Employment Spot

Adventure Jobs- Have a fun career while getting paid

Students often use their free summer months to take on reliable jobs such as office temp, ice cream store worker or grocery bagger. But your summer job, or full-time career for that matter, doesn’t have to be mainstream at all. Job opportunities abound to work at the beach, in the park, on a boat or just about anywhere else.

And why limit yourself to the United States? An office job that might seem boring in your hometown could take on a whole new dimension in London, Paris or South America. Rahul Kolhatkar, a college junior, will teach English to disadvantaged Chinese students in Hong Kong this summer. Brian Sandstrom, a college sophomore, wants to work on a cruise because it’s an “excellent way to save money, travel and work all at the same time.”

Below are links to sites that can transform your summer or career from a routine to an adventure.

• ActionJobs

  Great job listings for the thrill seeker. If you’ve ever dreamt of teaching extreme half pipes on your snowboard or parachuting into a Montana forest fire while getting paid, this is the place to find that job. Check out job reviews from former employees and get advice on how to find the perfect action job for you.

• AboutJobs.com

  An all-encompassing network of sites for “work and play.” ResortJobs.com lists jobs at ski resorts, beaches, parks and hotels. If you can only work between school years, try SummerJobs.com. If you want some international experience, check out OverseasJobs.com, where listings include English teachers in Kyrgyzstan, assistant screen directors and relief workers all over the world.

• Colorado Guide

  The great thing about Colorado is that during the winter it offers the nation’s best skiing, but once the snow melts away there are plenty of rivers to be rafted and camping to be done. Though this work may be seasonal, there is enough of it to keep you going all year. This site lists jobs at ski resorts, national parks, environmental groups and day camps.

• JobMonkey

  Claiming to have the “coolest jobs on earth,” JobMonkey offers hope to burned out job hunters. Indoors or outdoors, most of these listings offer a great deal of fun. Besides the usual ski resorts, cruise ships and national parks, there are sections devoted to finding a job at a Las Vegas casino and an Alaskan fishery. The site also offers an extensive how-to guide to teaching English abroad.

Government Internships

Being at the forefront of the action in Washington, D.C. is an adventure waiting to happen. Check with your representative or senator to see if they offer internships in the nation’s capital.

A White House internship is the crown jewel of all part-time government jobs. The unpaid internships are offered year-round, so if you are available any season besides summer you will be competing against a much smaller applicant pool. Interns work in a separate building than the president, though they usually meet him once or twice during their tenure. Apply very early and don’t expect to be paid. Also, current applications for year-long internships with the budget office are online.

The Best of the Rest

There are plenty of other sites that offer adventure jobs. These include many offerings at Back Door Jobs, some part-time stints at A+ Summer Jobs, and amusement parks and dude ranch jobs at Cool Works. If you’re set to work on a cruise, check out the Carnival or Royal Caribbean cruises job sites. Visit TripSpot’s Cruises page to connect with more cruise lines.

   — Dan Richards

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