Where can I find a summer job away from home?

January 6, 2008 4:10 PM

Where can I find a summer job away from home? I'm 18 and this will be my last summer before college.

I really want to get out of the house. The only job anyone ever suggests for this is being a camp counselor somewhere. However, I really don't want to deal with kids. I was thinking maybe looking for a job cooking at a camp or something. The hardest part seems to be finding job openings. Where can I search? I'd be willing to go anywhere on the east coast, or maybe even across the country. It does need to pay somewhat well, though, so I can have money for when I go up to school. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

posted by willmillar to work & money (21 comments total)

There are tons of resort jobs that don't involve working with kids - I know lots of people that have cleaned hotel rooms, for example. Try Cool Works.
posted by k8t at 4:14 PM on January 6, 2008

Go to someplace very seasonal, like Alaska. Plenty of lodges hire for the summer. You will eat and sleep and work with a bunch of other seasonal people. I saw quite a few lodge jobs posted on the craigslist.org site under food & Beverage jobs. Keep in mind those kind of jobs start hiring now.

Here are some links:

http://sheepmountain.com/Employment.php

http://www.summitlakelodge.com/employment.htm

http://www.tutkabaylodge.com/
posted by 45moore45 at 4:17 PM on January 6, 2008

Sorry just want to specify - I'm looking for jobs that supply room and board. Looks like most of those above do, though. Thanks!
posted by willmillar at 4:21 PM on January 6, 2008

SnagAJob has jobs like this:
http://www.snagajob.com/
posted by amethysts at 4:22 PM on January 6, 2008

Craigslist
posted by niles at 4:23 PM on January 6, 2008

Check out BUNAC.
posted by HotPatatta at 5:20 PM on January 6, 2008

Disneyland and DisneyWorld regularly hire summer help, to the point of putting them in dorm-style housing. It's supposedly a blast.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:42 PM on January 6, 2008

I can second 45moor45 above -- I worked in a resort in the Canadian rockies and I'm willing to bet it's exactly the kind of thing you want (in whatever country you're able to work in, of course -- you didn't specify.)
posted by loiseau at 5:49 PM on January 6, 2008

Disney's college programs (which include housing) no longer have a summer-only component, and even if they did, they require completion of at least one semester of school. You can work seasonally at any Disney park, but will be required to find your own housing.

US national parks (like ) may be a good fit -- lots of varied seasonal positions are available.
posted by ThatSomething at 5:55 PM on January 6, 2008

someday, I'll learn how to close a tag. Also, national parks like Yellowstone.
posted by ThatSomething at 5:56 PM on January 6, 2008

See if the Student Conservation Association has anything up your alley.
posted by not_on_display at 5:58 PM on January 6, 2008

Dittoing Canadian Rockies. I lived and worked in Banff for six months, and it was awesome. Large employers tend to provide lodging, and take it out of your paycheck. But the amount you pay is much less than having to find a place of your own, and you tend to be put with people your own age and who probably have a similar outlook, given that they've travelled to be there for summer work.

Banff-specific, the biggest employer of that type is Banff Caribou Properties - they own about five hotels and two restaurants (if not more).

If you do apply there, one tip is to apply directly to the hotel, not the parent company. It means that you can apply to a nice hotel, and if (as was the case when I was around) they're short a few housekeepers, they'll pick you up straight away. Worst case scenario, they dump you into the pool of applications for the parent company to deal with, which is what would've happened anyway. In other words, maximises your chances of getting employment at a good hotel.

In Banff, I'd suggest Banff Caribou Lodge and the Ptarmigan. It also looks like they've finished their new one (construction had just started when I left), The Fox, which from the website looks quite nice. Avoid the Inns of Banff if you can (again, if you're put in the pool of applicants, you may be out of luck) - when I was there, it was headed down the drain. Benefits of the ones on Banff Ave (Caribou Lodge, Ptarmigan, Fox) is that they're also closer to the BCP staff accom.

Sorry, gone massively Banff-specific. If you want any more info, MeFi mail me.
posted by djgh at 6:08 PM on January 6, 2008

(And of course, if you're in the States, find a similar resort, assuming you don't want to go to Canada or can't get a visa).
posted by djgh at 6:09 PM on January 6, 2008

Do you ski, well, if so then Venezuela is waiting for you this summer.
posted by caddis at 6:49 PM on January 6, 2008

Well, my buddy did ski patrol and lesson in Venezuela, but there are probably many better ski areas in South America. You get the idea.
posted by caddis at 6:57 PM on January 6, 2008

Have you looked at working in reforestation? Tree planting, thinning, brushing, etc. for logging companies (usually subcontractors that specialize in this sort of thing)? At least in Canada, you can make really good money if you work hard (and, believe me, it is hard work). Minimal skills are required; they will hire just about anyone who is reasonably healthy and not a hard drug addict.

The logging industry may be structured differently in the US, and perhaps the high availability of illegal workers there makes this less of a good proposition over there, though. Worth a look.

I've heard of lots of people getting work in Alaska of fishing boats too, and I understand that it can be quite lucrative (and is also really hard work).
posted by Emanuel at 8:08 PM on January 6, 2008

I'm in the same situation as you, and i'll be spending my summer here. I've been there many times, and it's a great way to spend a summer. It's volunteer, however.
posted by Corduroy at 9:26 PM on January 6, 2008

Work as a wildland firefighter. If you have any sort of relevant experience, you can probably get a type I fire job which means you'll be getting paid quite well when you're on a fire (regular pay + overtime + hazard pay). When you're not on a fire, you're guaranteed 40 hours a week. You need to be able to be able to pass the pack test to get a type I (which means you're doing direct fire suppression and ergo the money you said you'd need in a summer job) fire job.

Most crews will be pretty cool about letting you go a week before school starts. You might want to focus on crews whose fire season will be wrapping up by September: think Florida, Montana, Nevada, and the like. Obviously the fire season isn't usually over by then in those areas, but if you were applying in California the fire season is peaking right around when you start school, so they may be less interested in hiring you.

Most fire jobs are advertised on http://www.usajobs.gov/ There are contractors who do fire work, but I'd suggest you go with one of the agencies: you'll leave with more skills and more pay.

You can certainly get a slot on an engine with no experience, and many of the USFS NPS and BLM engine crews have either housing set up or will help you find housing. It will be a very eye-opening pre-college experience.

If you have some sort of experience (such as volunteering for your local Search and Rescue, for your fire department, as an EMT or first responder, that sort of thing) you might be able to snag a job as a Hotshot but typically crews expect you to have at least a season of fire experience under your belt.

If you're at all interested in fire, feel free to contact me-
posted by arnicae at 12:10 AM on January 7, 2008

Oh- and if IA (initial attack) wildland fire sounds a little too intense for you, but you like the woods, what about trail building? I had a friend who did that for a few seasons- hard work, just like fire, but a lot of fun. Some trail crews go out as type II crews in wildland fires as well, which gives you a chance to get close, but not too close.
posted by arnicae at 12:33 AM on January 7, 2008

http://www.summerjobs.com/jobSeekers/index.html
posted by sisquoc15 at 9:33 AM on January 7, 2008

Try Feld Entertainment. They run tours (including Disney on Ice, Ringling Bros. and others), and they take not only the performers, but the entire crew and concessionaires with them. Apparently lots of just-out-of-highschool among the concessionaires in particular (my daughter did this, but as a performer. Got to spend the summer after high school expenses-paid in Mexico City.)
posted by nax at 11:24 AM on January 7, 2008