News You Can Use...
STALKING A SUPER SUMMER JOB
by Dodge Johnson, Educational Consultant
from his Philadelphia Inquirer Column "Countdown to College"
If you're a teenager and your summer job search machine isn't rolling by spring vacation, it should be. An early start means a jump on competitors, more time to let the world know you're looking - and a longer hunting season.
Your local newspaper is a dynamite tool to get things underway - in obvious ways and some that aren't so obvious. Help wanted ads are more than just lists of jobs looking for people. They're also a treasure trove of clues to where other jobs lurk and a mother-lode of hints for starting your own summer business.
Every example in this column came from a single issue of the Weekly Shopper somebody - maybe you? - delivered to my door.
Every ad can lead not only to an advertised job, but also to one or more hidden jobs.
Advertised jobs are hardest to land because every reader is a potential competitor. But you should pursue anything interesting because you can be a winner whether you get the job or not.
Employers will say 'yes' to someone. Why not you? And if they say 'no,' that's your cue to ask who in the same business might have a similar job.
So you phone or drop in on whomever they mention and say that so-and-so suggested you call. Nothing? Too bad. Do they know of anyone else? You try to make each lead generate another, and so on - till you strike pay dirt.
Jobs you ferret out yourself will have fewer competitors, since fewer people will know about them. And be sure to let employers know how you found them, since your resourcefulness may give you the edge it deserves.
Every Ad is a finger pointing to jobs hidden in your phone book.
"Wanted: Kennel Person. Full time. Must have experience with animals." Probably not for you, although they might hire you for the summer if their ad doesn't bring the person they want.
But if you live where I do, that ad is a lead to 99 other possibilities - in your Yellow Pages.
Mine lists 24 animal hospitals, 14 pet shops, 14 kennels, 13 stables, 11 riding academies, 11 groomers, 6 trainers, 4 tropical fish dealers, 1 horse transporter, and 1 pet cemetery. Animals need care at every one of them, and odds are good that somebody out there needs your help.
Look in your paper under 'Professional Services.'
In mine are ads for answering services, carpenters, caterers, children's party-givers, clock repairers, maid services, and pool cleaners.
I called my answering service, and the supervisor told me she'll be hiring a high school student to fill in for vacationing operators. She hasn't gotten around to advertising yet, and probably won't if the right person turns up first.
Check 'wanted to buy' listings.
Mine include oriental rug, coin, stamp, art, furniture, and baseball card dealers. You don't have to be an expert in Ardebils to stack and carry rugs. And what you learn by watching and listening may qualify you for a higher skilled job next year.
Look for summer job ads in last year's paper.
Try your library or newspaper office for issues dated in April and May. Call them in March and ask if they'll be hiring. If they aren't, do they know who will be? You'll have a leg up. Not only will they admire your enterprise, but hiring you will also save the expense of advertising and the hassle of other interviews.
Hit seasonal employers for unadvertised jobs.
"Wanted. Lifeguard for country club. Must be Red Cross Certified." You swim like a rock? No problem. They may also need caddies, mowers, kitchen workers, pool cleaners, snack bar help.
No? How about extra hands for special events. That may not be ideal, but if someone full-time quits, gets sick or doesn't work out, guess who will be waiting in the wings.
Do they offer child care so parents can golf or play tennis? Would they like to?
Become an entrepreneur instead of an employee.
Other services advertised in my Weekly Shopper include painters, carpenters, cleaner-uppers, landscapers, lawn cutters, rototillers, and someone with a power washer that will peel gook off your siding.
Imagination and energy can put you in business too. So if you're handy with paintbrushes, scan your neighborhood for peeling shutters. If repairs are your specialty, whose screens have holes? Whose steps look rickety?
If you have no skills, whose garage is a junkyard? How much could you make washing people's cars once a week at carwash prices - and save them the trip?
If you look old enough to carry it off, invest in some worker-uniforms embroidered with your name. Carry a clipboard with some forms. That way when people answer your knock, they'll see a professional rather than somebody who's going to rob them or sell them Girl Scout cookies.
Convert prospects into clients by following up. Put them on a schedule so that work and income are guaranteed without your having to ask each time. Do quality work, and do it on time. If you're swamped, hire a helper. By next summer you may be a contractor supervising your own crew.
What's the message here? Some people simply luck out. But most winners earn their luck by making themselves tempting targets for luck to strike.
They tell everyone they're looking - everyone. They tell their parents and friends to tell everyone. They stalk jobs wherever they might hide. They beat the bushes to flush jobs out. And then they run them down.
Even if no job is available, someone who had no plans to hire may be so impressed with the value of your energy and imagination that he or she will create a job for you alone - an opening with no competitors because you'll be the only candidate.
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