Beat the Heat: Cool Summer Jobs
Simply Hired Staff
Tourists and vacationers flock to sunny beaches, crowded theme parks and shaded mountain cabins in the summer for much-needed rest and relaxation. These holiday-goers have spent months making their travel plans, picking the most relaxing or exciting destination. As vacationers pack their bags and prepare for their trips, job seekers and adventurers could take a cue from them and plan their summer jobs.
Nationwide the most in-demand summer jobs are in retail, customer service and food service. Using Mashable’s “Top 10 US Summer Travel Destinations for 2014” as a guide, Simply Hired has pinpointed the most in-demand and unique summer jobs in some of Americans’ favorite travel destinations.
1. Tour Guide in Key West, FL
Each summer tourists flock to the island of Key West for the Spanish history, Cuban food, Naval Air Station, freely roaming chickens and to lounge on beautiful beaches. With so many sites, becoming a tour guide is a fun way to experience the charming location while making a salary. This kind of job works well for someone with an outgoing personality who enjoys meeting new people. According to Simply Hired’s Salary Estimator, the average tour guide’s salary in Key West is $37,000.
2. Nanny in San Diego, CA
Do you like children? Are you looking for a flexible summer job that will give you the opportunity to enjoy plenty of free time in a beautiful setting? With beaches and sunny weather, San Diego could be the ideal place to become a nanny. With children-friendly destinations like baseball stadium Petco Park, SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo and LEGOLAND, it will never be difficult to entertain your charges. According to Simply Hired’s Salary Estimator, the average nanny salary in San Diego is $30,000.
3. Product Promoter in San Francisco, CA
For personable people who are comfortable selling and marketing products, becoming a product promoter can be a great summer job. Responsible for setting up displays, demonstrating or explaining products and services, as well as providing product samples, product promoters are experts in customer service. Become a chocolate promoter in Ghirardelli Square and walk Fisherman’s Wharf after a shift. According to Simply Hired’s Salary Estimator, the average product promoter in San Francisco makes $56,000.
4. Teller in Virginia Beach, VA
Bank tellers are an in-demand role across the country, especially in vacation destinations. Responsible for receiving and distributing money, people who excel in this position have a good grasp of basic math, the English language, clerical skills and customer service. Consider becoming a bank teller during the summer months in Virginia Beach to afford the city’s 11 beautiful golf courses, the boardwalk and gorgeous Atlantic Ocean beaches. The average teller salary in Virginia Beach is $32,000.
5. Parking Lot Attendant in Orlando, FL
Interested in visiting “The Theme Park Capital of the World”? It’s expensive to sample all of the amazing theme parks in the area including Disney World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, City Walk, SeaWorld, Gatorland and Wet ‘n Wild Water Park. With over 51 million tourists a year visiting the city, the theme parks, hotels, restaurants and other destinations are always in vital need of parking lot attendants. It’s a good way to earn some summer cash, just make sure that your driving record is spotless. The average parking lot attendant in Orlando earns $14,000, but that doesn’t include tips.
6. Merchandise Displayers in Ocean City, MD
Famous for its Ocean City Boardwalk and shopping district, an easy way to enjoy the summer sunshine and fresh seaside air in Ocean City is to become a merchandise displayer. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers are responsible for helping retail stores display their goods for sale. During vacation months, small businesses strive to increase their profits by drawing in curious tourists to their storefronts. According to Simply Hired’s Salary Estimator, the average window trimmer in Ocean City earns $23,000.
7. Food Preparation and Serving Destin, FA
Known as “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” each summer Destin is overrun with tourists happy to relax on its famous white sand beaches. According to Simply Hired’s data, the most in-demand roles in Destin during the summer are in food preparation (It’s important to keep those tourists fed during Destin’s annual Seafood Festival.) According to Simply Hired’s Salary Estimator, food preparers in Destin can earn $21,000.
8. Training and Development Specialists in New York City, NY
In financial and cultural hub New York, tourists flock to attend Broadway shows, see the lights of Time Square and explore the history of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. However, regular city dwellers generally evacuate the city during the summer months to escape the heat and humidity, leaving tourists to roam the streets. To enjoy the best of both worlds try becoming an in-demand training specialist who specializes in providing on-the-job training to help workers maintain or improve job skills. On average, training development specialists in New York earn $76,000.
9. Nonfarm Animal Caretaker in Las Vegas, NV
Sin City is known for its raucous parties, scorching summer days and vivid nightlife. However, did you know that animal caretakers are in demand? From becoming a cat sitter, dog walker or maybe caring for the MGM lions, there is a great opportunity to combine a love of animals and Las Vegas into a fun summer job. The average animal caretaker in Las Vegas earns $27,000.
10. Hotel, Motel and Resort Desk Clerk in Myrtle Beach, SC
Manmade island Myrtle Beach is one of the United States’ top tourist destinations. With its humid subtropical climate, the city enjoys year-round sunshine and vacationers revel in its boardwalk and The Carolina Opry. With this large volume of tourists each summer, hotels desperately need a steady influx of candidates for hotel desk clerks. Perfect for customer service professionals, hotel desk clerks earn on average $28,000 in Myrtle Beach.
As you start making your travel plans for next summer, keep in mind the fun jobs that you can get in those locations to help fund your trip. Have you had an interesting summer job in an exotic location? Comment below and tell us about it.
