Designing Your Next Summer Job

“Finding a summer job, that’s what I’m supposed to do for this summer, but how do I do that when I don’t know how?”

Get Going- Start with a Good Time Journal! Designing your next summer job

How often have you thought about people whose lives fall into place? Maybe school and grade come easily or their lives are full of friends, somehow they just make it look easy. Even getting a job seems to just “happen for them. Whelp, the truth is that most everyone has these thoughts when looking at others but the reality is that those successful people have probably put dedicated time and work into their success. So let’s demystify this process and focus on successful tips to find a summer job leading to deeper work experiences which could open up future career possibilities for your future. Starting this process of looking for that summer job, one should begin by focusing on creating a “Good Time Journal” from the writers of Designing Your Life, Bill Burnett, and Dave Evans. This first step will build your confidence because it helps you to shed a light on knowing yourself better. So how do you build a “Good Time Journal’?

Step #1

“Finding a summer job, that’s what I’m supposed to do for this summer, but how do I do that when I don’t know how?”

How can I help my teenager with finding a summer job? Most parents know the benefits of working over the summer for their young adults. It keeps their student busy during this time off from school. Working teaches one to value time, earned income and a lot about themselves. What are some reflective steps a parent can take to prepare their child for a deeper work experience which could open up future possibilities in their careers. The writers of Designing Your Life, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans have created tools to help their readers build a well-lived, joyful life in their book. Why not share these thoughts with your young adult to start opening up a variety of options for this summer? So let’s get started…

Step #2

Good Time Journal – Activities that Engage and /or Energize You

Whether you are young or old, an introvert or extrovert, find the activities that engage your focus and energy. What were you doing when you thought the time went so quickly? Those are the activities that you naturally enjoy. Keep a list. Now look at those activities that give you energy. Think of a time when you were doing something for a long period and you didn’t feel tired at all! Some would say it’s these activities that fill your heart; they are your core.The converse is what makes you tired and the clock couldn’t move fast enough? You need to keep a list of this too. Knowing yourself better can help guide you when looking for that summer job using these new tools.

Step #3

Mind Mapping

From your list of energizing and engaging activities, choose one that is your greatest interest and start a Mind Map. Write it in the middle of your paper and circle it. From the circle draw several branches adding other activities or things that are related and come to your mind. With each of these then continue the branching process adding more activities. This process is for you to open up and think of ideas that you might  not thought of originally.

Try to create three different “Mind Maps”, of the following activities: Engagement (interest), Energy, Flow (easy, something that just worked). On the outermost ring of each mind map choose three different ideas, now combine them and create  a job description. No matter how outrageous, this activity could open up ideas that you might not thought of earlier. Finally, draw a simple sketch of what that job might look like. Don’t overthink this, just have some fun with it!

After you have completed these exercises for each Mind Map, now spend some time looking over all of your sketches. Realize that these and many others will be many different jobs possibilities in your life. So you are opening up possibilities not narrowing your scope of job options.

Get going! Summer is just around the corner and who wants to spend it in a boring, old job? All it takes is a little planning and these useful tools.

Don’t forget! If you have any questions about online high school opportunities for the summer, check out Hope High School Online. They have a team of people there to help fill your academic needs. Give them a call!