When you are a college student, you are mostly likely going to have a very tight budget. When you are in school all the time, you won’t be able to get a job, which will make things even tighter. However, when the summer comes around, it is the perfect time to secure a job and build up enough capital to get you through at least the next semester.

There is a high probability that you won’t be doing anything productive during the summer months, so it is the perfect time to apply for jobs. Plus, staying busy between semesters will keep your spirits high and you will be motivated for the next college year. Here are five helpful summer job search tips for college students.

  1. Look Online for Job Listings

The internet has a wealth of job listings for college students. You can look on forums, resume hosting sites, and more. There are even sites where you can upload your own resume and let recruiters come to you. This is a great way to widen the net and secure a great job.

  1. Use Your College Experience

If you have been in college for a few years, you may want to use the experience you have to land a higher paying, or a more exciting, job. For instance, if you have been taking USC online courses for business, you may be able to apply for managerial positions. These positions require some advanced knowledge and they can offer just the right amount of experience that you need. Plus, these jobs also offer higher pay, which is an added bonus.

  1. Make Sure Your Resume is up to Date

Before you apply for various positions, you want to be sure that your resume is completely up to date. If it is not, you may want to go back to the drawing board and add any gaps. If you have had a few odd jobs in various fields, you may want to add those to your resume. Moreover, you want to add schooling on the resume too. If you only have your high school resume, you may want to add “some college” to your educational background section.

  1. Tap Into Your Network

Another benefit of looking for a job during your college years is that you can talk to your professors to see if they know of any open positions. There is a chance that your professor knows of a business that is hiring and he or she can point you in the right direction. If your professor is up for it, he or she could also write you a letter of recommendation to help you land the job.

  1. Hit the Pavement

On top of everything, you want to hit the pavement and you be persistent. It may be difficult to find a job during the summer, because the summertime is when a lot of college students will be looking for jobs. In the end, you want to be sure that you keep calling and checking in to make sure your resume has been reviewed – this is the only way that you will be able to get that final interview before getting hired for the job.