Top 10 Summer Jobs for Adults and College Students

Author:
Patty Inglish MS
Updated:
Aug 28, 2022

Find a good summer job with a little help.
Pixabay

Summer, Seasonal, and Full-Time Jobs Increase

The unemployment rate in many states and metropolitan areas of America is relatively low after recovery from the Great Recession, translating into the fact that there are probably a lot of jobs open that are not being filled. This is particularly true of Texas.

Business and job growth is high in many regions and will continue to increase through 2015 and beyond. A 5.0% Unemployment Rate is considered by analysts to be "Full Employment." If there are then jobs available despite this rate, America likely does not have any health workers left to do them:

In March 1999, Electronic Recruiting News reported that from 2000 to 2015, the number of 25-to-44-year-old workers in the US economy would be lower than in 1999. This has proven largely true.
According to Wirthlin Worldwide, US business CEOs worry more about shortages in skilled labor than about global competition or economic recession.

Walking & Singing to Work in the Summer of 1967. Watts/LA.
LOC; pd

Not only are there increasing numbers of jobs available, but despite some corporate downsizing, the Baby Boom Retirement era is leaving some jobs vacant as well. In addition to this, summer jobs become available, as do other seasonal occupations. Overall, there are many job openings, and since the US federal minimum wage increased in the latter part of the first decade of the 21st century, pay in these summer jobs is better than previously.

High school and college youth are not the only groups looking for Summer and Seasonal Employment in the 21st century. Teachers often are off for the summer and work a seasonal job if they are not already working a second part-time job year around. Some single parents or stay-at-home moms work during the summer when their children are in summer day camps. Many adults work an extra job during the summer, and retirees sometimes work during the months of May to August as well.

The top 10 jobs for adults and youth combined are in hospitality, dining, food preparation, and tourism. Many cities and counties have summer youth work and learn programs for young people ages 14 to 18 or 14 to 21, and these programs need adult workers of many types as well.

West End Amusement Park, New Orleans

Top 10 Summer Jobs for Adults and College Students

Hotels, Resorts, and connecting Dining and Shopping Plazas - various positions, including retail sales
Summer Day Camps and Overnight Camps, Childcare, and Eldercare
Fast food, Pizza, Casual dining, Fine dining, and Taverns
Summer Paid Internships - college level
Vacation Resorts and Tourist Attractions
Various Green Business projects and programs
Airport and other Concessions and Retail
City, County, State, and Federal Summer Youth Programs
Movie Theaters
Landscaping, construction, etc.

Many hospitals and clinics may have job openings that can lead to permanent employment, considering the shortage of healthcare workers through the mid-21st century.

Summer and Seasonal Employment Sites

The following links provide access to employment search engines that specialize in summer and seasonal jobs or have a seasonal component in addition to other job services:

HOSPITALITY

HCareers: Hospitality, Hotel, Restaurant Jobs
Hospitality Jobs Online: Hotels, Restaurants, Resorts
Hospitalitycareernetwork.com

RESORTS

DISNEYLAND; CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE; DISNEY WORLD

This major conglomerate now offers not only seasonal employment but work readiness classes, resume preparation help, career planning, and college-level classes for which credit may be taken. Instructors are all college educated and degreed, many having MBA degrees. The focus is on business and how to be a success in the business world, in America and internationally.

All levels of college students may apply to Disney, including grad students. Directions and applications are available on the website, along with several pages of programs and activities for college-level and permanent employees. The Disney-based learning center is a computerized lab with online as well as classroom-based instruction, and numerous other resources are attached.

During a paid summer internship at Disney, student workers receive:

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Paid internships that will boost the strength of a resume.
Opportunities to work with global experts in leadership skills and training to gain vital transferable skills. This is the perfect first step toward Career Assessment and getting your Dream Job in the future.
An Individualized Study Plan in a custom-designed curriculum that offers college credit.
Numerous benefits and discounts.
Living arrangements in a gated community with 24-hour security.

The College Program Educator Relations and New Market Development Specialist, Kent Phillips, received the Cooperative Education and Internship Association's Charles F. Kettering Award for 2008. The award honors companies with the best leadership and commitment to Cooperative Education and Internship in America. Mr. Phillips founded the College Program in 1981, and nearly 50,000 students participated.

College-level credit courses award a certificate and are referred to the ACE—American Council on Education—for college credit. Non-college level courses award a Certificate of Completion that is also a good accompaniment to a resume.

Mackinac Island resorts, hotels, attractions, and dining places

I stayed at this campground on a visit to the island and saw the bridge every day.

Mackinac Island resorts, hotels, attractions, and dining places

Mackinac Island Resorts

Grand Hotel (from the film "Somewhere In Time")

Since 1887, Grand Hotel has welcomed guests to Mackinac Island, Michigan. An overnight stay includes a full breakfast and a five-course dinner daily.

Home - Lake View Hotel

Built in 1858, the fully renovated Lake View Hotel is conveniently located on Main Street in the historic downtown of Mackinac Island, Michigan. We offer 85 air-conditioned guest rooms, large flat panel HDTVs, an indoor heated pool, and three restaurants.

Mackinac Island Hotels - Chippewa Hotel

The Chippewa Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan, is a Victorian-style waterfront hotel perfect for Mackinac Island vacations. Make your online hotel reservations here for Mackinac Island accommodations or lodging.

An Outstanding Job Site

PJ Scout—Jobs by E-mail at NationJob.com

This is an extremely fast Job Search Engine that pulls up jobs instantly in permanent full-time positions as well as for part-time and seasonal work. Punching in my own Zip Code and a 25-mile radius search parameter into the search box, I saw that 120 jobs popped up immediately. I have not seen a faster search engine.

On the site, search results come up displayed in alphabetical order with a link for each job. Click on a link, and you will receive a full job description and an additional link for applying for the job right there online.

You can also set up a job search agent very quickly and request related jobs to be emailed to you.

This site was begun in 1988 by Human Resources and Technology professionals to save their clients money by connecting them with qualified job applicants quickly. In addition to all this, the NationJob Community Job Network has been rated the best community-based Internet Recruitment Program in America.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Comments, Experiences, and Updates

e-recruitment on October 13, 2012:

Main idea behind this summer job program especially for adults and college students is only to earn extra dollar through such seasonal program. Best way for creating an awesome excitement on these hot days. Admirable concept.

Fotinoula Gypsyy from NYC BABY on February 19, 2012:

Great hub! :) very useful information

Carl Madison on June 02, 2010:

Another idea is studying abroad for the summer and/or get an internship overseas!

linjingjing on March 23, 2009:

Summer Jobs

I am in favor of

Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on November 22, 2008:

Thanks for the additional resource.

Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on September 27, 2008:

Thanks for the helpful link!

Thomas on September 27, 2008:

Vacation resorts are probably the most fun work environment you're gonna find. Another good jobsite is Hoteljobs.com.

Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on May 21, 2008:

mikeking, thanks for that input - it helpos a lot to know which kind of jobs really do pan out and create a success for the job seeker. Great that you stopped by to post!

mikeking on May 21, 2008:

Hotel, and Casino seems like a good place to work. I have worked part-time one time at a golf resort, great experience for the summer break.

Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on May 18, 2008:

aolarshingles, Karen and ahmu - Thanks very much for visiting and commenting. I hope that many people can find some fun employment this summer with this sort of help.

solarshingles - thanks for telling me that this Hub was smooth to read; that's what I practice the most; it's getting smoother. :)

Karen - that resort looks good to me too!

I was actuallly kind of surprised that so many older people are working at Disneyland, but I think it could be a lot of fun as a second career after retirement.

Karen Ellis from Central Oregon on May 18, 2008:

Grea hub. The one picture of "Travel and Resorts" makes you want a resort job.

solarshingles from london on May 18, 2008:

Patty, I could have only one comment for all of your hubs: very well researched hub, highly professional, very useful and prectical, and very fluent to read. *****

ahmu on May 18, 2008:

nice hub u make i like it

Patty Inglish MS (author) from USA and Asgardia, the First Space Nation on May 17, 2008:

I think I found some pretty good links for this one, Rodney. Thanks for commenting!

rodney southern from Greensboro, NC on May 17, 2008:

Very cool hub! I like this. Great information