In a previous Recruiting Daily Advisor article, research from global job search engine, Adzuna, showed that the number of open entry-level positions for recent college graduates was expected to increase, and new college hires could expect to earn over $53,000, annually. While some companies may be hiring recent college grads, others are hiring for the summer season—with 46,653 summer jobs still available post-Memorial Day, just waiting to be filled by part-time and student employees.
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Research conducted in May 2018, by Adzuna, analyzed almost 3.5 million jobs currently advertised on Adzuna.com to identify the volume, sector, and location of this year’s seasonal opportunities.
The research found 46,653 summer jobs still open despite the season already being officially underway. The top five states for short term job seekers represent almost 30% of the total opportunity pool with 13,427 jobs available. However, job seekers in Virginia, Michigan, and Massachusetts might struggle to find work, with only 3,700 open roles available across all three states.
| State | Number of Summer Vacancies 2018 | Ave. Daily Pay |
| California | 4,179 | $171.25 |
| New York | 2,468 | $207.10 |
| Texas | 2,448 | $92.22 |
| Florida | 2,244 | $206.16 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,088 | $88.69 |
| Illinois | 2,046 | $147.70 |
| Ohio | 1,431 | $60.03 |
| Colorado | 1,604 | $88.82 |
| New Jersey | 1,426 | $194.07 |
| Georgia | 1,375 | $124.22 |
| Massachusetts | 1,284 | $210.56 |
| Michigan | 1,227 | $149.31 |
| Virginia | 1,189 | $124.22 |
Despite the school year being almost being over, teaching roles account for over 20% of advertised seasonal positions as parent demand for summer schools and part-time tutors soars. And because working parents cannot get summers off, jobs in social care (such as babysitting), represent over 10% of open roles. Positions in PR, advertising and marketing, health care, and finance round out the top five most prolific seasonal sectors for recruitment.
| Sector | Number of Summer Vacancies 2018 | Ave. Daily Pay |
| Teaching | 9,498 | $105.03 |
| Social work | 5,355 | $308.22 |
| PR, Ad & marketing | 2,421 | $167.29 |
| Healthcare & Nursing | 2,256 | $378.45 |
| Accounting & finance | 2,160 | $203.68 |
Highest Paying Summer Jobs
According to the research, among the highest paying roles available this summer are temporary healthcare or nursing roles, with opportunities listed as highly as $378 per day. Caring roles dominate the most lucrative opportunities with social care salaries coming a close second at an average of $308 per day.
Although opportunities are thin on the ground, successful candidates in Massachusetts can find themselves earning the equivalent of $76,000 per annum over the summer season, more than any other location in the U.S. New York follows closely behind at $75,593, but there are still big rewards for the sun-seeking seasonal worker with Florida opportunities averaging $75,248. Workers in Pennsylvania and Ohio stand to earn the least over the summer, advertising average salaries of just $32,372 and $21,911 respectively.
Quirkiest Summer Jobs
For job seekers looking to part from the more traditional employment path, the research also examined unusual roles available this summer. These jobs range from Happiness Managers and Fun Supervisors to Furniture Assemblers, who are available to help out with those flat pack garden furniture emergencies. The average salary rates ranged from $20,000 to $100,000, depending on the position.
For those particularly curious, a Happiness Manager (specifically for PetPlan Pet Insurance), is responsible for handling customer phone calls, reviewing policy claims, and making sure PetPlan customers are overall happy with their service.
Other noteworthy positions include:
| Position | Number of summer vacancies | Average Annual Salary |
| Happiness Manager | 32,621 | $102,909 |
| Professional Organizer | 26,875 | $83,433 |
| Furniture Assembler | 1,620 | $28,981 |
| Mother’s Helper | 643 | $31,525 |
| Traveling Phlebotomist | 208 | N/A |
| Ambassador of Fun | 43 | $50,000 |
| Sand Coordinator | 21 | N/A |
And yes, we were curious about what a Sand Coordinator does, as well, and unsurprisingly, it’s for exactly what it sounds like! A Sand Coordinator for Calfrac Well Services, is responsible for coordinating all aspects of sand transport and delivery.