Summer jobs for students – Make the most of your summer break

Summer undoubtedly is a much-needed break from university. But without taking too much away from this break, you can still put some time into boosting your employability and picking up some new skills. Especially in a post-Covid world, your future self will be thanking you for the time you've invested in yourself during your summer break.

Learning new skills

Acquiring new skills relevant to the programme you are studying is always a great way to improve your CV. For example, if you're studying digital marketing, why not try your hand at creating a new website using one of the many free tools available online? If you're looking to build a career in media, you could launch your own podcast or start a blog. It's also a great way to merge your hobbies with your professional skills.

Summer jobs

Theme Parks

If you are looking for something fun, earning money while spending time at a theme park could be perfect for you. There are plenty of different jobs you can apply for, from being a ride attendant to serving food and beverages at a restaurant to even working in the gift shop.

Summer Camps

If you enjoy working with kids, this could be another great job to pick up during your summer holidays. You could use your skills at a sports camp, an adventure camp, an educational summer school or even work as an office or kitchen staff at these camps. There are lots of options to explore!

How to find summer jobs for students

There are a few tricks you can have up your sleeve to make sure you bag that perfect summer job:

Trick One: Have a killer CV

If you’re applying for jobs online or sending emails, you don’t have the chance to make a good first impression: your CV needs to do that for you. It needs to sell you and your strengths and make you seem like an offer that’s too good to refuse. Need some tips on putting together a killer CV as a student? Here are a few to get you started.

Trick Two: Don’t give up

Ask anybody who has applied for a job and they’ll tell you that there were lots of applications that they never heard back from. The trick is to not let it bother you. Don’t dwell on why you never heard back, just pick yourself up and apply to another. (Even better, apply to lots at the same time – don’t put all your eggs in one basket. But make sure you tailor your CV and cover letter for each job.

Trick three: work smarter, not harder

This is the big trick for finding the best summer jobs for students: look for jobs that have a high churn rate – working in a bar or a restaurant, for example – or for jobs that look specifically for students. They’ll be easier to get, better suited to your needs and more understanding that you’ll be leaving at the end of the summer.

Where to find summer jobs for students

Here are a few places to start:

Gumtree

Gumtree is a bit of a goldmine for student jobs. As a rule, jobs advertised on Gumtree tend to be for less professional, more informal roles. That usually means there’s an abundance of job adverts for casual staff – waitress/waiter roles, bartender roles, and cleaning and housekeeping roles, for example.

What’s even better about Gumtree is that it’s less about sending over your CV, tailoring a cover letter and going for an interview. Instead, it’s more about sending potential employers a friendly message with your CV and – in all likelihood – heading in for a trial shift that you’ll get paid for.

Face-to-face

The most effective way of getting a summer job is to just put yourself out there – print off your CV and head into places you’d like to work. Ask if the manager is in and if they’ve got five minutes to spare. If they have, quickly explain what you’re hoping for. Also – if you can – strike up a rapport at the same time.

I’m a student that’s in-between years at university. I’ve just moved back home for the summer and I was looking for a job while I’m home. I just wondered if you had any openings for bar staff? I’m a hard worker and I don’t mind getting stuck in or doing long shifts…

The best thing about this approach is that it usually results in them hiring you on the spot if you’ve made a decent impression. At the very least, you usually get a trial shift or a ‘we’ll give you a call’.

studentjob.co.uk

Student Job is a great resource for finding summer jobs. It’s a job board for postings specifically for short-term work geared towards the student market.

Just a quick skim through the job board shows a whole host of jobs – from market research (getting paid to review websites) to event staff. Plus, you can narrow your search by region to find opportunities that aren’t going to require lots of driving back and forth.

Indeed

Indeed is one of the most popular job sites in the world and it's equally great for students looking for summer jobs. You can post your CV for free allowing recruiters to see that you are actively looking.

Do a bit of moonlighting

Why not use your degree to bring in some extra pennies over the summer? Sites like Fiverr, PeoplePerHour and Upwork allow you to bid to complete a whole range of tasks that can vary from writing an email campaign to designing company logos. Sure, they’re never going to break the bank, but a few little projects, while you’re away from university, will keep your head above water (and look great on your CV).