How to find the best summer job if you are a student

Even part-time jobs can provide the income to start saving, fund summer adventures, or invest in much-needed items. With many summer job options, it’s important to first consider your lifestyle and job requirements before deciding where you want to target your job search. Here’s an overview of some popular summer jobs to help you find the best match:

Fast Food Worker

The first job option that often springs to mind is working in a fast food restaurant. While it’s certainly not the only option, it can be an attractive choice if you’re looking for a job with flexible hours, as many fast food spots are open early and close late, allowing you to adjust hours to your schedule. The pay rate is low, with the average around $10.92 an hour, but experience usually isn’t necessary, making this a good entry level option.

Restaurant Host or Waitstaff

Working in a restaurant is a popular choice as well. Usually some experience is needed to work as a waiter or waitress, but you can often start as a host or busboy/girl without restaurant work experience. Restaurant or bar positions are ideal for people who are personable, as you will be constantly interacting with the patrons to ensure an enjoyable experience. Potential pay at a bar or restaurant varies widely depending on your position and ability to earn tips, but average pay is around $10.25 an hour, not counting tips. These jobs may also feature attractive perks, such as free food.

Barista

If you’re a morning person, your ideal job might be working in a cafe. This also allows you to enjoy late afternoons off. Different positions are often available, with responsibilities ranging from running the cash register and serving up simple food items to making and serving drinks and food prep. The more entry-level positions are ideal for applicants with little experience, while barista positions require more knowledge and skill, but pay more at an average of $11.28 an hour. Often, there will also be free food and drink perks included.

Summer Camp Counselor

If you love the great outdoors lifestyle, look into summer camp job openings. Not only do these jobs include allow you to have fun in nature, being a camp counselor can help make a difference in younger kids’ lives. Average pay rates are around $11.28 an hour, plus free accommodation is often included, making this an ideal job for students looking to leave urban life behind for the summer. However, keep in mind that this job requires a large time commitment and you may be on-call. Experience with kids and outdoor activities are an important aspect to demonstrate on your application.

Gardener or Outdoor Worker

If you’re looking to spend time outdoors this summer, work such as painting, gardening, and the like offer an appealing choice. These jobs are also excellent if you’re looking to get into better physical shape as you work. Depending on experience, pay rates can be quite high for skilled handy work or hard physical work, with gardeners making an average of $18.15 an hour. Your time commitment can often be flexible, but longer working hours are often the trend.

Before your hunt, take the time to think about what kind of job will bring you the most fulfillment and bring you experience in other fields for later. Whatever you choose, getting a part time summer job is an exciting process that can setup up for a productive summer and future success!