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Have Fun and Make a Buck!Mar 04 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line If you need a job, be creative and come up with a job that is both rewarding and enjoyable! Your bank account is empty, your parents refuse to send you any money, and your friends are tired of passing out the buck. So what should you do? No, not those three words that means the end of your social life. Get A Job! So you think you have to toss out all your party invitations, put away your clubbing attire, and kiss the dating scene goodbye. From now on your weekends are going to be spent flipping burgers, selling shoes, or bussing tables. Well there is good news over the horizon, a job is not the end of the world. Believe it or not, there are jobs that do not require you to give up your social life. In fact, there are jobs that are actually fun. What are these magic jobs you ask? Well, you don’t have to look any further than this review. 1.Seasonal Jobs: If you are unsure about making a long-term commitment to a job or just need a short-term solution to an empty wallet, a seasonal job may be for you. These types of jobs may last a few weeks to a few months and are often very enjoyable. The two seasonal jobs I have worked in my life were at a pumpkin patch and a Christmas tree farm. At the pumpkin patch, I ran a game booth. This was a fun job because it involved the pleasant task of running a game booth and “feeding” kids with prizes that would brighten their day. Other potential jobs at the pumpkin patch included face painter, human scarecrows, and balloon animal maker. These jobs allowed the employees to use a creative flare to interact with people and in turn making their time at the pumpkin patch more enjoyable. At the Christmas tree farm, I made and decorated wreaths. This job could be physically demanding at times because we actually had to cut the Christmas trees apart to get the greenery in order to make the wreaths. Despite the hard work this was one of the happiest places I have ever worked. The atmosphere was festive and full of excitement because of the anticipation of Christmas. With Christmas music in the air and the presence of Santa wondering the grounds every day seemed like Christmas morning. I felt like one of Santa’s little helpers making gifts for all the families that would visit the farm. There are always new seasons or festivals so these types of jobs are easy to find. Keep your eye for work as Christmas time especially, but check were you live for any special events that may require seasonal workers. Renaissance or county fairs are often popular places to find a seasonal job. Pros: limited commitment, fun, festive environment Con: potentially low pay, often subject to weather conditions 2.Florist Delivery Driver: This has to be one of the best jobs ever. Basically, the florist makes the arrangements and the driver delivers the flowers to the customer. I personally liked this job because I wasn’t confined to the small stuffy shop all day long. I was able to drive around in a van and listening to the radio and stopping occasionally to deliver or reload the flowers. It is very exciting to be the person who brings that “ray of sunshine” to the life of another when they least expect it. To see the faces light up as you walk in with a large bouquet can make you feel wonderful. You suddenly become the most popular person in the room. Everyone loves to flower delivery person. (Think tips!) Florists keep regular business hours so you will never work nights. You make work Saturdays, but never Sundays. The hours are wonderful! Pros: making people happy, freedom, good hours, tips Cons: none, unless you are allergic to flowers 3. After School Care Provider This can also be known as daycare, but it doesn’t have to be the negative experience many picture. I worked at a private school in a program for school aged children. When school got out, they came to me for homework help, games, crafts, cooking, and fun! I was in charge of planning activities for the three hours the children were with me. It was a very rewarding and enjoyable experience. We watched movies, did lots of art projects such as paper mache and made Christmas ornaments, made cookies, and had tons of fun! I really enjoyed the relationships I developed with the children and their parents. It is a very good feeling to get all the hugs from the kids. They will always cheer you up when you are down or say something so outrageous you can’t help but laugh. I had two girls whose parents were divorcing and I often sat with them as they cried. I became their stability when home was not. Nothing is better than touching the life of a child. Check into both public and private facilities. If you like younger kids, traditional daycare is an option. Maybe you would like to focus more on academics and tutor a child or work in a homework club. Pros: relationships with the children, freedom to plan activities Cons: discipline, upset parents 4.Summer Day Camp Counselor Working at the private school during the school year, lead to this job in the summer. The school transformed itself into a fun place for children to enjoy themselves while was school was out. Besides the typical games and crafts, summer camp offered weekly field trips and bi-weekly trips to the community pool. Get paid to tan!!! The field trips were awesome. In addition to our regular daily pay, our admission to all the wonderful places was paid for us. We went to Waterworld (water slide park), Paradise Island (arcade, miniature golf, go cart type place), bowling, ice skating, Six Flags Marine World (amusement park), and an Oakland A’s baseball game. The kids are great and this job lets you be kids again as you play all day. The long days can be tiring, especially if you are having discipline troubles. The sun can get you too so if you don’t like heat or the outdoors, this might not be for you. But this is one of the best jobs to have that allows you to work and enjoy the best of summer. Pros: kids, field trips for free, a great tan Cons: the heat 5. Substitute Teaching This is my current means of employment as I work my way toward earning my teaching credential. The best feature of this job is the flexible schedule. You receive a call from the automated Subfinder system. It alerts you to a potential job providing details such as the school and grade. Then you have the option of accepting or rejecting the job. If you want to work that day, take it. If you’d rather sleep in and then head to the beach, that’s fine too. The pay is decent considering you only work 6 or 7 hours per day minus time for lunch and a prep period. I know it varies from state to state so look into this before committing. In my specific California district, the pay is $95 per day. It can be exciting being with a new group of kids every day. You can experience lots of different age groups, from preschool to high school. Learn which schools or grades you prefer and then accept only those jobs if you like. The process to start subbing can be quite lengthy though. In California, it has taken me 4 months to go through the process of submitting a detailed application with college transcripts (must have 4 year degree), background check, and pass several fingerprint clearances which you pay for. But you can quickly earn that money back in 2 times subbing. Pros: flexibility, variety Cons: long application process 6. House sitting Are you a college student going home for the summer and not exactly looking forward to be back with good old mom and dad? Maybe a friend or relative is going out of town and needs someone to stay with the dog and water the plants. I house sit every summer and love it. I earn money for taking care of the house, plus it leave my schedule open for a second job! You get the freedom and privacy of having your own space as well. Pros: easy job, don’t have to stay at home Cons: none! Other ideas to consider, but I’ve never personally experienced are cleaning houses and becoming a representative for Mary Kay, Avon, Party Lite, or Pampered Chef (depending on your interest). House cleaning allows you to be flexible and take on as many or as few clients as you like. Check with friends, family, or community groups such as your church for elderly or working adults who could use this valuable service. Becoming a representative may take some work on your part because you have to build up your clientele. But if you are social, you can host a party, invite all of your friends, give a great sales pitch, and watch the sales pour in. You can earn a salary as well as discounts or freebies of the products. Just hook up with an established representative in your area to enroll in the program. I hope these ideas can provide you with some helpful, creative, and fun ways to earn a buck without losing your social life. There are jobs beyond fast food and retail! Happy hunting and good luck!  |
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