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So, school's coming to a close again. The thought of watching re-runs at home is sounding less delightful each year; what are you going to do about it? Are you looking for a little more responsibility, or perhaps a little more cash to make your summer spending dreams a reality? Whatever your motives, a summer job may be your cure to boredom, laziness, or empty pockets.

Here are a few tips to get you started with you first summer job:

BE OPEN TO EXPERIENCE. Maybe Fabric-Mart doesn't seem like it will give you the glitz, glamour, and attention that you crave. Maybe the local hardware store isn't where you want to be working in twenty years. You're young, and any work that you can tolerate will be a useful experience and a stepping-stone into new types of work in the future. Unless you absolutely hate the idea of working for a particular job, don't rule it out. You might stumble upon an unlikely job that, in the end, turns out to be just what you wanted.

START EARLY. Remember that you aren't the only student wanting a job; at the start of summer, tons of kids will be looking for work. Be preemptive-start grabbing applications as early as April or May. When you go to a potential employer, approach them politely and introduce yourself. Explain that you will be out of school soon and are looking for work. In most cases, they'll be impressed that you're planning your summer out beforehand. Ask them if you could have an application to fill out, and thank them for their time. That brings us to the next tip

TAKE THE APPLICATION HOME. If you have the option, take the application home with you; you'll be less nervous filling it out in a familiar place. Also, you can double- and triple-check your spelling in order to make your application perfect. You may even want to make a copy of the application in case you make an error on the first copy. Going back to the employer for another copy is definitely a bad idea save yourself the embarrassment and prepare your application at home with extras on hand.

BE "AVAILABLE". Applications will ask for your "hours of availability"-this is where many will lose their chance at getting the job. Be sure to include ALL available hours, not just the times you want to work. Employers want people who have flexible schedules; not people who want 3-day weekends and half-days of work.

FOLLOW UP. So you've got your applications in to a handful of places, and you've got a few weeks until summer. Now is the time to follow up-call your potential employers and ask if they have received your application. Tell them that you are eager to meet them in person and learn more about the store/company/job that you applied for. If you can't get a hold of them, leave a message. If they don't call you back, give it another try a day or two later. By showing interest, they know that you're serious about taking the job.

Doing these things puts you in the best possible position for getting work. If you've applied many places with no success, it could be for a couple of reasons: You might be too young for them to hire, haven't had enough work experience, or they may be looking to fill a year-round position. If so, you should definitely consider volunteering for the summer; it's a great way to get some work experience and show your responsibility, improving your chances of a hire when you hit the job market next year. Best of luck!

Learn more about this author, Landen Buckley.
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