Monday, June 22, 2009

The Summer Job - Not Just for Teens

It appears to have become a tradition among young adults legally able to drive – school ends for another year, and instead of using the three months to vegetate it’s off to the summer job. How many of us have memories of spending June, July, and August behind the counter of a fast food restaurant or waiting tables at the local diner. Perhaps you were lucky enough to snag a temporary clerk position at the mall, or maybe you helped your parents at their offices to earn extra money. We look back now on these memories – sometimes fondly – and aren’t surprised to see so many help wanted crop up when school lets out, but these days the concept of the summer job isn’t necessarily limited to teenagers.

In times of economic stress, people in need of work may be inclined to apply for vacancies not wholly related to their expertise – if only to get the income needed to bridge the gap toward more permanent work. The idea of a “summer job” for adults may sound daunting for the job seeker, and it’s understandable. What person with a Master’s degree and years of experience in the corporate world wants to settle for forty hours a week as a barista? Consider, however, there are temporary jobs available that do require some skills and education, and won’t require a uniform.

Temporary Jobs Satisfy Temporary Needs

During summer, employees are apt to use their vacation time, leaving some companies to hire temporary work to assist in maintaining smooth workflow. Depending on the type of work available, signing on with a company as a temp is not only a good way to earn a paycheck as you search for full-time work, but it’s a good opportunity to establish a relationship with a possible contact. Should your job search extend longer than expected, a company may be more apt to hire on a temp who is already familiar with their policies and procedures, putting you foremost in their minds.

Seasonal Work is Remembered Year Round

It’s not uncommon for seasonal work to be labeled just that – limited work to cover a busy time for retailers or organizations. In the hospitality market especially you’ll see a surge for calls looking for people to work in hotels, amusement parks, and similar jobs in tourist-dependent communities. However, not all these jobs are designated to helping people park cars – so much goes on behind the scenes to keep the gears running. There may be extra work in clerical, accounting, and marketing departments that you can find. Though you may not be guaranteed work when the season ends, you stand a chance of a callback in the event of a vacancy should somebody leave later in the year. Never treat a temporary job as though your employer has a temporary memory. Impress for today, and it will last many tomorrows.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on jobs in Norfolk.

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