Graduations are happening at high schools and colleges across the country as the school year comes to an end, and a lot of those young people will be looking to make a little money this summer. Some already have their seasonal side hustle lined up, while others may be scrambling to find a way to earn some cash. Finding a summer job may be easier or tougher depending on where you live and a new report reveals where the chance of success is higher.
- WalletHub has just come out with their list of the best places for summer jobs in 2024.
- They looked at 182 markets, comparing them on 21 key indicators of employment, affordability and downtime-friendliness.
- Cities were rated on everything from median income of part-time workers to availability of summer jobs to commuter-friendliness.
- Based on all that, they’ve named Columbia, Maryland, as the best place to land a job this summer.
- It comes in number one for the Youth Job Market category and is one of the cities with the most internships per capita.
- So where will it be hardest to find a summer job? This year it’s Laredo, Texas, which lands at the bottom of the list.
Top 10 Places to Find Summer Jobs
(Check out the full list here)
- Columbia, Maryland
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Rapid City, South Dakota
- Portland, Maine
- Orlando, Florida
- South Burlington, Vermont
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Pearl City, Hawaii
Source: WalletHub
Speaking of Summer Jobs...
TIPS TO HELP TEENS FIND A SUMMER JOB
This school year is done and teens across the country are looking for ways to earn money during the summer. Searching for a job can be frustrating, even for those of us who have done it many times in our lives. But for teenagers who are looking for their first job and don’t really have experience yet, it can be even more challenging.
If your high school student is ready to find a job this summer, these are some recommendations to help put them in a position to have a positive work experience.
- Search for jobs in a variety of ways - This includes online job boards, newspapers, in person and on company websites. Networking is also helpful, so reach out to anyone you can introduce them to personally.
- Consider the work they’re interested in or have the skill set for - If your teen wants to be outdoors, then a retail job probably won’t be the best fit. Talk to them about the conditions, pay and hours that would be ideal for them.
- Review your state’s child labor laws - Including the hours of work that are allowed depending on when school is in session and what’s permissible for their age group.
- Avoid jobs that would compromise their values - If the job doesn’t align with their values, keep looking. There are bound to be other options that would.
Source: USA Today
Scott's Thoughts:
- It’s great when your teenager wants to find a job, but not so great that you'll spend all summer driving them back and forth to it!
- I remember my first teen job. It was delivering newspapers. First on foot and eventually a motor route delivering the Roanoke Times 7 days a week!
- I actually also had a part time job helping install cabinets. That was hard work!