As the spring semester comes to a close and anxious co-eds prepare for a bright yellow sun and limited responsibility, a lucky few will be gearing up for a seasonal internship or profession in their field of study. Sadly, not all college students are guaranteed career nurturing employment between semesters and most will end up scouring Main St. or the local shopping mall for sustainable income during the dog days of summer.
Luckily, we feel your pain and we’ve made a shortlist dedicated to those out their without industry connections or rich parents. Here’s to those of you seeking hassle free summer employment that’ll put a few bucks in your pocket and a smile on your face.
1. Administrative Assistant: More commonly known as a secretary, administrative assistants are much more than a desk jockey who answers phones and plays computer games all day. Often, they act as the glue that holds the office together, setting up meetings and personally handling all of the office manager’s professional correspondence. The position can also be a great way to break into an industry and gain much needed work experience. And who knows, you could probably play a little Mine Sweeper when nobody’s looking.
2. Landscaper: If working outdoors and being active is your cup of tea, landscaping companies are always seeking seasonal employees to help mow lawns, plant gardens and perform general tasks. Aspiring horticulturists and architects can also benefit from their time as a green thumbed apprentice, since plant life and technical drawing are necessary in equal measure. What isn’t necessary is rampant shirtlessness, so keep you clothes on, macho men.
3. Pizza Delivery Person: Hear me out on this one. The goofy uniform and low wages are a small price to pay for a position of such convenience. As a delivery guy, you can earn a ton of cash in tips, cruise your local streets listening to your favorite tunes and rarely do anything tougher than navigate a map. Lest we forget the endless amounts of free (or relatively cheap) pizza, flexible scheduling and gas reimbursement (most pizza shops will swing you a few bucks for the trouble). It’s the perfect antithesis to being stuck in a stuffy office all summer.
4. Record Store Clerk: Hey hipsters! Sick of spending time locked in your bedroom fawning over Joy Division b-sides and back issues of Skyscraper. Well, take your passion to the streets and post up behind the register at your local record shop. Not only will you be able to hear great new music everyday and snag records at a discount price, you’ll get the chance to turn other people on to the tracks you’ve got in heavy rotation. And it can’t hurt to get some retail management experience, which is extremely beneficial for business majors or those with the entrepreneurial spirit.
5. Summer Camp Counselor: What could be better than a summer filled with dodge ball, swimming and campfire stories? As a camp counselor, you’ll get to spend time in the great outdoors, mentor kids that look up to you and potentially have a summer tryst with an attractive co-worker. Well, I can’t guarantee the last part, but that’s the way it happened in all of those 80’s teen movies and it would be un-American to question their irrefutable logic. Prospective educators will also benefit from spending quality time with children in an informal environment.