Summer Jobs befORE a Master's

[jujubea]

I know people say to just relax the summer before you begin the long-haul, but with kids in tow, I don't have that luxury. We need money!

 

That said, what kind of jobs are out there that are actually-lucrative (say, $15-20/hr or more) summer jobs, which do not require a Master's degree? Otherwise I would try for teaching jobs... 

 

I am a freelance editor and consultant right now, but the pay is completely unreliable. 

 

Any and all ideas would be MUCH appreciated!

[Liz113]

It's hard work, but if you can get a serving job at a restaurant with high prices, you can actually make good money. 

[uhurulol]

I did valet for many years during college.  Park nice cars and make decent tips during the summer.  Winter is a different story.  It's not hard work if you know how to interact positively with people.  Go to a local hotel and see if there's something like that.

Also, accounting positions at medium-sized businesses.  For example, the hotel I worked at frequently had ~16/hour office and accounting jobs available to anyone with half a brain.  They were eager to give anyone who looked fancy enough on paper a job. 

[ChelceCarter]

I'm with a temp agency right now and it's working really well. I'm mostly doing administrative work, and honestly could be making more if I said I needed to make more at the initial interview. Also, it's a regular day job, which is sort of nice.

[jujubea]

Thanks Liz, Checle, and uhu. Waiting tables is a nightmare for me ... I care way too much about screwing up to the point I used to have nightmares about it when I was a server.. 

Valeting could be fun and I will be living very near a few hotels. And I hadn't even thought of a temp agency! Do you mind if I ask which one you're going through?

 

Any other suggestions?

[sarah-bellum]

The summer before my masters, I contacted a prof that I had previously worked with as an RA, asking if he needed any help over the summer. He didn't, but through his contacts on campus was able to hook me up with a lab in a different faculty. I ended up working full time all summer for $17 per hour. And it gave me some further research experience to boot