5 Ways to do in summer for best career..!

5 ways your summer job can help launch your real career

Even Sasha Obama is learning that grunt work builds character—and translates into the kind of on-the-job know-how employers love.

Rachit Singh. life rule...

As the summer winds down, you may be wondering if you really made the most of your time during the past few months. (Why does this particular season always go by so quickly?!) Well, if you were (or are still) working a summer job, you definitely spent some of your hours wisely. It doesn’t matter if that meant scrubbing pans, folding clothes or delivering takeout—you stood to learn some super-valuable lessons that will pay off later in your real career. Here’s a rule of thumb: Every job has worth. 

Just look at Sasha Obama. The President’s daughter is spending her summer working the takeout window at Nancy’s, a seafood restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard. According to The Boston Herald,she’s working at the cash register, getting the restaurant prepped before lunchtime and busing tables. Sure, the 15-year-old has an entourage of six Secret Service members, but other than that, her four-hour shifts are totally normal for a part-time summer gig.

You might be wondering why someone with the last name Obama is working such a routine gig, all things considered. Like all dutiful parents, the President and First Lady are likely hoping their youngest daughter learns how a job can provide opportunities to gain the following five traits for personal—and career—growth.

1. Reliability. It’s completely normal early in your career to have roles on your resume like server, lifeguard or ice cream scooper. This shows future employers that you can hold down a job. Employers don’t expect for you to have worked in the corner office when you’re junior in your career. Yes, they’ll hope you have had some key internships, but employers also look for proof that you will show up every day. By holding down a summer job, you’re clearly reliable and consistent. These are two key traits not to be taken lightly.

2. Soft skills and people skills. By being in the service industry (or any industry, for that matter), you get schooled really quickly on dealing with people—in this case, hungry (and potentially "hangry") customers. Nothing is more valuable to employers than the ability to communicate and work well with people—all people (yes, even the difficult ones).

You will likely come away from your job with at least one or two examples of how you dealt with difficult situations, and that will go a long way with potential future employers. When I was a recruiter, I noticed two candidates with practically the same pedigree had nearly identical technical skills. What set one apart from the other were his soft skills and the examples he gave me that demonstrated how he managed to work with difficult clients and ultimately win them over. I offered him the job.

3. Networking know-how. The relationships you make during summer jobs are valuable, yes, even when you’re pumping gas or life guarding at the beach. In addition to your boss, who can vouch for you being an excellent and responsible worker, you can also network with colleagues and customers. You never know, that person you were working the cash register with during a sample sale might just end up working at your dream employer a few years from now. Connections are everywhere!

4. Business acumen. Although it’s not clear if the Sasha Obama is interested in becoming a chef or owning a restaurant, it’s not uncommon to pursue hands-on work like this with hopes of someday running the show. That first job provides insider knowledge of the various facets of the business.

For instance, I recently met a seasoned global pharmaceutical executive who enrolled as a student alongside 20-year-olds at a salon in New York City. He told me he switched career paths and needed to learn the basics, like how to shampoo and communicate with customers. His goal? To own a salon! He mentioned this was one of the only ways he could truly understand the business and also fully understand all of roles of his future employees, especially when he literally got his hands dirty.

5. A solid work ethic. During each summer I was in college, I worked more than 40 different roles via a temp agency. I remember being completely bored preparing a warehouse for a huge summer sale, as I cut tags off of ugly clothing, but it taught me a lot about myself. In addition to helping me build camaraderie with colleagues, the job kept my mind busy and allowed my creative juices to flow, so when I went home at night, I jotted down notes—which later became my first book.

I included this as a talking point during job interviews with potential employers to show how nothing was beneath me. Every single role gave me the opportunity to build upon my ethics and helped me form a strong foundation for my career path.