A summer jobs worksheet is available to download as a pdf, or stop by our office and pick up a handout.

Finding a summer job involves the same steps as any other employment search. In fact, summer job-hunting is a great way to develop and practice skills which you will use throughout your career. In general, looking for a summer job involves the following:

1.IDENTIFY WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO BE DOING.
This requires that you spend some time thinking about how you want to spend your summer. What are you interested in doing? Where would you like to be? Do you want to live at home or experience a different geographic area? Write a brief description of what you think you would like to do, and where you would like to do it.

2.IDENTIFY WHAT YOU NEED AND WANT TO GAIN FROM YOUR SUMMER.
Below is a list of some of the goals you might have for this summer. Write down a list of your goals, including any of these, and place a number indicating how much of a priority each one is for you. 1 - Indicates a HIGH PRIORITY GOAL (try to limit yourself to 2); 2 - Indicates a MODERATE PRIORITY GOAL; 3 - Indicates something which is NOT A PRIORITY

Earn money Travel (experience a different area) Adventure Explore a potential career interest

Gain career-related experience Learn or develop a specific skill Do something helpful for others Be in a particular place

3.KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER A POTENTIAL EMPLOYER.
Before you approach an employer about hiring you, it is important to know what skills, experience, and qualities you have to offer. Examples might include writing or research skills, knowledge of computers, ability to teach or coach a particular sport, artistic ability, previous work experience, foreign language proficiency, etc. Make as complete a list as possible of the things you have to offer.

4. WRITE YOUR RESUME.
Regardless of the type of employment you are seeking, a well-written, professional looking resume makes a positive impression. Many positions will require you to fill out a job application as well, but you can always attach your resume to it. You can pick up a Resume Writing handout in Career Services to help you write your resume. There are also books on resumes in the Career Services Library. You may make an appointment or bring your resume in during drop-in hours for review and advice.

5. IDENTIFY POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS.
Following are some suggested resources:

Advertised Positions - Newspaper classified listings, bulletin boards at community organizations, company personnel offices, career centers at other colleges can provide leads. Links to many of these are available on our Job Search page. eRecruiting is Colby's database of job openings -- both full-time and summer. WebExchange pages offer links to industry-related sites for jobs and internships.

Personal Contacts - Relatives, friends, professors, coaches and others can often suggest people in the field you are interested in for you to talk to about possible jobs. They may also know about specific opportunities.

Career Resource Library - The Career Resource Library has many directories of summer jobs and internships. Some of the general directories can also be helpful in identifying organizations to contact. Ask any staff member if you need help finding information.

On-line Resources - Use the Career Services list of web-based resources as a starting place. CareerSearch, a collection of online databases in various fields can be helpful. eRecruiting includes paid summer jobs and internships and is searchable by location and field. If you can't find a site that fits your needs, talk with a staff member in Career Services for help.

Alumni/ae Contacts - All current students have received information and an access code to use the on-line Colby Alumni Directory to identify alumni who may be helpful in answering career-related questions. The Informational Interviewing handout gives helpful hints on how to approach people to gather career information.

Special Internship Programs or Offices in Your Home State - Inquire as to whether your own state government has an internship program for college students. Massachusetts and Maine both offer programs, for example.

Telephone Directories, Chamber of Commerce Publications - Both can be helpful in identifying potential employers in your area of interest. Many search engines on the web have a yellow pages resource that can be helpful also.

6. CONTACT POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS.
If you are following up on an advertised position, proceed as requested by the employer. If you are not sure if a job is available you can write a letter of inquiry, enclosing a resume and indicating that you will follow up with a phone call. Or you can call the organization directly to inquire about their hiring needs and procedures and to get the name of the appropriate person to contact. A third alternative is to inquire in person at organizations. The later you are in your job search, the more helpful it is to use the direct approach. Prepare for interviews by thinking about and practicing how you will present yourself to an employer. At Career Services you can pick up a handout on Interviewing and consult job search books which discuss interviewing skills. You can also attend an Interviewing Workshop and/or sign up for an individual video-taped mock interview with a staff member.

7. OTHER OPTIONS.
Use your imagination to add to this list of other possibilities.

Self-employment - Consider going into business for yourself. While your income isn't guaranteed, neither is it limited. Providing services like lawn care, house painting, catering, etc. gives you the opportunity to develop many career-related skills such as marketing, customer relations, and financial management.

Combining a Volunteer Internship with Paid Employment - You may be able to arrange a career-related volunteer internship, and earn money at a job such as waiting tables or cashiering, which has flexible hours.

Temporary Work - Working for a temporary agency can enable you to gain experience in a variety of organizations, and sometimes can lead to a more permanent position.