What to Look for in a Summer Hospitality Job

by Alex A. Kecskes

A summer job in hospitality can give you a leg up in finding a full-time job when the summer’s over. You’ll learn the ropes, connect with managers and full-time employees, and focus on exactly where you’ll want to take your career. Before you accept a summer hospitality gig, however, there are a few caveats:

Look Before You Leap. Get the low down on the day-to-day chores and conditions of the workplace. Ask around, Google the hotel or facility. Try to connect with people who already work there. Will the job be mostly indoors or out? Will you be cleaning rooms and toilets, working in a hot kitchen or dealing with guests?

Location, Location. Find out where you’ll be working. Will you be stuck in a remote resort miles away from civilization? Or in a nightclub packed with partygoers? If it’s a remote resort, will you be able to take the isolation? Consider, too, the drive, the cost of gas and wear and tear on your car if you have to drive out of town every day. If the resort offers subsidized housing, you’ll have to feel comfortable living in dormitory housing and sharing a bathroom with your fellow workers.

Pay or No Pay? These days, few people can afford to work for free. That said, if your summer job is at a four-star hotel or resort and part of a management trainee program, you might weigh the non-cash benefits. Here again, it pays to ask around. Try to get in touch with current or previous summer interns. Ask them if the experience helped their careers or if it got them a full-time gig.

For an added perspective, check out this video:

Got any summer job tips you want to share? Include them in the comments section below.