13 Summer Jobs (And How To Get Them)

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If you’re out of school for the summer, there’s a good chance you’re looking for a job to fill your newfound free time and to give you some cash.

Plus, a summer job can help you hone your professional skills, allow you to put a hobby to use, or help you figure out what you like to do. Depending on the job, it can also allow you to create friendships and professional connections that will last throughout the rest of your life.

Since you won’t be working at the company for more than a few months, it can be tricky to find the right job.

Thankfully, there are many positions out there that are designed for temporary employment.

Many of these jobs are only available during the summer months due to weather constraints. Others usually need extra help during the season or are simply used to hiring several temporary employees.

Summer Job Opportunities

While summer job opportunities will vary based on your field and where you live, some general categories are excellent options for seasonal employment.

Camp Counselor

Average Annual Salary: $23,000

A classic summer job for high school and college students, being a camp counselor is a great option for someone who likes kids and being active.

Many camp counselors work at overnight camps across the country, but others work at day camps hosted by recreation and community centers.

If you have a special interest or skill, you may even be able to find a job that utilizes that. From band to art, and from survival to soccer, there are a plethora of summer camps available to kids these days, and they all need counselors to help facilitate them.

While counselors are often the most visible summer camp employees, these establishments also need staff to check-in kids, serve food, and keep things running smoothly, so don’t be afraid to look at camp jobs if you’d rather be working behind the scenes than out in front wrangling kids.

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Delivery Driver

Average Annual Salary: $37,000

Restaurants, grocery stores, and florists often have openings for temporary delivery drivers. Check with local establishments in your town, or consider a larger organization like InstaCart that hires people to shop for and deliver groceries to app users.

You’ll typically need to have a car to hold one of these positions, but if you do, a summer job as a delivery driver is a great way to make some extra cash. Plus, you might be able to catch up on your podcasts while you work.

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Pool Lifeguard

Average Annual Salary: $24,000

Even though it’s possible to find a job as a lifeguard year-round, it’s no secret that pool season’s peak is during the summer. This means there are usually many positions that open up during those months that are no longer needed at the end of the summer, saving you a potentially awkward conversation.

You could work as a lifeguard at a neighborhood pool, a recreation center, or a water park, and even summer camps may have positions available.

If you don’t have a lifeguard certification, there are usually plenty of certification classes offered in the spring and early summer. All you’ll need are decent swimming skills (and endurance) and the willingness to learn new techniques and rules.

Once you have your certification, it’ll be easier to get it renewed in the future, opening you up to multiple summers as a lifeguard.

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Swim Instructor

Average Annual Salary: $23,000

If you’re looking for a way to spend your summer in the water, a job as a swim instructor might be a great option for you.

Pools and recreation centers are often ready to beef up their staff during the summer, so opportunities are plentiful in this area.

To become a swim instructor, you’ll usually need a certification like the Red Cross’s Basic Swim Instructor (BSI) or Water Safety Instructor (WSI). In addition, some facilities may require you to be a certified lifeguard as well.

Similar to a lifeguard certification, the BSI and WSI courses can usually be completed relatively quickly. If you know you might want to work as a swim instructor during the summer, look for these certification courses before or immediately after school ends.

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Amusement Park Worker

Average Annual Salary: $23,000

Just like pools, amusement parks have their peak seasons during the summer, and for some, it’s the only time they’re open.

These parks need ride attendants, snack stand operators, and ticket counter cashiers. With this wide variety of available positions comes opportunities for workers with a wide variety of skills, making it a great opportunity for high schoolers and college students who don’t necessarily have a lot of professional experience.

You can even recruit a couple of friends to apply with you for a summer job full of excellent people-watching opportunities.

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Landscape Labour

Average Annual Salary: $25,000

Warm weather means it’s time for homeowners and landowners to improve their landscaping. Whether it’s planting flowers, resodding yards, moving river rock, or building retaining walls, there is no shortage of work for landscapers during the summer.

Because of this, many businesses hire temporary laborers to help them during this busy season.

If you like working with your hands, spending time outside, and learning about plants and landscaping techniques, this might be an excellent job for you. As an additional perk, this job will help you work on your tan and get in shape.

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Au Pair/Nanny

Average Annual Salary: $24,000

Kids are out of school for the summer, which means many parents are looking for help taking care of them during work hours.

These jobs can be vastly different as far as hours and responsibilities go, with some parents simply wanting someone to take the kids to the park a few hours each week and some wanting you to care for the kids and manage the household chores full-time.

It’s hard work, but if you build a good reputation, you can make good money, and you may even get additional benefits like being brought along on a family vacation to help take care of the kids.

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Internship

Average Annual Salary: $31,000

If you want to get some work experience in your field or to explore some career options, a summer internship could be a great option for you.

Companies often have summer internship programs, but small businesses might be willing to let you hang around and do odd jobs if you are genuinely interested in learning about what they do.

You might not get paid much as a summer intern, and sometimes you might not get paid at all, but the experience you’ll gain and the connections you’ll make will be well worth it.

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Dog Sitter

Average Annual Salary: $10,000

While this isn’t necessarily a great option for consistent employment during the summer months, watching people’s dogs as the opportunity arises can be a great way to make some extra spending money. It’s also a good option if you’re under 16 since it can be difficult to find jobs open to 14- and 15-year-olds.

Since summer is the time that many people travel, there is high demand for dog sitters. Some of your clients may want you to stop by their house to let the dog out while they’re out for the day, and others may need you to keep their furbaby at your home (or have you stay at theirs) for a week or two.

Get the word out to friends and family about your services once school is out, and you may just find yourself booking appointments throughout the rest of the summer.

If you want to work with animals but want more consistent employment, you may be able to find a job at a doggie daycare or boarding facility as well.

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Child Daycare Worker

Average Annual Salary: $25,000

With kids out of school, many daycares ramp up to offer all-day care for school-age children who normally only come during the afternoon and evening.

Because of this, many facilities hire summer staffers to help them out. Since this position usually requires a background check and likely some training, you should apply for the job before finishing your classes for the year. This way, your employer will be able to onboard you before school lets out.

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Restaurant Server

Average Annual Salary: $23,000

Restaurants are some of the best places to find temporary employment, including during the summer.

This is especially true if you live in an area that gets a good amount of summer tourism. So while the restaurants may be open year-round, they’ll need extra help to handle summer crowds.

If you apply for one of these positions, just be ready to work some unusual hours, which can be a blessing and a curse.

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Retail Sales Representative

Average Annual Salary: $30,000

Retail stores are another great place to find temporary employment. However, as the school year ends, many will likely lose some of their staff as college students go home for the summer and high schoolers leave to participate in summer activities.

As a retail sales representative, you’ll get to help shoppers find the items they’re looking for and answer questions about how products could meet their needs. You also might work the cash registers and restock shelves.

While it may not sound especially glamorous, this is great communication and customer service experience, which always looks great on a college application or resume. As another incentive, you also can usually get some great discounts at the store you work at.

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Tutor

Average Annual Salary: $33,000
Even though school isn’t in session, plenty of parents are still looking for tutoring for their kids. Many have children who have been struggling with a particular subject, and they want to help them catch up or simply want to keep their schoolwork fresh in their minds during the summer.

Because of this, tutoring jobs are often good summer employment options for high school and college students. Of course, if you’re in college, you’ll likely have more opportunities and get paid more, but there are plenty of younger elementary school students who could benefit from a tutor who is still in high school.

Look for job openings at schools, tutoring companies, remote tutoring platforms, or even with friends and family members who mention wanting a little extra help.

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How to Get a Summer Job

As far as actually landing one of these summer jobs goes, here are some tips to help you:

Start your search earlier than you think you need to. Employers that know they’re going to need a summer staff want to complete their hiring process as soon as possible so that they’re fully staffed at the beginning of the season.

Because of this, you must be thinking ahead if you want a specific summer job. It doesn’t hurt to start keeping an eye out for openings throughout the spring semester, especially if you know exactly where you want to work.
Look at several job boards. Different companies choose to post their job openings on different job boards, which means you should avoid only looking at one site.

Bookmark several different job boards and check them all regularly, adjusting your filters and search criteria if you aren’t finding what you’re looking for.

If you don’t know which job boards to look at, ask a school counselor or a friend who has successfully found positions in the past.
Utilize (or create) professional connections. You may have heard the saying, “It’s not about what you know; it’s about who you know.” Well, this rings true for summer jobs as well.

Ask your parents if they have any friends or colleagues who would be willing to hire you, talk to an employed classmate to see if they could refer you to their employer, or ask your teachers if they could recommend you for a position.

When jobs are at stake, don’t underestimate the power of your uncle’s dentist’s friend.
Don’t be afraid to reach out directly to companies, even if they don’t have a job opening listed. Sometimes businesses, especially small ones, don’t post their open positions on job boards if they know they will get enough word-of-mouth advertising.

Other times, they just might not have gotten around to posting their job openings yet. If this is the case, asking about it saves them the trouble of finding candidates and makes your name more recognizable when you apply.

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Abby McCain

Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

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