Summer Jobs for Youth Ages 14 - 24
The best time to begin looking for work for the summer, especially your first summer job, is in January!
After that, try to sign up again right away as your job ends in August or September. Or k find out when hiring begins for next year.
Many schools have already let out for the summer by May and there are still a lot of summer jobs for teens and college students available at that time, if you know where to look. There are also several small business opportunities that teens can pursue that will give them both an income and much valuable entrepreneurship experience.
There is a fantastic website that allows you to search for employment anywhere in the USA by zip code or state. It is called Snag-a-Job and contains a wide range of opportunities in entry level, seasonal, and part-time employment. This is the perfect place to search for a summer job in your hometown, or at your grandparents' place if you are going there for the summer. It is also full of good job resources and articles about work and education, including job search for all ages, from 14 through senior citizens.
Just be careful not to be drawn in by job ads that are really sales pitches to buy a book for $19.95 or $29.95 that lists work at home schemes or secret shopping opportunities. The real jobs in these categories advertise themselves, free to you, and the listings in the books are often outdated. I know this because I have done both of these types of jobs in the past. Thus, the real job you see in the ads is the one the advertiser has in making money by selling you a book! Don't pay to get a job.
The best time to begin looking for work for the summer, especially your first summer job, is in January!
The Top 10 Teen and College Summer Jobs.
Order of highest demand may vary by location.
- City, County, State and other government Summer Youth Programs
- Vacation spots and seasonal tourist attractions
- Airport concessions and shops
- Fast food, pizza shops, and casual dining
- Movie and other theaters
- Childcare and eldercare/companions
- Healthcare facilities, including hospitals, veterinary clinics, and others
- Other services (Moving and packing, pool cleaning, lawn care and landscaping).
- Construction
- Clothing and accessory stores at the local mall
Summer Jobs Nationwide
- CoolWorks.com
Adventure Jobs Around the World
- Midwest Association of Independent Camps
Directory of the best day and overnight summer camps in the midwest, including summer options for campers and summer employment opportunities
- Wilderness Work, Outdoor Summer Jobs and Camp Counselor Jobs
Wilderness work with the RedCliff Ascent therapy program for troubled teens offers outdoor jobs as camp counselors to provide assistance to parents of at risk youth
Zoos and Museums
Check out the job opportunities at the following interesting tourist sites. Some of them have toll free 24-hour job hotlines. These are just a few of the examples available at MuseumSpot.com and the Museum Employment Resource Center.
Other Good Resources
- Chicago Zoological Society - Brookfield Zoo Home
Welcome to Brookfield Zoo's website! Find zoo hours, plan your visit, and get tickets or become a member.
- Columbus Zoo, Ohio: 4850 W Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065; (614) 645-3400
- JFK Presidential Library: Columbia Point, Boston MA 02125; (617) 514-1600
- Obsolete Computers Museum
- William J. Clinton Presidential Library: 1200 President Clinton Ave.
Little Rock, AR 72201; (501) 374-4242 - The Smithsonian Institution Museums and National Zoo
Work Indoors or Outdoors
Extreme Adventure Jobs
Another wonderful, fun website is Cool Works, listed above. It shows you jobs in the out of doors, in the mountains, in the water, at a ski resort, on a ranch, on a riverboat, or in any one of the wide range of other places - even overseas -- that are different from the usual job.
When we have colonies in the future on the Moon and Mars, Cool Works will probably have summer jobs there as well. If you want a true adventure and not just a usual summer job, then try Cool Works. It will be fun and a good learning experience that will kick your resume up a notch.
Safaris, Space Walks and Whale Camps
See a variety unique opportunities for jobs and adventure programs from GreatSchools.net, listed in the above links.
Outdoor Camps
For jobs at summer camps, try the link for MAIC (Midwest Association of Independent Camps) out of Chicago; or, wilderness camps from Red Cliff Ascent at the link or phone 1-888-588-HIKE(4453).
Indoor Camps
The Center of Science and Industry in Columbus and Toledo, Ohio have weekend indoor camps weekly, and there may be facilities like them in your area. Check your local telephone directories and the local libraries for lists of employers such as these. Ask the Reference Librarian for help.
Federal and Stated Supported Summer Jobs
Check your local city, county, and state for programs such as the examples listed in the links below. In addition, there are federal programs such as Passport to Work and/or under different names in nearly all U.S. States.
Example: Washington DC Passport to Work - Summers 2009 - 2016
There is also a year-around program for youth attending school and an employment and education program for out-of-school youth. Passport-to-Work Summer 2009 gave 12,000+ DC youth from age 14 through 21 real work experience for six-weeks a job readiness training program.
Registration for this program is open to students attending college outside the Washington DC metropolitan area. The 6-week program starts at the end of June. Register online.
Some Youth Start Their Own Businesses
From Dishwasher to Tycoon in a Broom Closet
He began with a summer job in a small shop in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
As a dishwasher in a pizza joint, he dreamed of better pizza for the people, so he finally cleared out a broom closet in his father's tavern in 1984, sold his car, and bought used restaurant equipment to prepare his dream for his father's customers.
He became a huge success for many years. Mr. John Schnatter is the founder and was chairman and CEO of Papa John's International until July 2018 when he stepped down as an executive and contented himself with owning 31% of the business.
Papa John's pizza shops include over 3,000 locations in 49 states and 29 international venues! Pizza places hire lots of summer help, so that is a top summer job for teens and college students.
The CEO of Papa John's International pizza company was once a dishwasher in a pizza joint. He soon started his own pizza business and was very successful.
Sources
- Summer Youth Program by Chicago Housing Authority 2009 - present.
- United States Youth Conservation Corps (YCC)
- Youth.Gov online: Summer Youth Employment Programs
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2007 Patty Inglish MS