The onset of summer hopefully brings with it travel opportunities, fun outdoor activities, and also summer jobs and internships for millions of teens and college students. As family-focused financial advisors, SageVest Wealth Management advocates part-time work, summer jobs, and internships for a multitude of reasons. Here’s why, plus some tips on how to land the perfect summer job or internship opportunity.
Why is Part-Time Work So Important?
We strongly encourage part-time employment, particularly during the summer. Work experience is important in many ways, beyond simply deriving basic earnings:
- It expands your resume and your skill set.
- It bolsters self-esteem.
- It’s an opportunity to explore a potential career first-hand.
- You learn what you like and what you don’t like.
- Getting a paycheck and paying taxes fosters responsibility and is a step towards your future independence.
Which is Better, Earnings or Career Experience?
If you’re looking for a part-time opportunity, you might need to prioritize between earnings and experience. Ideally, they come hand-in-hand, but many students are faced with maximizing earnings or maximizing experience. If you need the income to pay for school, your answer might be simple. However, if you have financial flexibility, we typically recommend pursuing an opportunity aligned with your contemplated career goals. This gives you real life experience, helping you to evaluate your career choice. It can also increase your job opportunities post-graduation. While waitressing or retail work is helpful in demonstrating your work ethic, experience in your chosen career field on your resume may be more valuable to a future employer.
How Do I Find the Best Part-Time Summer Job or Internship?
Here are our top tips on finding the best summer or part-time opportunity:
- Networking connections are often the best way to get an introductory position without resume experience. Reach out to family, friends, fellow students, and neighbors to ask for connections in the field that interests you.
- Speak with your career counselor or academic advisor at school. They often know which employers to contact, and may have a list of opportunities already on hand.
- Join Linked-In to begin building your own network of friends and people in your field(s) of interest. Doing so promotes both your immediate and your long-term career potential.
- Search websites for internship and job postings. College Magazine and Forbes offer lists of the best websites for internships. Additionally, Business Insider published a list of 15 high-paying jobs college students can do this summer.
- Call or send an email inquiry directly to a company you’re interested in working for. Doing so in a professional manner shows personal interest and initiative.
SageVest Kids is the sister site of SageVest Wealth Management. We pride ourselves in helping all members of our clients’ families to expand their potential, including the next generation. Contact us for more information on how we can help you and your family achieve your life and wealth objectives.
