Show Me The … Money Finding A Decent Job Can Mean The Difference Between A Fun Summer And A Broke Summer

We took senior pictures, did the prom, bought the Hilfiger collection, wiped out Hastings and forked over 35 bucks for Metallica mosh-pit tickets.

Let’s face it: Most teens are pretty stretched for cash right about now. “I’m broke” has become an understatement for most people.

Not to mention the fact that summer is the season when everything you see jumps out at you and says, “Buy me, buy me, buy me!”

How do high school students usually go about getting spending money for the summer? Some people put on the sappy-face-for-mom-and-dad routine. Others try to do odd jobs for their relatives.

Those are decent ways to attempt to make money (the key word being attempt), but by no means are they sure-fire.

Many parents are so used to “the face” that they basically ignore it. Working for relatives isn’t much better. Often they’ll feed you or give you a toy for your work instead of paying cash. Maybe they forgot that you aren’t a child anymore.

So what option does this leave a teen in search of extra money for summer? Work.

Getting a job gives you the chance to gain valuable work experience. You can also get out of the house and avoid becoming a free baby sitter.

Summer jobs provide opportunities to have fun and meet new people. And there’s nothing like the feeling of making (and spending) your own hard-earned cash.

“When you have a job, you are not always begging your parents for money,” says Lisa Papini, a senior at Liberty High School. “And you can spend your money any way you wish because YOU earned it.”

In fact, holding a job for the summer (read: responsibility) can be beneficial in many ways.

You can brag to your pals about all the cool people you meet at work. You can learn the value of money by putting some in the bank something your parents have tried to drill into your head since you were old enough to know the kinds of things you like to buy. You can also learn how to budget your money by making your paycheck stretch until your next payday.

Here are some tips for those of you who are still looking for a summer job:

Work for free. One way to find paid work this summer is to volunteer at a place or in a career field that you are interested in. Now, before you start complaining about working for free, keep in mind that community service is important when colleges evaluate your applications.

“You really get the sense that you are helping people, that you are giving something back to your community,” Papini says.

She also recommends that people add their community service hours to job applications and college applications.

“Last summer I got a job as a summer camp counselor mainly because (my employer) was impressed with my volunteer work,” she says.

Volunteer work isn’t as stressful as applying for a paid job. You can set your own hours and you do receive recognition for your work. Often there will be a person you work under, or shadow. If that person is impressed with your work, they might offer you a paid position. And you can always use that boss as a recommendation for another job.

The bottom line is that when you do volunteer work, you get your foot in the door.

Learn to network. Ask your parents, their friends, older siblings, teachers - anyone you know that has a job and might know about openings. You can also scout out businesses that you like and might want to work for.

Write a resume. List the qualifications you have for a position like, “I know CPR,” or, “I have taken three business courses,” or “I have participated in extracurricular activities.” It’s best to keep your resume to one page, because many employers won’t read beyond that.

Remember the reasons why an employer might want to hire you. What makes you stand out? Write those reasons in your resume, and remind the employer of those skills during your interview.

“Be honest in an interview,” Papini says. “Don’t say something just because you think your employer wants to hear it. In the long run, he or she will appreciate your integrity.”

Be persistent. When you go into a business, ask to speak to someone in charge.

“When I applied at Ron’s Drive-In and McDonalds, I kept calling back and saying my name so they would remember who I was,” says Melanie Johnson, a sophomore at Central Valley High School. “Employers often have many applicants. Just saying your name will help distinguish you from the rest of them.”

There are a lot of jobs available for people who don’t want to be cooped up on those hot summer days.

Riverfront Park is always looking for people to help run the pavillion rides and concession booths. Also, city parks and pools need lifeguards and groundskeepers.

The Spokane Parks and Recreation Department recommends that teens who are interested in working at the city parks and pools or at the Riverfront Park Pavillion this summer pick up an application at the department office, 404 N. Havana.

The most important thing you can do is ask around. Johnson says that she talked with some of the people that already worked at her prospective job. “It helped me get a feel for the kind of work I would be doing,” she says.

Be creative. If you can’t find a traditional summer job, start your own business. Mow lawns. Raise produce and flowers and sell them to local businesses. If you have an artistic flair, sell your artwork or handmade jewelry. Get friends together and offer to supervise garage sales for your neighbors.

Have you seen the yellowish signs posted up all over town that read “Summer work; $10.25 to start, no experience necessary”?

Sounds too good to be true? Jenn Harrington, a senior in the Running Start program at EWU, saw those signs and eagerly called in. She says that the company sells custom kitchen cutlery and needs high school students to be sales representatives.

Harrington interviewed for the job after her phone call. “I was nervous, but I just kept reminding myself why I was here. I was one of the first people to arrive. (My boss) noticed right away that I was early and the very next day he offered me a job,” she says.

Harrington enjoys her job because she is allowed to set her own hours and she gets a commission from everything she sells. “I like it because you’re not stuck inside all day with someone else watching your every move.”

Good luck in your search. Don’t turn down any opportunities. Before long this is what you will have to do to make a living.