A series that runs every Tuesday, where I ask questions unrelated to the environment, fair trade, or local politics that I’ve been wondering about but haven’t been able to google the answers to. Any advice is appreciated.
The problem with nice jobs is that the people offering them’re so sincere.
I checked out Opportunity Knocks, on Alicia‘s advice, for work opportunities that don’t kill the soul. I found 6 jobs near me — A summer internship that doesn’t pay anything near a living wage, and 5 jobs from Global Green, Draper Consulting Group, and The Angell Foundation, which’re all groups looking for permanant people. They seem like people I’d rather not screw them over by leaving after 3 months, even if I manged to get hired.
Readers’ve suggested a myriad of interesting summer jobs, from tutoring (too much driving — esp. since I don’t have a car now), teaching a class at a community college (prolly too late at this point, and not that attractive), dogwalking (don’t have time to build up a clientele), and marrying rich (not a huge fan of institutions, and rich boys usually aren’t hot).
Remaing options are: working at a bookstore (probably be a chain bookstore — and I didn’t enjoy working for Waldenbooks back in the day), waiting tables (might get cranky), or doing odd stuff I find on Craigslist (a crapshoot).
I’m starting to come to the conclusion that I’m pretty much unemployable.
One last(ish) option — What about signing up with a temp agency, specifying that I only want gigs in Santa Monica? Wondering if that would give me a lot of time to read novels or write stuff while sitting at a desk. For anyone who’s tried this — Is that a realistic scenario?
temping *could* be a good option for you. i did that during the summer while in grad school, and managed to specify that i preferred non-profits (and actually got them). on the other hand, i also spent a week at a corp with a pretty evil rep (but that’s when i met wesley clark, which was cool in and of itself).
but i digress. sometimes i had plenty of time while temping (especially when i could get a receptionist gig), sometimes i didn’t. a friend temped for a real estate agency and spent most of her days drinking the tea in their kitchen and reading e-books. for $15/hour. so give it a try. but ask around to try to find the best agency for you.
Comment by erin — February 13, 2007 @ 3:06 pm
The problem with temping is the same as with tutoring — too much driving about. An awful lot of temp jobs only last a week or so.
You have beaten the bushes on campus, right? Asked all your profs, etc? Research-assistant gigs can be sweet. Did you check the USC library?
Comment by meg — February 13, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
Don’t expect to read at a temp job, but writing is definitely possible.
Comment by don hosek — February 13, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
That’s one thing – big thing – I forgot. One of the first questions (guaranteed) that you will be asked when applying at a temp. ag. is whether you can provide your own transportation. Temp. ags. come in every sort of flavor, so one focused only on Santa Monica may exist. It’s worth exploring, but having transport other than bus is a huge plus for those people.
Still think a bookstore is your best option. If you’ve already paid your dues at Waldenbooks, more upscale, less Harlequin outlets might listen to you, esp. if you mention that you’re a dissertator in English. It’s my understanding that a lot of English PhDs end up working for bookstores once done with the D.
At least you’re tryin’. Even if you end up piling up more debt to support yourself this summer, you can at least say that.
Comment by Fletch — February 13, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
Maybe you an get sponsored by some fair trade coffee coop (and a Fortune 500 firm looking for sustainable PR) to travel across the country drinking coffee? Then you could write a book about it.
Comment by Andy — February 13, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
Have you tried idealist.org? that tends to have more listings. good luck.
Comment by Marvin — February 14, 2007 @ 12:17 am
I did the temp thing after resigning from a 9 year career and trying to figure out the next step in my life. It was brainless work, but it allowed me a ton of time to research and read…so i’d say go for it!
Comment by Ruthy — February 14, 2007 @ 7:51 am
I temped for awhile too. Some days I surfed the net, some days I spent 8 hours putting stickers on envelopes. Don’t let your agency rope you into week long assignments until you’ve seen what your duties are. =)
Comment by Summer — February 14, 2007 @ 10:47 am
Can you work at Real Food Daily? I love RFD :) (Oh wait – you said that waiting tables makes you cranky. Scratch that.)
What about the green cleaning agency I suggested? See if you can work the houses in SM. You put a basket on your bike w/ some cleaning supplies (the houses often supply the mops and brooms), and off you go! You get exercise and you give someone the gift of a clean house ;)
Re: dog walking. Couldn’t you ask around w/ some local pet sitters (check out some web sites online) to see if they need extra help for the summer? It must be busy season. Then you don’t have to start your own business.
Are there cool coffee shops near you that aren’t Starbucks?
I temped during all my summers off in college and always managed to swing a summer-long “temp” job. Basically as someone’s secretary. And I did work, not read. But I got paid and it was usually pretty easy. I can’t believe I’m saying this – but it was pre-Internet more or less, so I bet it’d be easier to blog and surf during down time nowadays.
What about performing on the Venice boardwalk? Do you have comedy, acrobatic or singing skills?
How about lifeguarding – are you a good swimmer?
Ok, I’m getting off track now…I did my best :)
Comment by melissa — February 14, 2007 @ 9:59 pm
Hey, I was serious about the sbx job . . . R.
Comment by Roger, Gone Green — February 16, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
Oh wait — ya could check out the Nat. Calif Park Service sites — they do summer hires and pay by the Unit of Education, essentially. They both have web pages, and you’d look cool in the ranger hat . . . IF my school got out early enough, I’d do it. . .
Comment by Roger, Gone Green — February 16, 2007 @ 2:22 pm