Summer Job

[bmarx]

Hey guys, so here's the situation: I am a university student in Canada and I'm trying to find an interesting and well paying summer job. I am open to any and all suggestions, preferably legal though. I can work in the US and Canada and am looking to make 5000+ over the four months of summer. What would you guys do with all that time?

[SRR]

We can do a back-of-the napkin calculation for this:

I can work in the US and Canada and am looking to make 5000+ over the four months of summer.

5000 / 4 = 1250 per month

1250 per month = 312.50 per week

= 44.64 per day.

that's one hand job a day, really. Locate yourself near an alley to ensure you don't need the expense of renting an orifice.... I mean, office.

am open to any and all suggestions, preferably legal though.

It's legal if you're consenting and out of the public eye.

[Jumper]

Forest Fire Fighting--both Canada and the US hire every summer for that work. For the US, you must be a US citizen for federal forest fire fighting. I don't know about Canada, but I am sure someone could chime in. In the US, it pays about 12 dollars an hour.

[vagabond]

Hm, I worked as a barista in Ireland and came out with US$12/hr and only superficial burns. You could get a longer visa and save 3000 euros which would be 5000 CAD. Or, cheaper, drive to Alaska and work in a fish factory.

[Woodsman]

Yup firefighting would probably be a good job. Lots of sitting around (standby) with those jobs, but when things are hopping, better be in good shape.

I'd look into working on a boat in Alaska. I knew a friend who did that and made a lot of money.

[vagabond]

http://www.alaskajobfinder.com/

I also had a friend who did some sort of river guiding / hiking type tourism work up there. Not sure if it was a lot of money but sounded like fun.

[rickshaw92]

http://www.rickshawservices.com/

You will have to get a license and put up with a lot of muppets.

[bmarx]

5000 / 4 = 1250 per month

1250 per month = 312.50 per week

= 44.64 per day.

Haha thats true, I forgot to mention that I'm looking to make 5k profit, so after apartment, food, and fun. Thanks for suggestions so far.

[SRR]

You will have to get a license and put up with a lot of muppets.

Yeah, there's one in particular that can cause lots of problems.

[WillyBlues]

I waited on tables most summer, good coin and a great way to meet chicks. But with the economy it probably sucks now. It NYC the trade is dominated by unemployed (except for their real job) actors, actresses, singers, etc.

[Kurt]

$5k profit after expenses.

Plus it has to be interesting.

Well, you are fucked except for maybe Jumper's suggestion. "Interesting" summer jobs on such short notice tend to pay next to nothing since they are often internships or volunteer work.

But since you are a college student I recomend going someplace that gets alot of tourists where there are other college students who work there. Friends of mine went to Estes Park Colorado and I went to Door County in Wisconsin...then you work in a restaurant.

College students will give up anything for a party, and when they are together there is a party every night so you can earn over-time by working the hours of the social butterflies. This way you can work 60 hours a week which is like getting paid for working 70 hours a week and instead of meeting drunk girls at those parties you are missing you will be sleeping with waitresses that share similar hours and a similar work ethic.

But forget interesting. Remember this bit of advice: All jobs suck, but you have to do them anyway.

[matt5058]

Remember this bit of advice: All jobs suck, but you have to do them anyway.

I think a better choice of words would be 'All jobs suck but you just have to find one that sucks the least'. Lol

[Kurt]

Remember this bit of advice: All jobs suck, but you have to do them anyway.

I think a better choice of words would be 'All jobs suck but you just have to find one that sucks the least'. Lol

No. Not even that.

I have a good job now that I actually enjoy doing but this is after having resigned myself that I would have a crappy job and be poor my whole life. That kind of negative thinking actually leads to a positive attitude since if you get a crap job until the day you die it is not a big loss since it was what you were expecting all along. The people who say "I didn't go to college so I could end up doing _______" are not going to last long in this economy.

[marie-angelique]

i dunno, i went to grad school for a very specific reason to get a very specific job, which i eventually got, and enjoy very much. and i knew the pay would sorta suck from the get go, but it doesn't suck that much and nowadays it's getting pretty good. and the vacations are looooooong :)

[Firedraik]

Depending on where you are in Canada (or where you're willing to drive to) there are tree planting companies that you can make a fortune working for during the summer. You make about 5¢ - 10¢ a tree and I have heard tales of people clearing as much as $1k in a very, very long brutal day. The work is hard, but I've got a number of friends that do it to pay for college every year.

Plus depending on where you work you get to ride in helicopters and / or Unimogs to get to your site.

That or live in your car and work in Ft. McMurray. Not recommended, but I hear the pay is good.