Job seekers can anticipate another strong market for summer seasonal jobs this year. That is, if they aren’t already employed. The unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% in April 2018, which according to Adecco USA is the first time it’s been under 4% since 2000. There were a total of 164,000 jobs added in April, making it the 91st consecutive year of job gains (which the New York Times referred to as “the longest streak of increases on record”). And wages have been steadily increasing, going up 8% in March and 4% in April. Here are some more updates on the current labor market:
- As a result of the drop in unemployment and Baby Boomers retiring, employers are seeing a skills gap, making it hard to find qualified workers to fill jobs.
- Manufacturing jobs are on the rise, with 245,000 jobs added last year.
- While brick and mortar retail hiring has decreased, the home improvement and garden center sector is the best place to look for summer seasonal jobs, and a great option for teens. The sector grew by 30,000 workers last year, and Home Depot and Lowe’s are hiring 133,000 workers combined this year for summer jobs. CNN Money reported that 40% of Lowe’s summer seasonal workers will move up to permanent positions.
- Tech, healthcare and skilled trades are the industries that appear to be increasing workers’ wages the most, according to Business Insider.
Tips on Searching for Summer Seasonal Jobs
To help ensure you land the position you desire for the summer, update your resume. Make sure you tailor your resume to the specific summer seasonal job you are applying for and include enough keywords from the job description. Also, it helps to use a personal branding statement that shows who you are as a person overall and what you are looking for in a career.
Summer is a great time for networking. To get first dibs on some of the best summer seasonal jobs, make personal connections at barbecues, parties, and networking events. Also, make a list of companies you are interested in working for and begin reaching out to their employees on LinkedIn.
How to Make Your Summer Seasonal Job Last
Summer seasonal jobs are a great opportunity for teens to learn customer service and communication skills, learn how to manage money, gain professional contacts and references, and learn more about themselves. For older workers, it’s a great way to make money on the side or if you are unemployed summer seasonal jobs can help you get your foot in the door to a more permanent gig. Here are some tips on how to make your summer seasonal job last:
- Go out of your way for customers, do your best to get to the bottom of any issues that arise on the job and offer to stay later if it’s busy.
- Be as flexible as possible with scheduling, filling in for people and agreeing to swap shifts if needed.
- Ask advice from full-time employees about making your job permanent. Also, ask them to teach you parts of their job you are curious about, and offer to help them with their workload if possible.
- Make sure it is clear to your manager that you are searching for full-time work.
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Author: Jessica Cody
Jessica Cody, a native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, has a background in online marketing and public relations. Currently, she works at VHMNetwork LLC in the role of Marketing Analyst. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, where she studied Journalism and Political Science. She is also an avid runner with a passion for the outdoors.
