I just finished up my first year of college and I need to find a job for the summer. If I'd planned ahead I would have been able to get an internship, but it's too late for that now. I've searched several local employment websites, looked through the paper, used my state's job search website, checked Yahoo Jobs, and looked through Career Builder but I haven't found any good summer jobs yet. So far the best job I've found that I know I can get is customer service representative. It pays $9.50 an hour during training and $10 afterwards. I'd spend my time signing people up for cellphone plans. Last summer I worked for the same company taking credit card applications over the phone. It wasn't very fun (although I got some good stories out of it) and I'm hoping to find something better this summer.

Nobody in my family has job suggestions and I haven't been able to find anything I really want to do. $10 an hour isn't bad money where I live, but I'm really hoping to find something better. Does anyone have suggestions for where I should look for summer employment? Are there some good summer jobs that aren't typically listed online? I'm open to almost anything, as long as it's not extremely intense physical labor. I live in the Quad Cities (Iowa/Illinois) and the surrounding area has roughly 400,000 people.

What's your intended major? If its something computer related, there's tons of small to mid-sized companies willing to hire green interns and they'd probably pay in the range of $15+. Also, did you look for jobs on campus? I know at my school, most of the pay starts at $12+ and is fairly easy (e.g. filing books at the library).

I've had a couple of friends that worked at the Dept. of Transportation over the summer. They're always looking for people to hold signs and the pay was ~$20/hour.

Good luck!

I knew someone who drove trucks for the summer. They paid to get him his commercial driver's license and he just worked the DOT limit every day driving big rigs full of tomatoes. I think he said he made $17k in the 3 months he did it...not bad for a summer job...

Don't get a CDL without doing all the research first. I know I was going to get a CDL when I was in college for a summer job but I found out some unattractive things. This might vary by state by the way. In my state at least it lowers your allowable BAC by 50% and you can be held until you blow .00 even if you are under the legal limit at the officers descretion.

As a soon to be sophomore in college, you don't need the hassle.

silam said:Don't get a CDL without doing all the research first. I know I was going to get a CDL when I was in college for a summer job but I found out some unattractive things. This might vary by state by the way. In my state at least it lowers your allowable BAC by 50% and you can be held until you blow .00 even if you are under the legal limit at the officers descretion.

As a soon to be sophomore in college, you don't need the hassle.

You mean they dont let people drive large automobiles while intoxicated? Jeez, Whats next they outlaw stabbing people with large knives?

I worked a few summers at various local warehouses as soon as I turned 18. They are usually looking for summer help because all the regular workers like to take a week or two of vacation through out the whole summer so they have an extra or two floating guys filling in where needed.

Usually good pay $12-14 an hour and full time. Only downside is physical labor on your feet all day not always AC.

silam said:Don't get a CDL without doing all the research first. I know I was going to get a CDL when I was in college for a summer job but I found out some unattractive things. This might vary by state by the way. In my state at least it lowers your allowable BAC by 50% and you can be held until you blow .00 even if you are under the legal limit at the officers descretion.

As a soon to be sophomore in college, you don't need the hassle.

The OP in all likelihood isn't old enough to drink which would make blowing anything above .00 a problem no matter what license he/she has.

scotto777 said:I don't know where you live and its probably too late for this but I suggest getting some friends together and renting a house at the beach and working at a restaurant. I walked with over $10k saved each summer I lived at the beach.

Pardon me for being slow, but why is the living at the beach a requirement to work at a restaurant?

demingy said:scotto777 said:I don't know where you live and its probably too late for this but I suggest getting some friends together and renting a house at the beach and working at a restaurant. I walked with over $10k saved each summer I lived at the beach.

Pardon me for being slow, but why is the living at the beach a requirement to work at a restaurant?

Sorry about that, I was more suggesting that living at the beach is the main priority as those were the 2 best summers of my life. Working at a restaurant is the best job money wise but some of my other friends did stuff like work at jet ski rental places or as lifeguards or whatever. Live at the beach and enjoy your summers.

Join the Marine Corps reserve and spend the summer getting fit in beautiful Southern California. With one year of college, you'll probably get an instant promotion. Plus, you won't have to worry about what to do for summer jobs in the future.