Students often look forward to summer all year for different reasons. Many seek out experiences to boost their personal growth and professional development. This guide outlines some of the reasons why you should consider doing the same by getting a summer job.

Why get a summer job?

A summer job can help you in many ways, even if it isn’t linked to your future career.

Learn about work and your options

Working during the summer helps you to see what work is really like.

You might:

• see what kind of work you enjoy (or don’t!)
• learn about the kind of workplace that suits you
• discover a job you didn’t know about

Both paid jobs and volunteering are useful. For example:

• Volunteering in a care home can help if you’re interested in healthcare.
• Working in a shop or café can show you whether you enjoy busy, customer-facing work.

Build useful skills

Most summer jobs help you to build skills that schools and employers value.

These might include:

• teamwork
• communication
• time management
• confidence
• problem solving

These skills are useful in almost any job or course. 

Strengthen future applications

Having a summer job shows that you’re motivated and willing to learn.

You can use your experience when you:

• write a CV or resumé
• fill in applications
• prepare for interviews

It helps to keep a record of what you do and what you learn. To do this: 

• Use Unifrog’s Activities tool to record the things you’ve done (like working at a till).
• Use the Skills tool to write examples of using a certain skill (like numeracy).   
• When you apply for a job or course, you can use these examples in your application. 
  
   

Earn and manage your own money

A summer job can also help you to earn money and learn how to manage it.

You could use it to save for: 

• travel
• university costs
• driving lessons
• personal goals

Earning your own money can help you to feel more independent and confident.

 

Age, rules, and staying safe at work

Rules about working depend on your age and where you live.

In general:

• There may be limits on the hours you can work if you’re under 16.
• In many countries, there’s a minimum age for any kind of work. In the UK, Denmark, and Germany for instance, you usually can’t work if you’re under 13.
• Some jobs have higher age requirements (like working in a bar or delivery driving). 

If you’re unsure, ask a parent, caregiver, teacher, or employer for advice.

Wherever you choose to work, you should: 

• be in a safe environment
• be treated fairly and with respect
• have an employment contract (even if it’s short-term or casual work)
• be paid what you’re owed
• ask for help if something doesn’t feel right

How to find a summer job

Finding a job can take time, so start early if you can.

You could:

• ask family, friends, or teachers if they know of opportunities
• visit local shops, cafés, or community centres (with a copy of your CV, if you have one)
• speak with your school or college careers team
• use trusted job search websites
• look for volunteering roles if paid work isn’t available

Some common summer jobs include: 

• working in a shop or supermarket
• working at a café or restaurant
• gardening work
• dog walking or pet sitting
• babysitting or childminding (ideally for trusted family members or friends)
• helping in a library
• helping with an event, like a fair or festival
• selling handmade items (online or in local markets) 

If you aren’t sure what interests you:

• Take the Unifrog interests profile quiz
• Read our Get on the ladder series to explore different jobs and get ideas for first jobs

Not every application will work out, and that’s completely normal – keep trying! 
 

What if you can’t get a summer job?

Not everyone can work during the summer. This might be because of:

• age or legal limits
• health or caring responsibilities
• where you live or visa rules

That is okay. There are other ways to build skills, like:

• Volunteering (our Know-how guide on volunteering will help you get started)
• Helping at home or in your community (use our Know-how guide on community work to get ideas)
• Online courses or personal projects (why not start by taking a look at our Courses tool?)

These experiences still count and can be just as valuable. The most important thing is trying something new and reflecting on what you learn.