Summer break is not just about relaxation but also about opportunities and things you can do in your spare time. For example, you might gain valuable work experience and improve your résumé to have more job offers in the future. Searching for a summer job might have different reasons. For example, you might be looking for it to earn some extra cash, explore a potential career path, or enhance your existing skills. Anyway, there are countless opportunities that you should explore. Some of the most valuable opportunities that you should opt for have been gathered in the following blog post. Keep reading to learn more about how you can build your résumé and stand out in a competitive job market.
Internships
Internships are all about improving your existing skills and learning more while putting your theoretical knowledge into practice. For example, a marketing major student might secure a summer internship at a digital marketing agency, thus having an additional line to be put in the résumé. It’s much better to have a practical experience that you went through yourself than being taught about what you should do and what is expected of you. Many companies, both large and small, offer internships for college students. It provides students with valuable experience while companies get help with their work. They can also spot the best students who are worth being hired in the future.
While searching for an internship, you need to set clear goals and communicate with your supervisor about learning objectives. You will make the most out of the summer experience, especially if you get feedback on your performance. Additionally, you should pay attention to networking with professionals in your industry and making contact for the future with valuable mentor figures in your life. Internships can provide you with this opportunity.
Retail and Service
Working in the retail and service market can provide important customer service experience. It also teaches some valuable life lessons, especially if you lack communication skills or self-confidence. For example, you work as a server at a busy restaurant. In that case, you will learn how to handle challenging situations, multitask effectively, work in a team, and work under pressure in stressful situations. This might be a very valuable life experience that many people have used as a step towards growing and overcoming difficulties. When applying for positions of servers, administrators, retail agents, etc., emphasize any previous customer service experience and your ability to work in a fast-paced environment
Camp Counsellor or Tutor
If you enjoy working with children, teens, resort organizations, etc., you might need to try working in a summer camp as this will not only bring you joy but also provide you with valuable life experience that can be later put in your résumé. But not only that. For example, biology major students might work as counselors at a nature camp, leading hikes and organizing scientific experiments. Camp counselor positions allow you to develop leadership skills, which are very needed if you are going to become a manager of any sort and administrate someone’s working processes. Tutoring, in turn, offers a chance to reinforce your knowledge in a particular subject area while helping others, which can also be viewed as a positive experience and an additional benefit.
Freelancing or Remote Work
With the rise of remote work opportunities, college students have more and more options to choose from while looking for a job. For instance, English major students freelance as content creators, writers, editors, online blog writers, etc. These are options that allow you not only to work from home but also to revise your knowledge in a particular area and improve your practical skills. Basically, you will get the chance to put your theoretical knowledge into practice and see what the niche is like. When freelancing, it is essential to communicate with clients, so you will also improve your social skills and even learn how to manage your time more effectively by building a high-quality portfolio. Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer are great places to find freelance opportunities.
Research Assistant
For students interested in academia, research, and science, securing a position as a research assistant can be highly beneficial and also very exciting. Professors and research specialists offer summer spots for students who are willing to participate in experiments and science research, contribute to ongoing projects, conduct experiments, and assist with data analysis. For example, if you are a psychology student, you might assist the professor with a study on cognitive development, social media influence, or something like that. These positions provide valuable research experience, the improvement of critical thinking skills, and the opportunity to collaborate with great minds in the sphere and learn from their experience and flow. To become a research assistant, demonstrate attention to detail, analytical thinking, and willingness to learn more.
Volunteering and Working for Nonprofit Organisations
Volunteering might allow you to give back to your community while gaining valuable experience and skills. For instance, a business major might volunteer at the local food bank, helping with fundraising efforts and organizing events. This experience might become a great addition to your résumé as a person interested in helping others and building connections with society. When volunteering, take the initiative to seek out opportunities that align with your interests and aspirations. Whether it’s working with youth, environmental, conservation, or humanitarian aid, find a cause that resonates with you and your goals.
Summer Entrepreneurship
Starting a small business during the summer months is what many ambitious students would really enjoy and find useful. Summer projects or start-ups are a perfect opportunity to make some extra money and gain valuable experience while also making an additional contribution to society. For example, a computer science major might develop a mobile app or create a website that can be used for local needs or for selling your products. Even if your venture doesn’t turn into a long-term business, it’s a great opportunity and experience that can be put into your résumé and make you stand out from the crowd as a person with aspirations and proactive positions. While working on your summer project, you might develop your time management skills problems, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking, which you surely will need in the future, so it will only benefit you to work on your dream and your idea. Surely, first of all, you will need to identify the market and develop a solid business plan, but not every start-up has such a serious approach. At first, your business idea might be a small but exciting experiment.
Conclusion
Summer break is an excellent time for college students to gain practical experience, improve their skills, and connect with people in the sphere. Be sure to make the most out of it and implement some of the tips that we presented here into your life.
Karen Palmer
