Summer jobs for Uni returners - difficult to find?

[MrsJBaptiste]

He's 19 and been applying since the beginning of May. He's still at Uni but will be home (for approx 4 months) from next weekend. He started applying early in the hope he'd have something by the time he came home but NOTHING.

He's got a decent CV and doesn't have a problem with application forms but he's not hearing back from any of them. Do you think it's because they see he's at Uni and think it's not worth hirng someone for just 4 months?

It's so disheartening as if he got an interview, I know he'd be great (although I am biased!) and before anyone asks, I'm not doing any of this for him - he's on his own there - I'm just worried that the longer it goes on, there may be even less of a chance of getting something just for the summer.

I would have thought seasonal jobs in pubs etc are the way to go. That’s what I did for uni holidays. No applying, just go round and ask them all until you find one who hires you

Ds got a job at a theme park last year and has returned this year. He's also worked at a holiday club, he's 19 too and hasn't found it difficult to find work. Are you in a dry area?

He went round pubs last summer and found they were either 'apply online to head office' 🙄 or in the case of two pubs, over 50 people had applied for one bar job.

We're in the suburb of a large city, maybe that's the problem? There are 3 Universities so students either already have the jobs or there's a lot of competition for any jobs out there.

However his main applications have all been on indeed so calling into places in person is definitely his first port of call when he comes home.

I found when mine applied using Indeed, when they went into places to follow up often places said no application had come through. It's definitely worth popping in to check.

Has he tried local kids holiday clubs/camps

I am surprised! In the South East we are crying out for staff, especially in the hospitality sector.

What he needs is a transferable job. McDonald's or one of the coffee chains, supermarkets possibly? That way he isn't looking for a job every year at the same time as everyone else. If he gets a job where he can change stores can work during term time a little then up the hours when he is home. That's where I would be aiming anyway.

If he can get something in hospitality, he'll be laughing. My DD got a job at one of local ones one year, then they took her back every holiday she was available and then once she'd finished her degree she was working there until she got her first proper job. It was wonderful for her self esteem apart from anything else.

Try some of the hospitality apps etc like Stint or Dough where basically he signs up to temp shifts often at short notice. My son found it very flexible and earned a decent amount around still being to go to festivals.

He also works for OfftoWork. They provide staff for Lords Cricket, Queens Tennis, Stadium events, horse race meetings, British Grand prix etc

He went round pubs last summer and found they were either 'apply online to head office' 🙄 or in the case of two pubs, over 50 people had applied for one bar job.

That doesn't surprise me. We had a pub and the number of CVs sent by students, especially, was massive. In reality it was mostly friends or relatives of current staff and customers who were hired.

I've seen a few jobs for helping out over the summer with summer schools and holiday clubs. Start with checking leisure centres.

I find this quite strange too.
My dd gets people from previous jobs getting in touch to ask her when she is home, or if should would be prepared to travel home specially.
I live in a suburb of a big City too (not a holiday or touristy area) and see vacancies advertised all the time - in windows, in the pub or cafe itself, on facebook and so forth.
Being part of a big City gives you fewer options in terms of beach front cafes, but more options in terms of holiday clubs, Summer sports courses, out of school care, then sheer numbers of pubs and shops. Also agency work in offices. Leisure centres. Conference centres. Weddings. Big sporting stadia. Also City Centre and other tourist places.

Thanks all. He has done some agency hospitality work in the past but possibly with the wrong agency as the shifts weren't that regular. It's tricky without a car but I'm sure he'll pass his test soon which will help although not sure he'll have a car...!

It's just frustrating as on here, most teenagers seem to have an abundance of jobs waiting for them but in reality, none of my friends kids have found it easy to get work. I've only seen one shop with a notice in around here but hopefully the jobs are still out there 🤷‍♀️

We've found this, too, in a suburb of a large city. DD applied to lots of hospitality jobs via websites (Indeed, head-office of chains) and hasn't even got any "no thanks" replies, which we all find really odd.

As it happens, a paid internship she applied for came up trumps and that will keep her busy for all of this month; she might possibly look for something after that, but we're not going to push it to be honest.

My DCs have only found work through contacts.

DS worked in a cold store/warehouse job for 2 summers. They use a lot of agency staff so don't seem to be bothered about the short term nature of the employment. Lots of food factories around here operate similarly and always seem to be after staff.
Loads of hospitality venues are looking for staff and the 2 tourist attractions actually advertise as jobs 'suiting uni students' although they start recruiting at Easter.

Search if there’s a local Facebook jobs page. Many places don’t bother with Indeed for temp jobs. You can also post asking for jobs.

It's just frustrating as on here, most teenagers seem to have an abundance of jobs waiting for them but in reality, none of my friends kids have found it easy to get work. I've only seen one shop with a notice in around here but hopefully the jobs are still out there 🤷‍♀️

That's just not how jobs are advertised anymore.

Maybe small Indy businesses but the majority of jobs will be found online, not in a window.

As an employer I would steer clear of the 'any jobs going?' posts on local pages. It demonstrates laziness I think. You have to put in the legwork if you are looking for a job, not expecting employers to come to you.

I feel the same about the 'any plumbers available? PM me' posts too. No, you PM them!

We are zone 3 in London and no problems getting jobs. Pubs and restaurants being the most popular. I think non chains are better - you can usually see the manager there and then. Theme parks might require a bit of a train journey, but my friends son worked the burger grill at one last summer. Supermarkets probably have shift work. My son got a retail job.

I'd forget relying on Indeed, @MrsJBaptiste

My DS works as a commis chef in a poncey independent seafront bistro and they desperately need kitchen and front of house staff for the summer months, and they've stopped using Indeed to advertise. (As pp have said, applications disappear or take ages to be processed.)

If an applicant stopped by looking reasonably clean and alert, with their CV and a reference saying they can get up in the morning and they're not a thief, they'd probably sort them out with a paid trial day on the spot.

Good luck to your DS.

We're on the rural side of a smallish town, DS 19 has had luck with a lovely local pub (he started a 20-25 hours a week summer job this week) by dropping in with his CV. He also had an interview at Tesco for seasonal staff and if he's offered it might juggle both roles if he can make it work as Tesco pays more per hour but he doesn't want to let the pub down. He worked in fast food for 8 months during his A levels so had some previous experience.
It's not like when I was a teenager in the 90s and just walked around town with my CV until I found a job, it's much harder to get a foot in the door these days.

Are there any local festivals during the summer, ie cricket, racing, music? If so, might only be a few days work, but worth searching there.