Making the most of your summer job

When people look back at the summer jobs of their youth, most of them were probably means to earn a little spending money or save a down payment for a car.

While plenty of summer workers might still work for these reasons, many of them are looking to jumpstart their careers.

Employers are eager to recruit job seekers looking to become permanent members of the company, according to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey of more than 3,000 U.S. employers.

Twenty-three percent of hiring managers intend to hire seasonal workers for the upcoming summer, while 14 percent are still undecided, the survey finds. Fortunately for the ambitious job seekers, 66 percent are open to hiring summer workers for full-time positions. Watch how to shape your job search »

Even more promising is news that 24 percent of employers intend to pay their new hires and interns more this summer than last year. Forty-seven percent will pay $10 or more per hour; 7 percent will pay $20 or more; 29 percent will pay between $8 and $10 per hour; and 11 percent intend to pay less than $7 per hour.

Where the jobs are

Considering how many families go on vacation each summer and how many teenagers loiter at malls -- not to mention all the vacationers buying new wardrobes for their getaways -- you probably aren't surprised that the hospitality and retail industries plan to do the most hiring. Forty percent of hiring managers in hospitality and 39 percent in retail expect to recruit summer workers this year.

Although many summer workers hope to land jobs that will lead to full-time positions, they should expect to start in entry-level positions. Twenty-eight percent of summer positions are office support, followed by 19 percent for customer service and 14 percent each for landscape and research work. Restaurant and food service, construction and sales each comprise 8 percent of summer jobs.

Stand out

If you're one of the many job seekers who want to find summer work that will lead to a full-time job, here are some tips to help you set yourself apart from the rest:

1. Don't wait to apply. If you wait until school is out to start sending in your applications, your odds of finding work are slim. Seventy percent of employers begin the search for summer candidates before May.

Sixteen percent begin recruiting in January and February, while 44 percent have begun by March.

2. Look everywhere. Don't just rely on a single Web site to find a job. Search through multiple job sites and newspapers, visit your guidance counselors and college career services, and check to see if your family and friends know of any possible opportunities.

3. Show respect by taking the interview seriously. Interviews are time-consuming for employers, so show your appreciation by researching the company, arriving early and being engaged in the process.

Remember entry-level positions can become long-term careers, so walk into the interview trying to make you best impression.

4. Dress to impress. Regardless of the position, how you dress can influence whether or not you get the job. If you're applying for a position at a clothing store, then you should be wearing that store's clothes. For an office job, wear more professional attire, such as a suit.

5. Be proactive. Once you've been hired, the best way to get noticed and convince the boss you should become a permanent member of the team is to go beyond the job description.

Ask questions to show you're interested and take on extra responsibilities to prove that you view the job as more than a way to pass time until school starts up again.

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