When it comes to summer jobs, several surprises popped up in the latest summer employment survey by WalletHub. The personal finance search engine/social network analysis ranks 182 cities from best to worst for summer jobs in 2024. Topping the list is Columbia, MD, while Los Angeles comes in at #145, Chicago #151 and New York #170.
WalletHub invited me to join its panel to discuss finding part-time, seasonal or temporary work. Here are my responses to their five questions:
- What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job or internship?
- What types of summer jobs or internships will best equip young people with the skills and experiences they need to secure a full-time career after graduation?
- What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job or internship?
- In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are the top five indicators?
- What are some predictions for 2024’s employment?
Ron Culp
Consultant & Professional in Residence, Public Relations and Advertising, College of Communication – DePaul University
What tips do you have for a young person searching for a summer job/internship?
Focus on jobs that you have the best chance of landing. Too many students overreach by applying for jobs with position descriptions requiring more experience than they have.
Use your LinkedIn network to see who you know who works at agencies or companies that have internship openings that interest you.
What types of summer jobs/internships will best equip young people with the skills and experience they need to secure a full-time career after graduation?
Seek out internships that build on your passion. Even if they pay less than other summer opportunities, they will build a case for your future job search in areas of greatest interest to you.
What are the most common mistakes young people make when taking a summer job/internship?
Thinking that the low pay means you do not have to work as hard. Instead, make yourself stand out by observing who seems busiest in the office and volunteering to help them – even if it is after normal work hours. You will make yourself memorable and increase your chances of a great reference or even a future job.
In evaluating the best cities for summer jobs, what are the top five indicators?
Size of professional communities supporting your job area of interest. For instance, in public relations, the best professional networks are in Chicago, New York, Dallas, Atlanta, and Los Angeles–even though these markets rank lower in the overall WalletHub analysis for all summer jobs.
Access to alumni with whom you can network while in your internship. Check with your college’s alumni office. Send LinkedIn connection requests and messages to alumni who will be helpful with your networking outreach.
Consider cities with multiple universities that offer summer housing that might be easier to arrange than your own apartment.
Be receptive to cobbling together two part-time internships since some smaller organizations may only need help for 10 to 20 hours a week.
What are some predictions for 2024’s employment?
Internship demand will remain strong through 2024. But competition is fierce as some 30,000 PR graduates vie for the estimated 25,000 jobs being created each year over the past five years.
Growth by major agencies will vary from down slightly to high single-digit increases as brands rethink budgets and bring some creative functions in-house.
Budget cuts will likely continue at more senior levels within agencies so expect to see an increase of talent seeking to switch jobs or begin their own consultancies.
Small and mid-size agencies will see solid growth in 2024 with creative and digital shops seeing the largest increases.