Post: #1

Although I've seen many posts on here devoted to making money, I didn't come across a thread dedicated solely to the pursuit of college students, or anyone for that matter, to accumulate some wealth during the summer.

I'm 21 years old, very interested in writing -- but, as Louie CK jokes -- they give all the shitty jobs to kids in their 20s because they don't deserve the good ones. I've attempted to score some cash on those freelancing sites like Elance, with help from the threads here, and haven't had any luck thus far. I'm tired of working $8/hour gigs at a local cafe.

I wanted to know if anybody has any suggestions for how someone like myself could rake up some money during the summer and afford to go to bars and have fun. I would appreciate any response tailored to someone of my age group. Thanks, all.

-R

Post: #2

I don't know your geographical situation, but the obvious answer is to go where the money is during the summer: tourism
Are you by chance close to any resort towns? Could you move there for the summer?

When I was about your age(a few years ago) I made good money working as a bellhop or other similar positions. Spots aimed at the young crowd are way more profitable than family-oriented spots, for obvious reasons. The thing is that you need a 'hustler' attitude to make it work for you, because your pay is shit. The bulk of my money was made 'arranging' for drugs and whores for the guests. The dealers/whores would pay me for steering business their way, and the guests would pay me for accommodating their demands. The regular tips helped too.

You do need a thick skin though. If you're working in the service industry you need to have a servile attitude(which I despised) but at the same time you can't afford to be shy when the opportunity to make money presents itself.

Post: #3

MANUAL LABOUR.
-Oil Rigs
-Landscaping
-Construction
-Golf course
etc etc...

If you do not have an internship related to your college major then just do something that will help you make bank. What is your major? You need to get all over internship opportunities in autumn- that is when most companies hire students for relevant summer work.

Post: #4

@The PerSev -- thank you for the input. I'm in Philadelphia, so unfortunately, not the most touristy of areas, though there are people who come in for the Liberty Bell, not necessarily prostitutes. I will definitely look into it. Much appreciated.

@Komatiite -- Thank you: I definitely need to look into manual laborer. I'm a film guy, and I have spent time spending money traveling the country to do internships. It sucks to be in an industry where finding a paid internship is near impossible.

NOTE: I'll be taking summer classes Monday and Wednesday, so that limits my opportunities a bit.

Post: #5

Well your opportunities depend on your field of study and location, so it's hard to offer much beyond general advice and personal anecdotes.

When I was an undergrad (geology) I worked three summers as a field geologist for a local gold mine. I was commuting so I wasn't stuck in the middle of nowhere all summer, and I grossed between $18k and $24k depending on the project schedule (hours I had to work) for the summer. Mining engineering and geological engineering students had similar opportunities. Everyone I knew who worked was making at least $15k each summer, even kids with just one year of school.

Hook up with a temp agency and work a bunch of different gigs during the summer. You don't have to lock yourself into one boring-ass job all summer, and working a series of short assignments will offer you flexibility to take a trip if you want. Try to build up some varied work experience so you have skills to fall back on.

Does your university do field research? Often professors want people who will do their grunt work, like transcribing notes or converting sketches into nice diagrams in Adobe Illustrator. You might sort and organize samples, or just generally act as an assistant so they can focus on their real work instead of the minutiae. I had friends who did that sort of thing for the paleontology professors.

Hell, you could even just get a job as a student worker doing groundswork for the university (mine does this, IDK about yours). Work outside, get exercise, and have time for other stuff because they typically aren't 40 hours a week.

That's off the top of my head. As long as you're not doing 50-60 hour weeks, there's nothing stopping you from doing your freelance writing stuff on the side.

Post: #6

(05-05-2014 05:49 PM)Renberg Wrote:  It sucks to be in an industry where finding a paid internship is near impossible.

This is generally a sign that the career path you have chosen will lead to a perpetual struggle to find meaningful work. "Unpaid internships" implies that way too many kids are graduating into a field with very few jobs. Companies have so many applicants and can get free labour out of kids simply because the young students and graduates are so desperate to put something relevant on their resumes that they will do it for free.

It's heartwarming to see you are following your dreams of being a film maker/writer but I would suggest reading as much as you can on the forum with regards to how the real world works- notice how many guys are posting on oil industry and trade work threads? That is because the work and big bucks are there...

Anyways, that's just something to consider as you work towards a relatively useless degree in film or writing. I was about your age when I read Aaron Clarey's book 'Useless' and it really changed my outlook on the direction my life was going- consider giving it a read.

Post: #7

dupe post, sorry

Post: #8

(05-05-2014 06:03 PM)komatiite Wrote:  

(05-05-2014 05:49 PM)Renberg Wrote:  It sucks to be in an industry where finding a paid internship is near impossible.

This is generally a sign that the career path you have chosen will lead to a perpetual struggle to find meaningful work. "Unpaid internships" implies that way too many kids are graduating into a field with very few jobs. Companies have so many applicants and can get free labour out of kids simply because the young students and graduates are so desperate to put something relevant on their resumes that they will do it for free.

It's heartwarming to see you are following your dreams of being a film maker/writer but I would suggest reading as much as you can on the forum with regards to how the real world works- notice how many guys are posting on oil industry and trade work threads? That is because the work and big bucks are there...

Anyways, that's just something to consider as you work towards a relatively useless degree in film or writing. I was about your age when I read Aaron Clarey's book 'Useless' and it really changed my outlook on the direction my life was going- consider giving it a read.

Thank you. I will definitely check out 'Useless.' I'm aware of what I've gotten myself into, and despite regrets, looking into other careers options, as well as reading the forum, I will attempt to lead my own path to success through following my aspirations while learning the ins-and-outs of the industry and world. Joining the forum has definitely helped me understand the ways to break in and stand out, which I hope will help me along the way.

@Weambulance -- That said, I am envious of my science friends who intern for large companies making huge bucks like you said.

Post: #9

Best of luck this summer!
BTW nice name, I immediately knew you would have had Philly ties, I'll never forget those late 90s Flyers with Mikael Renberg and the Legion of Doom!