Students get pick of casual summer work

One more term, and schools and universities will be out for the summer. But while some students and graduates head straight for the beach or overseas to relax and let off steam, most hunker down and start looking for casual summer work or their first job.

Greer Davis, 18, plans to travel north to her home town of Auckland from Dunedin's Otago University where she is about to complete the first year of an arts and commerce degree. Davis has retail experience and is a trained barista through previous casual employment with Starbucks. She is looking for a retail job and says while she'd prefer not to work 'intensively' over the three month university break, it will be necessary.

"I need to earn money for living and for my first flat next year. Everyone else [at university] is the same; they all want a job for the summer," says Davis.

Davis is fortunate to have previous work experience and a reference behind her bid for summer employment - but the inexperienced still have a good chance of securing casual work as retailers, horticulturalists, warehouse and distribution companies and other seasonal employers gear up for the summer.

Ben Harman, managing director for retail recruitment specialists Retail World Resourcing, says with the retail industry still booming and unemployment low, competition for student summer labour is 'fierce'.

"Retailers begin looking for people to train up as soon as possible, usually late October. They also need committed staff to work Boxing Day and without a break through to mid January," says Harman.

He says retailers struggle all year round to find the staff they need, particularly at assistant manager and store manager level and casual workers who show flair and prove to be reliable may be offered a permanent position. Pay rates in the retail sector range from $10 to $14 an hour before tax, but some specialist stores may pay more, says Harman. The legal minimum hourly wage for casual workers age 18 and over is $9.50; for 16 and 17 year olds it is $7.60.

Grainne Troute, CEO for McDonalds which employs thousands of casual staff annually, says students and first time job seekers have an excellent chance of being employed by McDonalds, which also struggles to find enough staff to work over the summer holiday period as well as weekends and late nights.

"Young people do like to be out on Friday nights and fast food employers are always competing for good casual staff to fill those shifts," says Troute.

In addition to opportunities in retail, students and first time job seekers located close to horticultural regions like Northland, the Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay can enjoy a Christmas and summer break before applying for late summer seasonal work. In 2004, orchardists from KeriKeri complained of a chronic shortage of available casual staff and some recruited Russian students for the later kiwifruit picking season which begins in March.

Orchards begin hiring fruit-pickers and labourers from early February for a season that normally runs to April or May, and for those with a love of horses, thoroughbred breeders start looking for staff in November to help preparing yearling thoroughbreds for January national sales. Other opportunities occur in the tourism and recreational sectors, which need extra lifeguards, gym and aerobics instructors, tour guides, and people able to help run holiday programmes over the summer.

Common casual summer work sectors include retail, horticulture, bloodstock, recreation and tourism. Work may also be available at local councils and in warehousing and distribution, which is especially busy from October to December.

Job hunting

* State which months and days you can work; don't be vague

* If you want a store-based retail job, be prepared to work on stat days and weekends

* For work in the rural sector, remember to factor in travel and accommodation costs when deciding (to ensure the work will meet your financial needs)

* A little bit of training goes a long way. Examples include Barista training, First Aid Certification, a full driver's license, a heavy trade license, a forklift license; or lifeguard and water safety training

* Look sharp: you might be drooping with relief now the exams are over, but employers will expect enthusiasm and at least tidy presentation

* Search for jobs by reading notices on high school and tertiary job boards, and supermarkets and community noticeboards. Visit Student Job Search. Ask around. Look for signs in store windows advertising for staff. Finally, recruitment agencies can place casual or seasonal staff