What part time / summer jobs have your DC done to date? Looking for ideas.

[AalyaSecura]

As the title says, I'm interested in ideas of the range of part time or summer jobs DC have done either whilst at school / gap year / at uni. DN is starting to look for work, but we are struggling to think of options different to the more obvious supermarket / waitressing options. Ideally we are trying to think of something that will give her repeat work, rather than job hunting every summer from scratch. And maybe help in building skills that are valuable long term.. A big ask I think!

Not DC but me when I was at uni:

• Worked at a letting agent on Weds afternoons and weekends that specialised in student properties

• Lots of retail jobs: health food store, Debenhams in different franchises

• Customer service agent in a call centre

• McDonalds

Soft play, adventure parks, places like Legoland. Caravan parks, arcades, anywhere that gets spikes in tourist season / school holidays. Pubs.

I managed to get repeat work at a franchise in Debenhams for the first two years that covered both summer and Christmas.

After that for the next two years I stayed in the university town as I had jobs that I worked at part time during term time and then increased my hours during breaks

Hi, can I just piggy back this thread and asks where she looks for work?
I own a wine shop and bar and we are looking for regular part timers. We all know quite a lot about wine and any part timers would be trained too - how to taste wine, main grapes, different methods etc . We pay well. Family business that believes in treating staff well etc

Can't find anyone!
Wonder if we are not advertising the job in the right place.

Not glamerous at all, but DD spent the summer when she was 16 working in a care home: cleaning, helping with kitchen prep, waitressing, and even taking an old lady with dementia for a daily walk. Because of staff vacations she ended up with more shifts than she had expected, so though the pay was low she earned quite a lot. It has been a great thing to have on her CV, not just for University applications, but for possible gap year employment. She liked the fact that her colleagues were a diverse bunch from all over the world, and also that she enjoyed caring work. She also seemed to enjoy going to work, as a constrast to going to school. With a good reference there would be no problem finding similar work again.

Pag, she's looking on online job boards and gumtree, and supermarket notice boards, but with fairly low expectations - given that she has no experience, for shop work and waitressing we've suggested she's better to go in to places and ask, so she can show that she's presentable and articulate and has got motivation to work. The problem is knowing where to go! She'd go in to your shop/bar like a shot if there was a notice in the window.

And many thanks for the ideas so far!

Mostly tourist and shop related jobs for my dd's.

Pagwatch - advert in shop window, local paper, and list in online agencies? Word of mouth and adverts at any local university. Where are you based?

Oldest one worked from age 13. First had a paper round, then a Saturday job in a dress shop. Moved on to babysitting, nanny jobs abroad in holidays and then as a museum guide during uni hols. (Art student). Found jobs through adverts in shop windows, local paper, The Lady (nannying) and Gumtree .
Youngest one has worked in local café and is now looking for summer hols. All from adverts in windows.

It does help that we live in London and there are lots of jobs for kids if they look.

As for building skills, I think the key thing is for them to understand what employers are looking for - smartly turned out, reliable, polite, honest and willing to learn. For both of my children I wasn't too concerned about what job they got some much as that they got a job. And different jobs which would give them different experiences and a wider range of skills to draw upon.

I also felt they should get jobs which would force them to confront their personal issues. So for my daughter who was timid and shy, it was about gradually getting her used to dealing with situations she didn't like. For the youngest one it was getting him used to going out and looking for a job and not to expect it to come to him.

It might be helpful for you to know that they both did volunteering during school time and I think this probably helped them initially.

Good point about volunteering. Might be something to look at as an alternative option, thanks!

A few of my friends kids have found work at a local " high ropes" attraction which has taken them back each summer, some did pool life guard course and get regular work for that ( plus I think that gives you first aid qualification too).DD has done retail work starting as a Xmas temp and then staying on when they wanted to keep a few as pt permanents. She tried hotel work, but struggled with the hours and what seemed to be totally disorganised shift rota eg on a wedding banqueting job Saturday night having to stay on til 2.00am on the promise that her breakfast shift the next day would be cancelled but then being told actually they still needed her so back in at 7.30am!!

My DD found it very difficult to get paid work in our small town. Far too many young people looking and the owners of the shops and cafes tended to take on young people they knew.

Years ago, DH worked for his local council every summer, so ask them. My local Parish Council runs a big celebration of all things local every year and they are desperate for volunteers. Even if it is a "one off" event, it can be useful on the cv.

My DD ended up volunteering for the NT. Volunteering in a charity shop is often worthwhile and many charities need people who can help. The NT were brilliant with my DD and she did lots more than their "normal" volunteers. In fact they now encourage young people by suggesting volunteering at this property is part of the D of E. She was instrumental in getting other young people involved. It has been brilliant for her CV and probably better than working for money as she was given far more advanced tasks to do. However, I accept some people need the money from a job.

Also, when older, look at the CAB. Also brilliant for CV. Whilst at university, run a club. Excellent skill development and DD also was Chairperson for a ball. Huge organisational skills required for that. However, it is usually the NT volunteering that people ask about at interviews!

Around here, the larger town has loads of supermarkets. Check out work is relatively easy to get.

Best option I have heard of, with long term possibilities, is getting a life guard qualification and then there is (apparently) always work at swimming pools etc, particularly in holiday periods when they are busier. My DS and DD work in tourism (pub,. cafe etc) as we are in a high tourist area but a friend's DD entirely funding Uni by standing next to a swimming pool.

Busking (sigh). Not quite the same life lesson in turning up on time, smartly turned out etc, but possibly good training in taking whatever insults life throws at you?

I worked at Camp Beaumont (children's activity camp) during the summer and then they gave me work during the other half terms. (Many years ago). I worked at the one in South London but there's quite a few around London and Surrey

Shops, Pizza Express, pub kitchens, temping through Office Angels - receptionist at car showrooms, touch typist, data entry (typing skills and ability to drive helpful for this). Dd1 currently doing a long-term temp job in a post-grad gap year to save for travel/next round of study. Good rate of pay and overtime.

In her first summer at university, dd1 found it hard to get paid retail work so she did voluntary work in Oxfam - hugely increased her suitability for paid retail work.

Oh good thread.
DS1 at uni and doesn't work in term time but would like a summer job to save some money. The problem is that we live in quite a depressed area and it's hard to find any work. His uni town is better but he doesn't have the accommodation over summer.
Last year his friend had a tricky experience when she was employed by NCS. They gave hardly any training and she was left, unprepared and unsupervised with a group of badly behaved and challenging youngsters for the whole time.

Next always employ lots of summer staff ready for summer sale, most are short contracts 2 weeks or so but nearly all were extended until the end of summer when I did it a couple of years ago. Marks and spencer seem to be the best retailer at re-hiring if you say on the exit form when you're free within the next year they actually remember and will call you as if it's within one year they don't need to interview or retain so saves them money, hire more at Christmas time though not summer.

Alternate jobs people have is things like if there's anything touristy at all near you, even just a nice cafe or pub that's busier in summer or something like a strawberry farm, campsite, garden centre, golf club bar/kitchen etc.

Large childcare centres like kids allowed also take on summer staff as their staff go on holiday and they have extra school age kids.

Bigger companies almost all hire online and some smaller ones, so look on websites of places she would consider then visit or mail out CVs to anywhere that won't. My first job was a golf club kitchen, after doing my own CV my mum actually mailed it for me to several places, none replied for about a week then the golf club rang asking if i could work that night as they were desperate!

ds3 works at pizza express and as a coach in an after school football club (he has got his coaching awards) The company also run holiday courses so he is signed up for a couple of them too and a stint coaching in St Lucia once his exams are over.

ds started at 14 with a paper round. Then worked in a local butchers shop. Then worked in a national 'outdoor' shop. Now works as a lifeguard
dd1 started at 13 delivering the free papers. Now works as a lifeguard. Also has a weekly babysitting job.
dd2 (14) can't find work - (the free paper stopped)

When I was doing my degree I did bar work, babysitting, and some 'picking a child up from school, taking him home, giving him his tea and waiting until his parents got home'. I also spent a Summer working for PGL.

I worked as a nursing assistant, and it was great as I could pick up as many shifts as I wanted, any holidays at the same hospital.

DN2 worked at McDonalds which were good at letting him phone and say he was available.

Working for one of the big name companies is useful in that it normally easy to transfer to a branch in which ever town DC go to university in and then come home to work in the holidays.

NCS pays £1600 for 4 weeks as a youth leader in the summer

Loads of ideas here, thanks! When I was that age, I worked in a bakery, in a Haven holiday park, a factory and in a bar - interestingly it was the factory work that I was asked most about in 'real life' interviews. But that was then, I was imagining it's harder now, but it still seems like there are some good options out there.