As the school year comes to an end, many youngsters start having free time and the possibility to start gaining work experience and earning some money. Good news is that, according to the experts, this time of the year is one of the best to start looking for a job, as many recruitment processes for summer jobs begin right now.

It is recommended to always have an updated resume at hand and to apply to jobs as soon as possible. The earlier young people apply for a job, the greater chances they have of being considered by potential employers. Recruiters usually start processes in advance in order to gain time when the selection process is actually happening. Besides, certain jobs demand previous training, hence the selection process must be made in advance.

During the summer, the sectors with the highest demand of temporary staff are: retail, events companies, hotel industry, gastronomy, banking and manufacture. There are two major reasons that cause a rise on the demand of temporary workers in these areas. The first is an increase of the economic activity, particularly in touristic areas and in retail during the Christmas festivities. The second is that many companies need to cover positions due to vacations licenses of their permanent staff, so they hire temporary workers.

Also, in the summer, the number of young people looking for a temporary job increases. For example, in Mar del Plata, an important coastal city in Argentina, there has been a growth of 35% in the amount of temporary contracts during the summertime. Out of this number, 8% to 10% are contracts to cover vacation licenses of the permanent staff, while the other 25% to 27% correspond to entirely new jobs.

Several employers, particularly those settled in touristic areas, experience a strong increase of the activity on this time of the year. This means that more temporary workers are needed, particularly in certain businesses such as beach restaurants and pubs where the demand might reach a 60%-80% growth. Additionally, the profiles sought are not complex. Most employers are looking for honest young people who have a strong desire to work, and many employers hire people who are looking for the first job.

These sort of opportunities are great, as young people value flexibility to enter and leave the labour market, in order to focus on their studies during the year and work during their vacations.

Even though we are referring to temporary contracts, young people employed have greater chances of becoming part of the permanent staff, both immediately and in the near future. For this to happen there are two major requirements: a vacancy and a proper performance in the job done. The former means that young people must not only have the ability and the capacity required to do the job, but also soft skills –interpersonal skills, good predisposition, tolerance, empathy, etc.-