Internships are great, but freshmen often struggle to get them. Instead of defaulting to the same job you had in high school, you can choose something fun, adventurous, and surprisingly good for your personal growth. Ask any “old person” and they will tell stories about the adventures they had when they were young and had less responsibilities. I think Gen Z is starting to call it “Dad Lore” or “Mom Lore”. These experiences can be so much more than just “fun”, they can also be valuable growth opportunities. Here is a guide on how to find a fun summer job while using my personal experience as an example.
Step 1. Identify Summer Priorities
Just like any job search, the first step is to identify your priorities. What do you hope to get out of the summer? Do you want to live in a certain place, prioritize making money, focus on your hobbies, work a certain type of job? Do you know someone that you could go live with? These and many other things can guide us for how we look for summer jobs. This is also a good way to start reflecting on what will be important for future jobs and internships.
When I think back to my freshman year, I knew my sister lived in a cool area that was known for being a fun summer destination. So, I moved to where she lived and then searched for jobs in that area.
Step 2. Find Jobs
Now that you have narrowed down your priorities, the next step is to look for places to work. There are many ways to search for a job. You can Google relevant companies, talk to people in your network, or drive around the area and visit businesses. It is all based on how you approach the job search.
One awesome recommendation I have is to check out COOLWORKS.com. COOLWORKS might be the single greatest website on the internet and exploring it should be a required activity for all high school seniors, college freshmen, and early retirees. The website is a job board for typically fun, adventurous, and, usually, seasonal jobs. They break down their positions by multiple categories including, but not limited to, national parks, jobs with housing, jobs with animals, creative jobs, food service, camping, cruise ships, and they even have an internship category! Everyone should know about this website. As with any job, always be safe, and do your due diligence on a company and location but, this is a really cool place to find work.
I had previously worked in a few different places, but most of my experience was in a restaurant. So, I looked around the town to find the restaurant that looked the coolest and found an open-air place on a beach, walked in with my resume and asked if they were hiring for the summer. After a quick, informal interview with the manager, I was hired.
Step 3. Housing
This step could come before step 2, but it depends on your priorities. If you have housing lined up someplace, then you know where to focus your search. You might have a friend or relative that will let you stay with them. I mentioned it previously, but COOLWORKS has a job category for places that have available housing. This is a great option to check out.
It is also not uncommon for lots of touristy areas to have dorm style housing available for their seasonal help. For example, Wall Drug has dorms available for employees at $85 a week.
Another great option to find summer housing is through local rental companies or subleasing. Lots of towns will have a Facebook rental page, but if there is a college near, it is not uncommon for them to host their own off campus resource for subleasing.
In some cases, long-term stay hotels may be the best summer option. I know a former student who interned for NASA, who found that staying in a hotel for the summer was his best option.
One thing I always say is that if you are intimidated about moving to a new place, the nice thing is that as a college student, it is temporary. Even if you hate living in that location for the summer, you get to leave and come back to college in the fall.
In my case, my sister and her husband had just bought an acreage and they had an in-law suite above their garage. In exchange for fencing the property, renovating the suite, and helping with cattle chores, they let me stay there for the summer.
Step 4. Work, Live, & Grow
Finally, the fun part! The great thing about finding a fun summer job is the fun. You are in a new place, so you have a lot of things to explore. Often, when you work in these areas your coworkers tend to be adventurous, so you can easily meet fun people. Fun jobs are also fun, which helps you learn how to make work enjoyable, even when it might be tough. You will also grow a lot in your independence and resourcefulness.
For me working on a beach was such a crazy different experience from where I grew up on the plains in SD. While I worked a lot over the summer, all my free time was spent trying new things. I got together with my coworkers and learned how to long board, mountain bike, paddle board, kayak, wakeboard, and even drive a boat.
I also learned how to live on my own. I learned resourcefulness while furnishing an apartment with less than $100. I gained independence while learning how to grocery shop and cook, though not before losing a bunch of weight. I gained confidence while leaving my comfort zone to meet new people. These lessons and many more were impactful so that in summers when I had more relevant jobs, I could focus more on my career growth than on learning to live on my own.
