Question: School’s out for the summer soon. How big or small of an opportunity is the summer break for students seeking work and employers seeking workers in Hawaii?
Answer: Summer break is an excellent opportunity for both students and employers. It gives local students and students returning home for the summer an opportunity to get professional work experience, build their resume and move a step closer to their career path. Hawaii employers can take advantage of this pool of workers, as college students are often motivated, eager to learn and flexible in order to gain work experience. We’ve found that it’s a win-win for all parties.
Q: What type of businesses here typically need the most summer workers?
A: We see opportunities in all industries from hospitality, finance to nonprofit in a variety of professional positions. Oftentimes, summer work is project-based, whether it be administrative coordination for a special event, an in-house clerical project or as simple as coverage for an employee’s summer vacation. Regardless of the opportunity, Remedy strategically looks to place students in industries that are relevant to the degree they are pursuing.
Q: When should job seekers and employers ideally begin their search for summer work?
A: It pays to think ahead. Many students stay in touch with us all year round and let us know their availability in advance. This helps us keep them on top of mind as we have opportunities closer to their summer availability. On the same token, we encourage the companies we work with to let us know if they have any special projects on the horizon. As a result of this proactive approach, we’re happy to say that we have already secured many students with summer work.
Q: Do summer jobs pay well?
A: Typically summer jobs pay just as well as those we see all year round.
Q: Has the level of summer employment in Hawaii changed over the generations along with the shift away from plantation agriculture to tourism as a main economic driver?
A: Yes, summer jobs are much different than that of the past where students would work in the pineapple fields or on the processing line at Dole Plantation. Students are not just working for extra cash but to develop their resume and to gain exposure in work situations that would make them marketable in their long-term job search.
Q: What summer job or jobs, if any, did you have while in school?
A: I attended college in Los Angeles and during the four years there always had either a part-time or full-time position while in school. As such, most summers I did not return home, as I had the opportunity to work on the mainland.
However, as a marketing major I really tried hard to focus the work opportunities I had to be relevant to my long-term career goals. The best position I held was a junior account executive for a public relations and marketing firm that represented entertainment personalities and various products to be placed in the entertainment industry. From this one experience, I not only gained knowledge about my field of study and hands-on experience in the marketing sector, but I (also) learned about my “hard skills,” what I liked and disliked in a job, and developed my professional skills in an office. Not only does summer work or working while you are in school give you experiences to add to your resume to be competitive in the sometimes difficult job market after graduation, it (also) offers you a broad understanding of your interests and ability to pursue the career of your choice.
