Summer employment for students has all sorts of great benefits, writes Peter Watson.
Many parents wonder if their children can find summer employment.
The idea for my column stems directly from a conversation that I just heard on the radio. A mother explained that her child sent many requests for employment; however, only received very few acknowledgements of the requests and no prospects of finding employment.
A student looking for summer employment is an automatic job. The job description is finding yourself a summer job. You are looking for work and it will take a lot of work to find that work.
Start by taking your job search seriously. If you want to work for 40 hours weekly, then that’s at least how much time you should spend searching for employment.
Use your network including your parents, and children older than you who have had experience with summer jobs. Brainstorm job possibilities and even contact businesses where you would like to work.
If you’re not able to find employment, then perhaps you should be an entrepreneur and create your own. Find a friend and go door knocking in your neighborhood asking people if there are any chores indoors or outside that need to be done.
There are endless stories of adults who had their career shaped by their work experience when they were students. Working can teach you skills, allowing you to discover your strengths and weaknesses and finally to understand what aspects of working you enjoy or not.
If you are successful at finding a job you will earn money. And often a more significant benefit is the experience you gain.
Peter Watson, of Watson Investments MBA, CFP®, R.F.P., CIM®, FCSI offers a weekly financial planning column, Dollars & Sense. He can be contacted through www.watsoninvestments.com
