Summer work can help earn income and pay for educational expenses, but it also shows future employers a candidate’s work ethic and commitment to developing skills. | Yulia Kutsenova
While summer can be time of relaxation, it can also be a time to earn some extra cash. Finding a summer job does not have to be daunting — in fact, it’s a good way to gain experience and build a résumé before setting out into the working world after graduation.
“Summer jobs are a great way to earn income to pay for college expenses as well as to build skills to make you more marketable to employers,” said Jamie Belinne, assistant dean for Rockwell Career Center at C.T. Bauer College of Business. “There are many summer jobs listed through the career centers on campus.”
According to an article on Care.com, summer jobs can be easy and quick to find. Some examples include child care, tutoring, pet sitting, bartending and freelance writing. Though a summer job may or may not be related to a student’s major or field, it is a way to gain experience working, which is better than nothing when searching for a permanent job in the future.
“Employers want to hire people who have had a chance to practice their professional skills in a work environment. The more relevant a job is to your chosen profession, the better; but any work experience is better than none,” Belinne said.
When looking for any job, it is important to have an idea of what employers look for when they consider their candidates. Experience, a clean background and a good academic record are a plus.
“In general, reliability, maturity, professionalism and strong communication skills are key qualities sought by all employers who recruit college students,” Belinne said.
However, some jobs on the market may seem too good to be true, and it could be necessary to investigate the company before accepting a position in order to avoid any type of job scamming.
“Before accepting any job, you should be sure of the following,” Belinne said. “You have seen the office and if it is a legitimate company. You have met your supervisor, and they are qualified to supervise you. You have a written offer that details job title, salary, work hours and start dates.”
According to Belline, red flags when job hunting can include being unable to find sufficient information about a company, the company is a one-person operation, lack of a qualified supervisor and the position requires money paid upfront prior to starting work.
Career Services at UH offer tips on resumes, interviews and internships. For more information on finding a summer job or finding a job in general, please visit www.career.uh.edu.
