DollarBreak is reader-supported, when you sign up through links on this post, we may receive compensation. Disclosure.
The content is for informational purposes only. Conduct your own research and seek advice of a licensed financial advisor. Terms.
Best Companies for Seasonal Jobs
DoorDash
Earn $25 per hour plus keep 100% of your tips (4000 cities in USA)
You can use any mode of transportation: your car, bicycle or motorcycle
You have the freedom to pick and choose which orders you want to accept
GoPuff
Experienced delivery drivers can earn up to $21 per hour ($13 on average)
Choose when you want to work based on your schedule in 1000 cities
Delivery snacks, drinks, grocery, quick meals, cleaning supplies and more
Grubhub
Make around $12 per hour + tips and create your own flexible schedule
No resume, interview or delivery experience required, and no dress code
Cash your earnings out up to $500 a day (free for Chase Bank customers)
Seasonal JobsExpected EarningsDelivery Driver$16 per hourTutor$13 per hourPet Sitter$35 per dayHousekeepingUp to $22 per hourRetail Sales Associate$12 per hour on averageLandscapingUp to $17 per hourRestaurant Server$11 per hour on averageSummer Camp Counselor$10 to $12 per hourSports Referee$14 per hourLifeguard$12 per hourTour Guide$14.75 per hour on averageConstruction$15 to $18 per hour
12 Seasonal Jobs
Delivery Driver
When you’re looking for the best paying seasonal jobs you may be surprised to learn that many package delivery companies need help during the holiday season.
Many companies, such as FedEx, UPS, and others have lots of driver jobs as they need extra delivery drivers to cover shifts of their usual workers that are taking a vacation.
Another key reason is that the holiday season can be a busy time and they need to ensure that the packages are delivered on time. There are lots of platforms where you can find jobs including Shipt.
As a packaged delivery driver, you can expect to earn $16 per hour on average. The entry level requirements are pretty low, you need:
A valid driving license,
Solid driving record
The ability to lift heavier packages to get started.
Tutor
Tutor.com Summary
Convenient to look for clientsReceive payments regularlyEasy-to-use online platformChoose your preferred work hours
One of the best seasonal jobs for college students is working as a tutor for a subject that you excel in. The summer months can be a time when students need some help to catch up with their studies to prepare for the coming academic year.
Summer schooling requires a certain amount of self teaching and some students struggle to understand the topic fully.
As a tutor, you can help people with their problems on subjects that you are studying or you may have recently passed. Your deeper understanding of the topic may be what a student needs to excel and that can give you a great deal of job satisfaction too.
There are a number of online tutoring job platforms that each have different requirements, but Tutor.com is open to college sophomores, where you can earn an average of $13 per hour.
Pet Sitter with Rover
Rover Summary
6 different ways to earn money availableGet up to $25,000 pet care coverageYou get to decide how much to charge24/7 support, Including vet assistance
One of the happiest jobs that pay well is working as a pet sitter during the holiday season. During the summer pet owners go on vacation and they may go away at Christmas and they don’t want to put their pets in a strange location to reduce their stress.
If you’re good with animals and you want to earn some good money, this is an ideal opportunity. As a pet sitter, you will either stay at the person’s home or the pet will come and live with you for the duration.
Your responsibilities will include:
Feeding
Walking
Administering medications
Fulfilling any other needs the pet has.
For a short time, you will be the foster parent for that pet, easing its fears and helping the pet to deal with any separation anxiety. This can be an immensely rewarding job. There are platforms to find pet sitting jobs, such as Rover, where you can earn up to $35 per day.
Housekeeper – Work With Handy
Handy Pro Summary
Earn between $22 per hour to $62 per hourWorking hours based on your availabilityJobs will be within 100 miles of your homeGet paid within 7 days after a gig
Cleaning isn’t the dream for many people, but if you’re searching for the “best seasonal jobs near me” you will find plenty of cleaning work. Housekeeping jobs pay more than you may imagine and you can choose between commercial or residential cleaning.
A commercial cleaner works as part of a crew in a hotel, office, or other location. As a residential cleaner, you will be working in homes and you may be asked to complete other helpful tasks, including:
Making snacks for kids,
Picking up dry cleaning
and more.
If you’re the type of person that can just pull on a pair of rubber gloves and get the job done this may be the ideal way to save money during a summer break. You can find jobs on platforms like Handy and earn up to $22 per hour.
Retail Sales Associate
One of the highest paying seasonal jobs is working as a retail sales associate in a store or out in the wider community. At this time of the year, many employers need more sales associates to help their customers and ensure that their needs are being met.
This job has a lower barrier to entry, a good attitude and a strong work ethic can get you a long way. Many stores will not even care if you have any customer service experience and you will get training on the job.
You will be working on a schedule and it’s possible to earn around $12.33 per hour for a couple of months. But, that’s only part of the story, you should also qualify for an employee discount and you may be able to boost your earnings if you take unpopular shifts.
Landscaper
If you enjoy working outdoors, landscaping could be an ideal fit for the summer. This can be hard work, but they are typically no experience jobs that still pay well. Additionally, there are usually many opportunities for regular work.
When you’re working as a landscaper no day is exactly the same, you may be creating a green space as part of a team or pulling weeds in a yard on your own. But, you get plenty of fresh air, you can work on your tan and you’re getting paid up to $17 per hour at the same time.
Restaurant Server
At certain times of the year, cities are busier and those extra visitors drive a need for additional seasonal servers to meet the demand. In many cases, a short-term job can lead to a permanent position and you can earn extra cash from tips for good service.
A server tends to earn around $11 per hour, but this can rise significantly depending on the location and clientele.
Summer Camp Counselor
One of the best jobs for a summer break is working as a camp counselor. Many of us have fond memories of summer camp trips when we were younger and even if you missed out you can still have a great experience now.
As a camp counselor, you are the leader of a group of children, you are responsible for the safety and ensuring that everyone is having fun. This is a great way to work outdoors without resorting to a job that requires a lot of hard labor.
Your job typically includes meals in the wage you receive. You will eat with the other counselors and share experiences. As an added bonus, this role looks great on future job resumes and college applications. Working as a camp counselor will give you leadership experience and a set of invaluable skills that you can apply to many other areas of your life and career.
Sports Referee
You can find a wide variety of sports leagues in most cities ranging from youth games up to full adult leagues. All of these leagues need referees and if you have a good understanding of a sport you can earn money and have fun at the same time.
Many games are played over the weekends, but this is a good option if you want a seasonal job. A sports referee can earn around $14 per hour throughout the season of the sport and good referees will always be asked to return next season.
Lifeguard
As the summer heats up, many people head to the pool or beach for a cool swim. The increase in visitors leads to a demand for seasonal lifeguards to keep people safe. This makes being a lifeguard one of the best summer jobs for teens.
As a lifeguard, you will need some formal training in CPR and you must be a strong swimmer. A lifeguard can earn around $12.20 per hour and the skills you learn will look great on your next job application.
Tour Guide
It should come as no surprise that tourist attractions are far more popular during the summer vacation months. Many locations, including:
Historical sites,
Museums,
Gardens
Other locations that need extra tour guides.
This can involve some training to ensure that you really know your stuff to help visitors. A tour guide can earn around $14.75 per hour, it’s a great way to stay active; you may discover that your feet hurt at the end of each day, but it can be particularly appealing for college students.
Construction Worker
The summer months are a busier time in the construction industry. This is when piling the rooftops occurs and when the foundations are laid for buildings. At this time, temporary workers and project managers are in-demand and if you have the experience you can make good money.
If you live in a hot and/or humid area, you may be working on cooling down a project for future construction efforts during the fall. It’s hard to place an hourly value on this type of work because there are a wide variety of roles to fill. But, even if you don’t have much experience it’s pretty easy to get basic labor to earn some extra cash for summer.
What are the Highest Paying Seasonal Jobs?
The highest paying seasonal jobs tend to be ones that involve hard work. Typically landscapers and construction workers earn the highest hourly rate. So, you will need to think about whether you are prepared to do the extra labor or would prefer a less intense job that pays a little less.
How to Find the Best Seasonal Jobs?
If you’re looking for the best seasonal jobs for retirees and students, there are many options to consider. It’s tempting to focus on the best positions, but if you’re holding out for the perfect job you could be missing out on some interesting experiences and earning opportunities.
Adopting a proactive approach is the best approach and we have put together four key tips to help you get a job that’s suited to your interests, skills, and other criteria, they are:
Adopting a proactive approach is the best approach.
Step 1: Start Your Job Searching Earlier
If you want a choice seasonal job in a certain industry then you’re going to need to do some research on when their peak seasons occur. This is the time when a company will be looking for extra help to maintain operations during a busier period. This should give you plenty of time to find and apply for multiple jobs and then you can choose the best one to meet all your needs.
Step 2: Prepare for the Interview
Many people wonder, is a seasonal job worth it? The answer is a resounding yes, if you start your search early and you prepare correctly for an interview. Because this is a temporary position, many people have the mistaken perception that they can coast through the interview process.
The company wants to hire a person with relevant skills or a willingness to learn and a good work ethic is essential. If you have experience in the industry make this clear and express a desire to learn about a future career in that sector.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn more about the company ahead of time to demonstrate your desire to work for them.
Step 3: Network
If you have contacts employed at a company where you want to work, it’s a good idea to start networking early. Make sure that all your contacts have your profile and you may be able to take advantage of “Buddy Hiring” practices. Take a look at professional forums for the industry and let your family and friends know that you’re looking for a summer job. Follow relevant people on social media platforms because temporary jobs vacancies are sometimes posted there.
Step 4: Examine Different Options
You may be very happy working in a specific industry sector and if you can find a vacancy there it’s a good idea to go with what you know. But, you can explore other options to widen your horizons or improve your earnings. Many people have turned a part-time job in an unfamiliar industry into a rewarding and fulfilling career.
Skills Needed for Seasonal Jobs
Outside of the specific experience that can be applied to a certain role there are four soft skills that are equally applicable to landing any kind of seasonal job, they are:
A Willingness to Learn
If you’re willing to follow the new employee training and learn about the culture of the company you will have a better working experience. Sadly, you’re there to fill gaps in the workforce created by people taking vacations and you won’t have a lot of time to adjust. If you can hit the ground running and absorb information quickly you can be a real asset and you may even be offered a permanent position.
A Flexible Attitude
As a seasonal worker, you will need to adapt to meet the various needs of your employer and this requires a flexible attitude. There will be some latitude in the shifts you take, but you may need to work some extra hours to meet the demands of your role.
An Adaptable MIndset
If you have an adaptable mindset it’s easier to adjust to any job that your employer wants you to do quickly. Temporary workers can be thrown into unfamiliar situations without much training because the regular employees are on vacation. The upside to this situation is that it’s easy to get noticed when you become the go to person that gets things done.
Likeability
If you have an amiable personality you can excel in roles where regular contact with customers is required. But, even if you work behind the scenes or in other industries it’s helpful to get on with other employees as part of a team. When you’re positive and approachable it’s easier to fit in and your stress levels will be far lower.