12 Seasonal Jobs That Pay Well
There are many reasons people opt to work seasonal jobs. For some, it’s about making more money. Others take on seasonal jobs to develop new skills. Whatever your reason may be for wanting a seasonal job, you should look for jobs that pay well. Here are a few seasonal jobs that actually pay well.
Social Media Assistant
Making an average salary of $14 per hour, social media assistants don’t often need experience to get started. They have the role of updating a client’s social media accounts, responding to comments, and working on campaigns. During the holiday season, many companies need to hire social media assistants to keep up with the increased demand. As an added bonus, being a social media assistant teaches you skills that translate well to other roles or lead to a lucrative career in social media management.
Personal Shopper
During the holiday season, there are personal shopper jobs available. As the job title suggests, personal shoppers help clients pick out gifts. The pay is usually just under $14 an hour, and the work tends to be fun.
Retail Sales Associate
Another job in the $14 hourly range, retail sales assistant is a job that requires you to deal with people. Companies often look to increase their number of associates during the busiest times of year, like the winter holidays. If you live in a place with many tourists, these jobs could pop up during summer and school holidays. Sales associates sometimes have the opportunity to earn a commission on top of their hourly wage.
Summer Counselor
If you’re looking for a summer job, try working as a summer camp counselor. The average salary is slightly over $14 per hour, and you’re likely to work with kids or teenagers. As a counselor, you can expect to be in charge of activities like sports and arts and crafts. The exact job description varies based on the type of camp you work for. If you have any special interests, you can look for a counselor job in a camp that focuses on those interests.
Customer Service Representative
The national average salary for customer service representatives is $14.87 an hour. During the high season, companies hire more representatives to keep up with the demand. They sometimes work at home or in call centers. Although the job always involves working with customers, the job duties vary drastically based on the service the company provides. For instance, some customer service representatives provide tech support while others handle customer returns. You could deal with customers over chat or phone conversations, or you
could deal with face-to-face interactions.
Gift Wrapper
When the holiday season rolls around, gift wrapper jobs become available. Large retail stores often hire gift wrappers to wrap presents purchased by customers. Typically, wrappers need to be able to wrap neatly, and decorate the presents with ribbons and tags. You usually receive training on how to wrap, and some stores might ask you to wrap gift sets. On average, gift wrappers make just under $15 an hour. Some stores have incentives for their quickest wrappers.
Photographer
If you want this seasonal job, you need photography skills. With that said, seasonal photographer jobs usually don’t require too much experience. You can either work as a freelancer or work for a company that’s looking to meet a high demand. During the winter season, photographers stay busy doing holiday photos. There’s also a need for school photographers early in the school year. The pay ranges greatly but averages about $16.75 hourly for less experienced photographers.
Chef
People who have cooking skills can take a seasonal job as a chef. During summer and the holidays, hotels and resorts look to hire chefs to handle their uptick in reservations. If you have no experience, don’t expect to start out as a chef. You might be able to find a job as a dishwasher or busser before you can work your way up to line cook. However, chefs with experience or training can apply and receive a salary of about $17.23 an hour.
Tax Preparer
Tax season is a busy time for accountants and tax prep companies. Whether you have experience or not, you may have luck applying for a job as a tax preparer between the months of January and April. The average pay is $19.25 hourly, and employees should be good at math and pay attention to detail. While some companies only hire experienced tax preparers, some hire assistants or entry-level workers.
Tour Guide
Places that rely on tourism almost always have a seasonal demand for tour guides. Although you may not need any training for this job, you do need to have people skills. Tour guides need to engage with their group tour members and provide valuable information about their location. Typically, tour guide companies provide a script and training to their guides. The average salary is $24.33 hourly.
Fitness Trainer
In touristy or seasonal regions, fitness trainers are needed during busy times. If you have a fitness or personal training certification, you can apply to work at a gym, spa, or hotel as a fitness trainer. At times, fitness trainers also provide nutritional advice. You can obtain a certification online and expect to make around $24 per hour. If you want to work for yourself, you can promote your own services.
Tutor
During the summer, parents scramble to find tutors for their children. Tutors help prepare students for the next school year or assist with summer school. Additionally, some tutors prepare students for exams like the SAT or GRE. The pay for tutors ranges from $15 hourly to $50 hourly, depending on the subject matter. If you want to work remotely, you may be able to find a job with a company that provides remote tutoring services.
Which Seasonal Job is Right for You?
You can find a seasonal job almost any time of the year. If you’re looking for some extra money, think about your skills and your desired salary. Then, apply for one of the jobs above!