Best 5 Summer Jobs for Graduate Students

The best summer jobs for graduate students are jobs that fit a grad student's expectations. Depending on their goals, grad students might want a summer job to get a jump on their career, give back to the community, or just take a break from their studies.

If you are a graduate student looking for a summer job, take a moment to define your aspirations and decide what you want to gain from your summer job experience. Then try these suggestions for finding the best summer job to meet those goals.

If you want to travel...Summer is the travel season, and if you've been cooped up with your studies all year, you may long to work in an entirely new setting. Job opportunities overseas can include everything from teaching to manual labor. Visit the Summer Jobs Abroad page at TransitionsAbroad.com for a listing of dozens of websites with information on summer jobs in foreign countries. If you have a certain country in mind, you can search GoAbroad.com for jobs and internships according to the country in which you are interested.

If you want to advance your career... The summer break can be an opportunity to get a jump on your research for a thesis project, or a chance to complete an internship in your field. The career center at your university will have information on internships, or visit Internships.com to explore opportunities. Another website, Experience.com, not only provides information on internships, but also features guidance and stories of personal experience written for and by intern students.

If you want to make money... A summer of fattening your bank account might be your primary goal. If so, instead of spending your limited summer break searching for jobs, apply at a temporary employment agency where they can keep you in paying positions all summer long. Two temp agencies with offices around the country are KellyServices.com and Manpower.com. Also, if you have spent any time teaching during your graduate studies, chances are the local community college will hire you as an adjunct during the summer. Adjunct teaching is one of the best summer jobs for graduate students, because the pay is the same over the eight-week summer semester as it is for the sixteen-week fall and spring semesters. At The Chronicle of Higher Education website, you can browse adjunct jobs by discipline or region.

If you want to volunteer... Volunteering can be as easy as seeking out a need in your community and filling that need. And volunteering is a chance to practice your emerging skills. Law students can assist with pro bono cases. Medical students can volunteer at a local hospital. If you want to volunteer but need some inspiration, enter your location and interests at VolunteerMatch.org and see what is available. You can find also volunteer opportunities at the United Way website.

If you want to have fun... A summer job doesn't always have to be work. After all, summer is supposed to be a break from graduate studies. A fun summer job depends on your definition of fun: Lifeguard at the beach or community swimming pool? Tour guide at the zoo or museum? If fun summer jobs in your area are in short supply, visit CoolWorks.com, which lists short-term seasonal jobs at ranches, national parks, resorts, and more. BackDoorJobs.com also lists short-term jobs with a sense of adventure in the U.S. and internationally.