<p>My daughter is doing an unpaid internship for the second summer in a row and taking one summer class. She is a rising senior and I hope she gains enough experience to get at least a nice recommendation. She has a dandy scholarship, so the money is not as important as the experience.</p>
<p>I would not worry too much about a kid coming home for summer without everything all planned out. He has probably been as busy as imaginable and will get things set when he gets home. </p>
<p>The post about there always being uncool jobs is absolutely right. He can find something at any number of retail location’s, restaurants, construction sites, etc. I would also imagine that there are always places that are looking for volunteers. Maybe you have some things that need to be done, fixed, cleaned around the house that he can take care of. </p>
<p>If you want him to get out of the house and find work quick then give the option of finding a job or working for you, for free, for the summer. No kid wants to get stuck painting walls or cleaning out garages for the summer especially if they are not getting paid. There is also always the choice of him taking some summer classes. I loved how quite school was in the summer and how quickly the classes seemed to fly by.</p>
<p>S spent the summer after his first year at quarter-system-college at home. We live in a college town where the local college and high schools get out much earlier than his, so summer jobs were taken already. It was OK. This summer he got a job on campus and won’t be home for more than a week or so. I’m a little sad.</p>
<p>TheGFG: my middle son is also at a the quarter system-school and it was discouraging when he missed all sorts of jobs because he came home in mid-June. Last year, with a really late start, he finally located an unpaid internship. Started nearly in August, so I was quite glad he did not have to get back to school until mid-September.</p>
<p>This year, he was on fire to get a “decent” internship locked up before the summer began. Luckily, mission accomplished, but it took many summers of no work to get him to see he needed to start earlier. Now, we have to constantly remind him to stay focused on school; he can’t wait to get started working at a “real job”.</p>
<p>Jobs he had last few years: tutoring, pet care, babysitting. He liked tutoring the best b/c he got more per hour than other jobs. Before he got his unpaid internship, a big weakness was his lack of “working for someone else”, since he had been his own boss for many summers. That experience meant as much as the dollars in his pocket.</p>
<p>Anniez- My d was able to find work at a car wash. Not glamourous but it seems places like that are always hiring. Your best bet is to talk to everyone you know to see if anyone knows of an opening. </p>
<p>I think stopping in to employers is the way to go on his second day home. Think seasonal work. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>"What made you think I said it was? I relayed what my child was doing this summer, not “you should do this”. Geez. "
-I apologize for being so outragiously rude by expressing my opinion based on my experience. Sorry for believing that my information might be useful for somebody.</p>
<p>Trust some people to throw cold water on every suggestion.</p>
<p>One summer I did have luck with a Temp agency. I spent a couple of weeks doing inventory at some store. I needed to borrow my boyfriend’s car to get out there, however. Some cities are not great on public transportation.</p>
<p>My S is trying to find something to do (he’s still at school, coming up on exams, and I’m not sure how hard he’s trying). He may actually take classes if he can find any he needs. I did have an idea this morning and checked the summer class offerings from the Conservatory at his uni. They have “Jammin with Laptops”! His brother took that at UIUC and had a blast.</p>
<p>Edit: As posted in another thread, this summer is a transition year for UC–going from quarters to semesters, so it’s a VERY short summer. Not really time for a proper job, but I do want him to have something he can put on his resume. Volunteer would be fine.</p>
<p>Miami–it’s not that you’re rude, you’re just not helpful. Every post you make is about the impossibility of finding jobs or even volunteer work in your town. We get it.</p>
<p>At the same time, when people write about needing jobs, it’s a little insensitive for posters to keep suggesting taking classes instead. The elephant in the room is that the main reason some of our kids need jobs is to earn money–money they NEED to pay for college and related expenses. Suggesting, as an alternative to employment, SPENDING hundreds or thousands of dollars, just rubs in our faces that you all have the resources to be nonchalant about your children being unemployed because the earning money part is optional or of secondary importance. I get it–many on this board are parents of top students, which correlates highly with top family incomes. I know you are trying to be helpful, and taking classes is an excellent idea if gaining experience is the priority.</p>
<p>I don’t think Miami’s post was meant to throw cold water. S/he was simply stating that spending money is not a subsitute for earning it. Furthermore, D’s university wouldn’t take our community college credits, and the level at our CC is lower than the AP and honors classes D took in high school. But one course at the state flag ship would cost around $2500. In our case also, that would not be an option.</p>
<p>
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<p>You haven’t met my son. :D</p>
<p>I have heard from friends that some of their childen found employment through Temp Agencies. One’s D found a receptionist positions (covering a maternity leave), and another found factory work. I am in a area with 11% ish Unemployment in the rust belt. </p>
<p>I do think the best thing is to walk into the employers, ask to see the manager and ask if they are hiring. Another frieds son did that and ended up with a nursery job. </p>
<p>OP- I do think it will be hard for your S coming home after so many HS and College kids have started their summer jobs. Good luck.</p>
<p>College soph S worked last summer and Xmas for company that told him no problem with this summer, so he felt he had that in bag. S was also pursuing internship in his field. Summer arrives, striking out on internships and then Company tells him over-staffed, not taking summer help. Argh! He needs to make some $$$!</p>
<p>H upset, in that he felt S didn’t actively keep in contact with Company, and so didn’t know in timely manner that they wouldn’t be able to employ him this summer.
To S’s credit, he is taking two needed classes online (off topic: why are online classes from his U so freakin’ expensive???); he has actively been pursuing other internships and jobs; has been tutoring a kid; picked up neighbor’s dog from day care; I paid him to wash windows (cheaper than what I paid normally) and he has been helping me with my challenges (updating computer, installing new printer, teaching me how to use my iphone); he has a renewed interest in reselling his books on Amazon and getting next semester’s books as cheaply as he can; he is also going to be a designated driver/chauffeur for neighbors going to Wine Country! Basically, he’s putting it out to many of my friends and neighbors that he’s available for any type of job, so I know he’s trying. Since he’s only available until 7/31, it really cuts down on lots of jobs…</p>
<p>Most of all, I think he will be much more proactive with employment for next summer…</p>
<p>"Miami–it’s not that you’re rude, you’re just not helpful. Every post you make is about the impossibility of finding jobs or even volunteer work in your town. We get it. "
-it was about summer classes…though, sorry but your comment is not applicable…Anybody can sign up fo summer classes…</p>
<p>Summer employment opportunities for college kids are bleak in my town. However, popular summer vacation areas often need lots of seasonal help. Two of my kids had success getting such jobs the summer after freshman year of college. One, a waitress at a cafe outside Glacier National Park and one a housekeeper at a resort outside Rocky Mountain National Park. The jobs include room & board, plus wages and tips. It might not be too late to get one of these jobs.</p>
<p>Not sure what my kid will do this summer, now that she’s caught up on all episodes of Glee and 30 Rock on Netflix…</p>
<p>
Nope. Not true. At our flagship tech my S had to jump through all sorts of hoops to get classes he wanted last summer. The summer before that, the classes filled with fulltime/enrolled students and had no room for visiting students. And, he had to provide documentation of his prereqs and had to be pre-approved by the department chair. You can’t “just go sign up”.That is ridiculous.</p>
<p>Anybody can sign up fo summer classes…
1] its not true
2] they can be just as expensive as classes during the school year.
3] read this:
“At the same time, when people write about needing jobs, it’s a little insensitive for posters to keep suggesting taking classes instead. The elephant in the room is that the main reason some of our kids need jobs is to earn money–money they NEED to pay for college and related expenses. Suggesting, as an alternative to employment, SPENDING hundreds or thousands of dollars, just rubs in our faces that you all have the resources to be nonchalant about your children being unemployed because the earning money part is optional or of secondary importance. .”</p>
<p>Miami listed problems that occur with summer classes (including expense) and got criticized for being negative, then tried to say something positive on the subject, and got criticized for that. I have not detected rudeness on her/his part in any posts and think there may be some misinterpretation or misunderstanding going on.</p>
<p>And I, for one, appreciate Miami’s posts about the difficulties of finding work etc., not only on my kids’ behalf, but on my own. I wonder how so many kids can come home and find jobs when an experienced person over 60 cannot find anything. </p>
<p>Any tips from all these student tutors about how they found tutees?!</p>
<p>Add us to the list. Son’s been home nearly three weeks, but we’ve been taking care of his terminal grandfather for the last two. Finally had the funeral this week, as we had to wait on out of town relatives to be able to attend.</p>
<p>At the funeral, many relatives asked him what he was doing this summer. He said, Looking for internships. How true that is. I have a feeling the whole summer will be spent “looking for internships”. I highly doubt any will be found before he heads back to school in August.</p>
<p>MiamiDap:
</p>
<p>And other remarks.</p>
<p>Sorry if you misunderstood. I was referring to your many negative comments on getting a job or volunteering, not regarding summer classes.</p>