me this year. I also want to express my deepest appreciation TOWARDS YOU for being such an incredible and dedicated teacher. I just didn't want to SPOIL an opportunity to tell a very important person, just how special HE/SHE IS.
THE MEMORY OF OUR MEETING IS STILL AFRESH AND ANEW. I remember when we first met, I was in sixth grade. (my friend's name) had to go into your room to get something for a project and being A GOOD friend I am, I HAD tagged along WITH HIM/HER. The first thing I noticed IN your room was the piano you had against the wall and I was just so excited! When I asked if I could play a song, you responded with a, “Sorry, but I’d rather you didn’t”, as you had an awful headache. (she had breast cancer at the time and got headaches often, my friend skipped two grades in english so that's how I met her then)
Two years passed, and I’m still obsessed with piano, and you only once got an awful headache in our class, which I must say you did a very good job at acting like you felt just fine. I really enjoyed playing piano for you each week and I loved listening to your musical experiences while we sat next to each other working in the computer lab at the beginning of the year.
Oh, the memories!
I’m pretty sure I would have forgotten that first event if you hadn’t become LMS’s eighth grade reading and C.A. teacher. You helped make my eighth grade year extra special. Considering the fact that I DIDN't HAVE THT MUCH INTEREST IN ENGLISH BEFORE U CAME, you should be very pleased that those two periods I had with you were always the highlight of my day.
You cared so much for each of your students and you got to know us so well. I know every teacher tries to learn about their students, but they usually go about this by having us fill out worksheets at the beginning of the year asking us what our favorite football teams were, or what we like to do in our spare time.BUT You went deeper than that though. You learned about us through our conversations and how we COLLABORATED WITH OUR classmates. You WOULD always create the perfect project that really MADE each of us think. You knew what concepts STUDENTS MIGHT FACE trouble IN understanding, AND ALWAYS TRIED TO REMOVE OUR DOUBTS FULLY.
I absolutely adored how you never failed to walk through the doors of your classroom at the beginning of each hour WITH your very best mood. It’s impossible for me to imagine you BEING upset. The most important thing you’ve taught me this year is the importance of smiling.YOU TAUGHT US THAT To be happy you don’t have to be an incredibly optimistic person,BUT BY just putting on a smile ON YOUR FACE and making the people around you happy is enough to turn a bad day to a good one. You’re the happiest person I’ve ever known, and you make everyone around you happy, too.
I'm so glad you were my teacher. It's obvious how much PASSION YOU HAVE FOR TEACHING AND HOW RESPONSIBLE YOU ARE AS A TEACHER.You are by far the most influential teacher I've ever had.
I have enjoyed my middle school experience immensely. Thank you for your time, wisdom and dedication. Even though I will miss you, all of the other teachers and my classmates over the summer, I am looking forward to going to high school. I hope WE AGAIN MEET in the future. Thank you for being you.
PLEASE Send me a letter this summer IF YOU LIKE and let me know how you're doing!
(I put my adress) Sincerely, (my name)
I really want you not to include the lines—
""The first thing I noticed IN your room was the piano you had against the wall and I was just so excited! When I asked if I could play a song, you responded with a, “Sorry, but I’d rather you didn’t”, as you had an awful headache. Two years passed, and I’m still obsessed with piano, and you only once got an awful headache in our class, which I must say you did a very good job at acting like you felt just fine""
these not only sound awkward but can also upset your teacher for not letting you use the piano and can also bring back to her mind the pain she had suffered from breast cancer
also I have corrected the things I would have changed in the letter if i were u.( see the capital letters).
hope you like my suggestions
@billytinkler i don’t think you’re old fashioned at all! I think you’re realistic and your thoughts are legitimate. The internet has provided a far easier forum for people to raise awareness about their own skills, but for people who didn’t have any skills to begin with and aren’t trying to improve on a daily basis, it doesn’t do a thing.
@SingleActionArmy1990 you got it buddy, the tools have changed, but in my humble opinion and young experience so far, networking really hasn’t changed. Being authentic and letting my passion flow has led me to meet some terrific people. Twitter and Facebook have been the starting point for me, but hardly the end point. IMing, and more importantly discussions face to face have truly connected me to many opportunities.
@TamerlanePNR Pretty much all of them, It’s an internet marketing company.
Call me old-fashioned, but a tonne of people I know can handle themselves on YouTube or Facebook but are nearly illiterate and incapable of expressing a clear idea. While the internet may promote networking, it does not substitute for basic writing skills and I would never go so far as to say that it helps with all jobs. Find me a lawyer who says he got accepted to his firm because someone saw him “tweet” about his knowledge of Charter rights.
@SingleActionArmy1990 Making sure they know some meme’s is more of a way for me to weed out people who don’t spend enough time on the net. Honestly, if all he could say is Numa Numa guy, that wouldn’t help his case. I just want to know their exposure.
But that’s just a small part, like you said good communication skills are at the heart of it. Our social media dept doesn’t need to know as much SEO as the link-builders and not as much HTML/CSS as the Dev Dept, but it helps to know a bit.
It's a beautiful letter.
You write quite well. I think it's fine as it stands.
@nczuma one of my prof’s once said he couldn’t believe that there were so many communication students who didn’t know basic photoshop editing.
I agree that there should definitely be a basic HANDS ON knowledge. Don’t just KNOW about the memes or twitter or the next greatest thing, Try it out, experience it, use it. It reminds me of MTV Hired, where a person was applying for a social media consulting role without ever having used twitter (but she advocated for it to her own clients)
@billytinkler and about the lawyer situation:
Let’s say there is a talented young lawyer in a firm who was let go due to cutbacks and the firm wanted to stick with their veteran lawyers – he now has a much easier time sharing his credibility online and show off the skills that got him hired in the first place. You have to be smart about it though, especially in law, as there’s a fine line with confidentiality. I’d love to hear some more of your thoughts!