<p>I’m a 17 year old HS senior right now. I posted on craigslist offering to tutor this summer, and got a response. My question is, how sketchy do you think it is to respond to a craigslist response in a suburban Northeast town? Some say very sketchy, some say not at all, so I just wanted to get an idea.</p>
<p>I think meeting anyone through craigslist is risky. Just be smart about it. Meet in a neutral place. My high school daughter met with her tutor at the library.</p>
<p>Library, Starbucks, our town hall has a large community room with computers along one wall and couches, tables and chairs scattered throughout. Anywhere that allows you to dial 911 or has enough people around so that if something is amiss you can scream. After a first meeting get references— if you’re tutoring math you should talk to the kids math teacher anyway to get oriented.</p>
<p>Why is a camp counselor not a real job…it is one of the hardest jobs ever. You learn skills at working with kids, plus often get to use other skills. You are on call 24 hours a day and if you work multiple years you often get experience as supervisor of other counselors. My daughter is counting the days until camp starts in 2 weeks. </p>
<p>Don’t discount babysitting. It may not seem like much of a resume builder, but it never hurts to be in good standing with adults who may someday recommend you for a job at their place of business. And it’s lucrative. My daughter who is (for most of summer) going to be conference support at Montreat has babysat during her weeks off and has made over $100 and counting.</p>
<p>If you don’t need for her to make money for all her expenses, consider a volunteer position with some responsibilities other than just showing up…maybe in a field that interests her. Some neighbor teens both did a volunteer hospital program. One ended up doing mostly grunt work but the other has great computer skills and ended up doing substantial work. Wouldn’t make money, but definite resume builder.</p>
<p>I was thinking of meeting the the town library - I’ve done it before, many people do it. I’m not sure what subjects I’ll be tutoring, but I would rather meet in a library than in someone’s house. I’ll mostly be meeting the 9th grade student anyways, so its not that big an issue.</p>
<p>One of my D’s is a lifeguard this summer at a country club. Sweet job. Other D is babysitting full time for a family with two kids and a pool. She is also a life guard so that certification has come in handy. I strongly suggest the summer nanny thing. A lot of people are really desparate for affordable full time summer care. As long as the references for the employer check out, it’s a potential $10 an hour job with Uncle Sam non the wiser.</p>
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<p>I’m sure it’s not a big deal. That said, before you meet them in a public place for the first time, for all you know, there might not even be a 9th grade student. Anyone can say anything on the internet.</p>
<p>D applied for two and got one within 3 weeks. I think reference are key. I think networking and talking to people are key to getting summer employemnt. D got her job though a referral. I knew a guy who knew a guy who allow us to put his name on the application. Most of D’s friends have found summer employment. At least those who want it.</p>
<p>"Miami: really? Even babysitting, retail, or food establishment? "
-Are you kidding? Nothing, even voluneering positions have waiting lists that take you well over the summer. My D. had hardest time to get any, she was volunteering though only because of her very persistant nature, just contacted everybody in our city that could possibly take her in, spend days and days doing that. She did not need it, as she was doing all her ECs during school year, she just wanted to be busy with some meanningful activity during summer without spending any money on summer classes that she did not need either. Everything was very easy to obtain at her college though. She had the best job on campus, volunteering of her choice, Medical Research internship, all multi-year commitments, all great experiences that resulted in additional skills, great connections and ultimately very positive LORs and several awards and recognitions at graduation.
So, do not be discouraged. If summer does not present any opportunities in hometown, just pursue them during school year at college. They will be easier to obtain and at the end will be much more valuable.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP–glad to hear someone else understands that in some places, even volunteer opportunities are hard to get. I wish you would post about that in the other thread about being a year out of college and still unemployed. People had the same reaction to me when I mentioned the waiting lists.</p>
<p>^I would post about unemployment, but all of us are very fortunate to be employed, praying every day that it will continue the same way. However, due to persistant dire economic situation in our city/region, I am on my job #9. It was not easy between employments, but we managed, and frankly at the end, I have such a wide experience, so rich with various people, that I am almost thankful for that.<br>
As for our most recent graduate (May of 2011), she is in Med. School. One of the reasons in addition to her geniune interest in medicine was job security in the health field. I have told my D. numerous times that changing jobs as many times as I did is by far not for everybody, got to be strong, not to fall into depression…well and she sawrself how difficult it is to get any position (including volunteering).</p>
<p>Extremely difficulty in my area unless you have an “in” through a relative/friend.</p>
<p>There are Jobs available, but preference to 18 or older and to those who have an open schedule. </p>
<p>My son could have gotten a job at a local amusement park, but it would mean giving up all other summer options and sports. Years ago they worked around the kids schedules as long as kids provide the limitations in advance – Now, they won’t even hire the kid if he/she has any other commitments.</p>
<p>My daughter just finished her freshman year of college. When she was home over Christmas, I told her “now is the time to look for a job.” She made a few attempts – filled out some applications, but when they said they were interviewing on the spot, she panicked and left. I told her to go back; she didn’t.</p>
<p>This summer she wanted to be down at her school to take a class. She said it’s really easy to get jobs down there. I told her (echoing another poster upstream) no way do you live off campus without a job. So far, nothing.</p>
<p>I told her the default option is working for me. She starts next week. Her pay will be: her train ticket and $20/day for lunch and coffee. At least she’ll have something on her resume. I anticipate her bringing food from home and pocketing the $20, which is fine by me too.</p>
<p>I’m amazed that any kids have waited this long to look for a job. I’m on the board of our community’s summer camp and we had our summer hiring completed months ago.</p>
<p>My daughter received one job/volunteer(pay is less than $<500) in the summer but she declined because she’s signing up for a summer program. However, she was turning down a part-time job that requires year round involvement.</p>
<p>waitingforivy - To feel even more secure, you could have a friend sit somewhere near you in the library, until you give him/her a signal that all is well.</p>
<p>I’m about to get my BA in sociology, just finishing up some summer school classes. I am having a hard time finding a job. I’m going to be starting a masters program in higher and postsecondary education in August and ideally, I would like some experience doing something related. It’s just so hard to get hired somewhere! Do any of you have suggestions? I’ve almost got my BA, but can’t say I have it for sure until August. I remember how hard it was to find jobs in high school. I worked at Sears during a break from college. But I’d like to do something <em>better</em> than retail after spending so much effort to get my BA. It’s a hard market out there!</p>