Top Summer Jobs Worldwide

While summer is often considered the time to relax and enjoy a vacation, most college students look for summer jobs to help them pay rent and the bills, put into practice some of the knowledge they soaked up in school, or, more commonly, save up money for the next year's tuition. If you're a college student looking for a summer job, you're probably wondering what your options are and what type of job to look for or take. There are many different types of summer jobs for college students, but to help you out, here are five of the top types, or categories, of summer jobs for college students:

1. Government- or city-based/sponsored summer youth programs
Most cities offer summer programs specifically for employing youth who meet certain age (for example, 17 to 25 years old) and educational (entering or continuing college or university in the fall) requirements. The types of jobs usually involve cleaning up or beautifying the city, creating and running community programs, or working with children in some capacity.

2. Seasonal tourist attractions & vacation spots
It's summertime, and that often means more tourists and seasonal attractions and activities, which translates into great employment opportunities for college students on their summer break. You might want to try looking for a resort or amusement park job or even an outdoor tour job for example.

3. Summer internships
Many companies, businesses, and organizations offer both paid and unpaid internships as well as other summer job opportunities for college students majoring in a particular field. For example, if you're a journalism major, you may be able to find and land a summer internship at a local newspaper.

4. Day camp/summer camp/other childcare
Love to work with children and/or teens? Summer lends a fantastic opportunity for you to help and spend time with kids of all ages, through summer camp jobs in your city or working as a program coordinator or camp counselor at day camps near or outside your city. Daycares often need extra help in summer because children are out of school but still require care as their parents have full- or part-time jobs.

5. Personal services:
Almost anything goes under this category. Think of something in the service industry (which is vast) you either like to do or can do, or both-which is preferable-and you're sure to find a job for it. If you can't find any advertised summer job, create one! Choose something you can and like to do that's also in demand, and you've got your targeted market. Some of the most popular and in-demand services college students can tap into include tutoring, babysitting, pet care/dog-walking, painting, lawn/yard maintenance, landscaping, indoor/outdoor cleaning, delivery/errand services, and editing/proofreading, among others.

The great thing about choosing a summer job from the personal services category is that you can continue working, either on a part-time, casual, or freelance basis, into the following year at college, should you so require and/or desire. Many of the other popular summer jobs for college students (summer youth programs, internships, tourist/vacation spots, camps, etc.) are seasonal, which means summer only.

In addition to the summer jobs and job opportunities mentioned in the above five categories, other popular summer jobs for college students include office work (office assistants, receptionists, data-entry clerks); retail jobs; and dining/food services work (servers, hosts/hostesses, bartenders, chefs, bakers, dishwashers).

These types of summer jobs for college students can also continue into the school year on a part-time basis if you'd like to keep working or if your financial situation necessitates it. For example, if you land a full-time summer job working in a restaurant, you'll likely be able to work a few evening and weekend shifts during your next year at college.

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Dude and guest ranches, famous for their recreation of the old western lifestyle, attract thousands of visitors a year. Whether the visitors are there for the robust experience of riding a horse down an open prairie or for the quiet serenity of the outdoors, dude ranches will offer the experience of a lifetime and are great summer jobs.

In order for the guests to enjoy their stay, somebody has to be their guide to the outdoors, serve them their meals, and take care of their basic needs. Why not let that be you? Dude ranches, located all throughout the country, hire young college age students to run hotels, cook meals, do housekeeping, and perform the wrangler and wrangler assistant jobs. Dude ranches are perfect for seasonal and/or summertime employment.

To get hired on to a dude ranch, you must be proactive and determined. Competition for even the most mundane positions at a Ranch is very high. If you wait until the time you want to work to apply, there isn't a prayer you'll get hired. Dude Ranches have completed the hiring process for the summer season by mid spring. Especially if you are a new comer to the ranches, it is imperative your application is in as soon as possible. Most ranches begin to accept applications in November so to find a summer job you may have to start way in advance of the summer months.

Unless you have had a lot of experience with horses already, don't expect to start with the prestigious wrangler positions of dude ranch. Wranglers, those who do guided horseback tours and do demonstrations with the livestock, must earn their positions. If you want to work at a ranch, expect to start as a cook or a housekeeper and climb your way up. Many employees must work for multiple seasons in order to achieve wrangler status.

You must be able to sell yourself during an interview. The ranches are quite selective with the applications. An incomplete application will be thrown out, and anybody who lacks social skills will not be considered for employment, even for out of sight jobs such as housekeeping. Interviewers may even ask a hopeful wrangler to tell them a joke, just to get a taste of the potential's people skills.

People skills aren't the only things you can sell yourself with. Can you juggle, do a back flip, or walk on your hands for hours on end? Make sure you mention these feats. Guests can always need entertainment, and if you can perform remarkable stunts, your chances of getting hired will greatly improve.

Flexibility will be essential to work at a dude ranch. The ranches often employ workers for multiple jobs. Many wranglers will perform housekeeping duties at least once per week. Cooks clean, housekeepers provide guest entertainment, and so forth. Don't expect to necessarily work the job you applied for, either. Ranches hire based on need, not just your past experience.

Another effective method of getting hired on at a ranch is through advertising. The Dude Ranchers' Association puts out a monthly newsletter to each member ranch. For $10 per newsletter, you can sell yourself to every member ranch. It is the equivalent of putting in over 100 applications for the same job. For more information on how to get an ad in the Dude Ranchers' Association newsletter, visit the Dude Ranchers' Association website. The site provides examples of personal ads. The ranches also post for jobs on the official Dude Ranchers' Association website. Jobs for anything from housekeeping to bartending are needed.

Last of all, be sure you are willing to work long hours. A dude ranch is not a typical 9-5 job. Guests require service, entertainment, and meals at all hours of the day. A wrangler may begin his or her shift before the sun is up and work until after sundown. The hours are long, the work is strenuous, but most employees agree that the experience is worth the work. Not only does the job pay, fun with guests in the outdoors makes a long day worthwhile. Employee satisfaction rates are high. Many past dude ranch workers enjoy the family-like atmosphere among coworkers and return to work for multiple seasons. Although job competition is stiff, selling yourself and applying as early as possible will greatly enhance your chance of becoming a seasonal, summer employee.

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Finding a summer job doesn't have to be a daunting task. Whether you're a teen trying to earn some extra money or a senior trying to stay busy or supplement your income, there are a number of jobs available for you, if you do your homework.

It is important to know, especially if you have been out of the job market for a while, that finding a job is not like it used to be. On average, it takes twice as long for a senior adult to find a job and the wages are often lower than what you thought they would be, especially since you have experience and knowledge under your belt, but people are working longer and there is competition.

In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20 percent of Americans 55 years and older will be working by 2015. In 2000, the figure was just 13 percent, and almost 70 percent of workers who have not yet retired recently told AARP that they plan to work well into the traditional retirement years - or they don't plan on ever retiring!

With today's economy on the rise and everything costing more from food to gas, many people have no choice but to continue working or going back to work. So many people did not listen to their parents or grandparents when they said prepare for your future now. As a result, competition in the job market is tough, but you can find a job and perhaps even something you enjoy without hitting the pavement like the younger generation.

Whether you call yourself a senior, a baby-boomer, a mature person, or the 55-plus category, here are some useful tips to make your job search not so stressful.

Decide on a goal

Do you want to work 40-hours a week or 20? Will this affect your retirement or government assistance that you may receive and if so, can you accept that? Are you willing to work in an office full of young adults? Do you want to work in an office setting or find any number of jobs outdoors?

No answer is correct or incorrect here. It's up to you to decide what you can handle and what you will be happy with. In some cases, you may have to work so you cannot pick and chose, but if you can, find something that is going to make you happy.

Update your profile

While you bring experience and knowledge, you may have been out of the working game for a while and a lot may have changed. Make note of your strengths and your weaknesses. You may have to catch up with a little training because of advances in technology, but that's all part of the game. You may find it challenging and rewarding.

Patience, Patience, Patience

I can't emphasize this enough. So many people young and old get discouraged when they fill out applications or go on interviews and they don't hear anything right way. For every one position, there are probably 100 applicants, so it takes time.

If it's been awhile since you worked, upgrade your computer skills or other skills so you will stand out.

Last, but not least make some calls. They say it's not what you know but who you know, so call some friends, neighbors, or old business associates. Do some networking. With a little research, patience, and perseverance you may not only find a summer job, but a new career.

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