If you want a summer job that you won’t hate, now is the time to apply to work at places you think would be a good fit. Whether your parents told you that you need to make some money, or you’re just looking for a productive way to spend your free time (and get paid while doing it), there are plenty of places that could hire you. The key to finding the right one, however, is to start applying before the end of the school year in order to have as many opportunities as possible.

Businesses expect an influx of high schoolers looking for work in the summer months and begin posting “Help Wanted” signs a few months ahead of time to attract them. Ice cream stores and pools seem to benefit the most from the large group of available hires, as they have their highest demand for employees during summer. Twister’s Frozen Custard has already had their signs up for a couple of months. The frozen treat shop almost exclusively hires high school students and is looking to fill up their employee roster before things get really busy. 

If you decide to wait until after school is out to start thinking about finding a job, places like Twister’s or your local gym or pool will have already filled up their vacant positions. Missing out on the spring hiring season could be the difference between having a job you love and wishing that the start of school would come a month early in the middle of July. Many students miss out on great work opportunities in the spring, become fully focused on finishing the year with good grades, and wonder where all the good jobs went when it’s deep into summer and they still haven’t found a job. So be proactive and do your research now. Find out which of your favorite local businesses are in need of help, and do not wait to submit your application!

The possibilities for places to work are endless. As was previously mentioned, ice cream shops and pools are very popular places for teenagers to work. The fast food industry and local Country Clubs are other popular ones. Local warehouses have been on a hiring spree as of late and a faction of Aquinas seniors have found work on popular delivery apps such as Doordash and Instacart. Even with no prior work experience, you can absolutely be hired to work any of these jobs since many of them are mere entry-level positions.

It would be wise, however, for underclassmen to find a place they could return to perennially and climb the company ladder to a higher paying position each year of high school. Opportunities for future promotion and rewards for employee loyalty are good things to bring up when interviewing for a summer job. It can be difficult to compete with full time employees who work year round for promotions, but the presence of youth in the summertime can be truly powerful in revitalizing an otherwise mundane work environment. 

A young, dedicated employee can contribute a lot over the course of three months. The greater contribution, however, is often from the workplace on the growth and development of a young employee. Summer jobs build character in teens and help them mature in ways that school was not designed to. So, what are you waiting for? Start searching for your summer job now!