For a rising college junior, lifeguarding is not a “real” summer job/internship, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a job that pays that’s not illegal or immoral.

Who are we to judge what’s a “real job”? How many of you criticizing his job is a heart surgeon or F100 CEO? You’re on here picking on kids so I know you’re not curing cancer in your real job.

That’s the bar when you’re paying $50,000 to $90,000 per year for a kid’s college education? All is well sweetie as long as you’re not dealing dope! You all are so full of crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I would rather hire someone who has actually worked than have a fluffy internship.

It's possible that she now has more responsiblities - maybe she also manages scheduling, or training, or also the snack shack.

And kids have 40 years to work a more traditional job. Maybe she loves being a lifeguard and wants to keep doing it until the "real world" intervenes.

Sheesh.

Came here to say this. Super skeptical of cushy internships. I have seen two good interns my entire career. The rest have been clueless.

I’ll always go for the applicant who’s had to punch the proverbial time card and show up for shifts.

+1. My best interns have been rising seniors who had previously worked very unglamorous summer jobs. One managed a farm stand and the other was a customer service team lead at a big box store. The worst one had never worked any kind of paying job before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I would rather hire someone who has actually worked than have a fluffy internship.

It's possible that she now has more responsiblities - maybe she also manages scheduling, or training, or also the snack shack.

And kids have 40 years to work a more traditional job. Maybe she loves being a lifeguard and wants to keep doing it until the "real world" intervenes.

Sheesh.

This! Are you for real OP? I hope you're not. You sound miserable and not athletic.

Many employers like hiring folks who have "real life" jobs. FWIW, I life guarded in HS + college. I loved it, and honestly, it was a great job. I went on to be a lobbyist and lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why Jewish, Asian, and Indian kids are kicking American kids’ butts. Too many dumbass American parents watch Fox News and think any job is good enough. When you’re paying a fortune for college, your kid can’t piss summers away flipping burgers or blowing the whistle for potty breaks.

This book was published in 2014 but it’s more relevant than ever.

The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America

by Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld

Didn't he get suspended from Yale for sexual harassment? Is that one of the unlikely trait?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My niece goes to an expensive and selective college. Her mother just me told she’s back home and lifeguarding again this summer, the same summer job she’s had since high school. Am I wrong that this is a bad look? At her college career fair this fall, the only work experience on her resume is going to the same summer job 3 or 4 summers in a row, which is a gig any high school swimmer can get when they're 15 or 16.

Well that'll teach your sister to brag about that expensive college when her daughter still only ends up lifeguarding over the summer. Welp, she better work on her tan and change her major to an MRS degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I would rather hire someone who has actually worked than have a fluffy internship.

It's possible that she now has more responsiblities - maybe she also manages scheduling, or training, or also the snack shack.

And kids have 40 years to work a more traditional job. Maybe she loves being a lifeguard and wants to keep doing it until the "real world" intervenes.

Sheesh.

Came here to say this. Super skeptical of cushy internships. I have seen two good interns my entire career. The rest have been clueless.

I’ll always go for the applicant who’s had to punch the proverbial time card and show up for shifts.

+1. My best interns have been rising seniors who had previously worked very unglamorous summer jobs. One managed a farm stand and the other was a customer service team lead at a big box store. The worst one had never worked any kind of paying job before.

Exactly.

I worked a summer at a cannery in Alaska in 1992 between my freshman and sophomore years at UCLA and was able to pay for tuition and have spending money for the entire year (and some new clothes because I burned everything I wore that summer). There were several other students who attended UCLA and Cal doing the same. Early in my career, this experience helped me stand out in any interview because it was an absolute guarantee I was able to work hard and not complain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My niece goes to an expensive and selective college. Her mother just me told she’s back home and lifeguarding again this summer, the same summer job she’s had since high school. Am I wrong that this is a bad look? At her college career fair this fall, the only work experience on her resume is going to the same summer job 3 or 4 summers in a row, which is a gig any high school swimmer can get when they're 15 or 16.

Is she taking on more of the management part as she gets older?
Having the lives of people at the pool in your hands is a huge responsibility. I know there are college kids who work at sleep away summer camps who basically take on the full responsiblity for kids anywhere from 8 to 16. There is a lot more than meets the eye in terms of what that means to someone looking at resumes.

[Anonymous]

As an old Chinese saying goes - never underestimate a young man with humble beginnings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are gloating as you try and get strangers to agree how your niece’s future career prospects are not great.

Not in the slightest. I'm a little concerned for her. Our oldest won't start college until next year, so it's not like I'm saying my kids are better than their cousins or anything like that either.

Bull crap. Otherwise, why did you feel the need to say that she goes to an "expensive and selective college" and title your post "For a rising college junior, lifeguarding is not a “real” summer job/internship, right?"

It’s noteworthy. Her parents have paid a fortune for her education and after two years she’s still only equipped for the same low skill gig and not development any new skills for another summer? An est. $180k for training and skill development over two years, yet at the same job any 16 year old high schooler can do.

Um. Lifeguarding is not a low skill gig. The certification process is rigorous and requires recertification every two years.

And you definitely scale up responsibility the longer you guard. Next step is usually pool operator, which requires another set of certifications.

[Anonymous]

If her career goal is professional lifeguard, think Baywatch, then one could consider it an internship.

[Anonymous]

I just recommended that we'd hire a graduate, because she had been working at the same place for years and had full availability.
Not sure when we got such applicant. Most have limited days/hours and have changed jobs every 2-3 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, this isn’t a good look for you.

Any job is better than no job. You have no idea if she sent out 10s of resumes and nothing stuck.

Our company is providing 1/3 of the intern offers we did 2 years ago because of AI. And this is an industry that is historically BEGGING for students.

Really.

Have you heard it AI, OP?

[Anonymous]

OP,

What was your internship after two years of college?

Let us judge you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why Jewish, Asian, and Indian kids are kicking American kids’ butts. Too many dumbass American parents watch Fox News and think any job is good enough. When you’re paying a fortune for college, your kid can’t piss summers away flipping burgers or blowing the whistle for potty breaks.

This book was published in 2014 but it’s more relevant than ever.

The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America

by Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld

Amy Chua created JD Vance and paired him up with Usha.

Not reading anything by her. She and her husband are both horrible.

How Amy Chua gave JD Vance his xenophobic playbook.

https://theemancipator.org/2024/10/23/topics/elections/the-tiger-cub/

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/jd-and-usha-vance-amy-chua-yale-law-school

[Anonymous]

A job is a job, better than sitting and earning nothing. But lifeguarding is not a high skill job. numerous high schoolers do it since 15. The bar is low and the experience holds little value on resume for post college career. A rising senior should focus more on experiences that enhance their resume:taking courses, earning professional certificates, networking …