The job search can be daunting, no matter what your experience or skill level. Luckily, when it comes to finding summer employment, we’ve got the answers to the questions of where, how, and why to apply. Here at InTown Suites, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to finding and applying for summer employment.
Whether it’s a short-term employment solution, an opportunity to get your foot-in-the-door with a company or a strategic career-building move, seasonal summer employment can prove to be a valuable way to gain experience, travel, and further your long-term employment prospects.
Who’s hiring
Summer is one of the busiest hiring times. The sun, warm weather, and the siren call of the great outdoors mean celebrations abound. Concerts, fairs, special events, and festivals all require short-term employees for planning, social media, hospitality, security, and construction. If you happen to be someone who is willing and able, you could easily travel the country working with touring festivals, networking and laying the foundation for longer-term employment along the way.
Resort towns, national parks, and tourist destinations also see an influx of employment opportunities in the summer season. Spend your summer in the mountains, by the beach or near some of the country’s finest historic monuments. Hotels, resorts, restaurants, and retail stores in touristed areas are all looking to hire people for hospitality positions, marketing/sales, customer service and more. Fancy yourself a great storyteller? There are plenty of openings for tour guides and planners at historical sites, national parks—even walking tours and bus tour operators.
A less obvious summer employment option: summer camp. Whether it be an overnight, sleepaway camp or a day camp, there are plenty of opportunities to work outdoors, have fun, and foray your summer job experience into some long-term work. Other than counselors; activity coordinators, management, nurses, food service and administrative staff are all in high demand and needed to keep these camps running smoothly.
What to consider
When looking to turn your short-term summer employment into a more permanent position, there are a few things to consider. Before beginning the application process, it’s important to think about what kind of work you might be best at. If you’re a teacher, educator, or medical professional by trade, why not seek out positions at camps, museums, or events when your talents will be needed. Good with your hands? Summer is a prime time for road construction, residential renovations, and sets and stage construction for festivals and events. The position you choose should build upon your existing employment/education experience or signal a career change and serve as an opportunity to experiment with a new career.
If you’re not necessarily seeking a seasonal job, but happen to be looking for work this summer, there are tons of temporary corporate and administrative positions to look into. With summer vacations, maternity leave, and other contributing seasonal factors, many businesses are looking for eager, temporary workers to cover workflow while full-time employees take their respective breaks. If there’s a specific organization you’ve been interested in, now is the time to get your foot-in-the-door and start building a rapport with human resources and management to ensure that you are a prime candidate when they start hiring again.
Where to look
Tyson C. of our InTown Suites Atlanta East (CNY) Extended Stay recommends looking through job search sites like CareerBuilder.com. Websites like these are the perfect place to scout jobs, upcoming career fairs, and narrow your search. It’s important to remember that the job you want may not appear to exist in job postings. Some companies simply find it too costly to pay for advertising on online classifieds, but it doesn’t mean they’re not hiring. Take to social media and do some deep scrolling to find out if they are indeed hiring. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are all great places to search for festival and event employment, while more corporate or government employers will typically keep a detailed LinkedIn profile where they regularly post job opportunities. Just remember to clean up your social media channels before reaching out to these companies to ensure you make the best first impression in person and online.
The last thing you should worry about throughout your summer employment search is where to hang your hat. Whether you are new in town or traveling for work, InTown Suites accommodations offer a great, budget-friendly option for your extended stay, with over 189 locations in 22 states across the country.
