If you're like me and you go to school out of state coming home and finding a job can be so difficult. It doesn't matter if you had a job before you left for school, you may not get that same job back.
Applying for a job is a tedious task that is so boring. All applications are the same but you have to keep doing them for each job you are applying for. The many chain restaurants surrounding your neighborhood don't even want a summer worker; they want an employee who will work more than three months. I am so sorry I decided to go to school out of state but that does not mean I should be punished by not being able to find work.
Once you have applied to the hundreds of stores and restaurants in your area online the next step is calling them. My mom always says calling them is the best way to get their attention and she is kind of right. Once you call them they have a reason to go look at your application but some just don't even care enough to look. They always give the same answer on the phone, " Thank you for calling we will look over your application and if we are interested we will contact you." Most of the time it leads to nothing.
Every once in a while you'll get a call back and you will become so excited. The next step is the interview. You have to dress nicely, print your resume, and look like you know what your doing with your life. When you get to the interview you start doing interview things, like smiling, shaking their hands firmly, and talking about yourself. Then that awkward moment happens...
They ask you how long you will be able to work. You have to respond either truthfully and say just the summer because you are going back to school in the fall or even more awkwardly you have to lie and say you'll be able to work as long as you have time in the fall completely knowing that you have the intention of quitting two weeks before school starts. After that part of the conversation, if you tell the truth, it's silent. They look at you with disappointed eyes that were once hopeful. They let you down easy of course because most people aren't rude enough to just out right say no. They reply with "You should keep looking but if we need you, we will give you a call."
Great.
There goes another job that you will not be getting all because you wanted to get out of your town for college.
Every once and a while you will find a manager that wants you for the time that you have. It's a wonderful feeling receiving the "You're hired!" email. That feeling of starting a new job is so rewarding and so is getting your first paycheck.
The struggles of finding a summer job are so real but if you want money, you gotta do whatcha gotta do.
