Summer Jobs-everybody  wants one, but not everybody knows how to get one.  There are countless job opportunities for minors ranging from cutting grass to working at Fast Track, our  local car wash.

The first question most people ask when looking for a job is “Who is hiring?” The best way to see who’s hiring is to actively look around online and in person for opportunities. A common phrase is the “early bird catches the worm,” and this holds very true for job hunting. You should never expect jobs to come to you. You should always be actively looking.

Eric Macias, 12 worked at San Luis National Wildlife Refuge over the summer. He believes that the work was very enriching and prompted him to be more active in the wildlife community and understand the local environment. When asked how he got the job, Macias said, “It was all in the resume; you have to stand out.”

He worked at the refuge for over two months and deeply enjoyed his time there. The pay was average, but the experience was priceless. The weather was very strenuous  and the majority of the time they worked outside, completing tasks such as weed mapping and clean up. The early mornings, which started at 7:30 didn’t bother him after the first week. The best part of the job was throwing a snake at another employee. The worst part was the weather. His advice is get connections and deliver resumes to everywhere you can.

Ethan Machado, 12 works at Fast track. His role at the car wash is to dry cars.  He currently only works weekends. His favorite part of the job is the tips he gets occasionally and the camaraderie of the staff. He doesn’t like that his shoes get wet but says “it’s just part of the job.” He gets up every morning and grabs a coffee to get him through his long shifts. As a member of the Fast Track Team, he gets a free car wash every week, which is pretty sweet deal. He said, “I got my  job by being persistent and calling to check in on my resume.”

For more information on job opportunities, students should talk to Miss Arrieta in the Career Center room 703. She will help with resumes and explain to career options upon request. She will also give out work permits for your employer to fill out if you are under the age of 18.  Understand that as a minor, there are certain restraints on the work students can do, such as the inability to sell alcohol. Also, students can only work certain hours because of school hours.

“If you have any questions or need help writing a resume or are just looking for help job hunting, feel free to come by,” said Miss Arrieta.