Summer Jobshop - get hard cash from the hols

Summer? Work Out!!!
Summer's here, but where are you? Whiling your time away or making the most of the hols-and some hard cash too?! Check out the options...

• www.lotsofjobs.com
  If you're a Net nerd, there are a whole lot of fun-and cash-rich-options for you. Chances are even your local paanwallah has an IT company, the rate at which they're sprouting nowadays. These companies regularly need people on a short-term basis for developing content for their sites as well as for surfing. Yeah, you got that right, they need people, called surfers, to surf sites of competitors and others in the same field. Imagine actually being paid to surf the Net! Can't think of a better job description, ever-unless it's chocolate-tasting!
  
  
• Phone Drones
  Sounds dull, but tele-marketing is actually a lot cooler than it sounds. For one, it's good money. Plus valuable experience. And flexi timings. Not to mention comfy work places that most people would die for, especially in summer. Leaping around in anticipation already? Then get in touch with big credit card companies, clubs and hotels near where you stay-they're usually on the lookout for people. The job is about selling a particular service or membership to clients over the phone. You have fixed targets you have to meet, and often there are incentives for exceeding your target or meeting deadlines. A win-win sitch!

• Exhibitionist
  Forget that this is something that has been around forever and that you find it boring. Look at the upside. For one, some great money. Second, really useful work ex. Plus, the advantage of working a few days at a time, which means you can take a break once every few days and then do another assignment when you feel like it, or when you need the cash. A pointer: It's a little tough getting a break for bigger exhibitions, but once you've managed it, it's very easy to keep getting work later. So just make sure you keep trying, trying, trying till you land a good break the first time round.
  
  
• DJ & CO.
  Summer means parties and parties mean music and DJs. If you have a knack for mixing music, turn this into a fun, money-making opportunity. Spread the word amongst friends and people you know are into partygoing in a big way and keep charges reasonable. That's the way to start getting work-the rest will follow. Plus, you will get to attend all the cool parties! Definitely qualifies as one of the major summer winners. But make sure you tie up with a reliable place for equipment-if it sounds bad, you are responsible!
  
  
  
• Sales Reps
  A tiring option, and strictly for those who are mobile. The advantage is the huge number of jobs available-this is one field where there are more jobs than job-seekers. They usually work on a system of salary plus incentives, which means if you work more, you earn more. Sounds fair, whatsay? Valuable if sales is a career option in the future.
  
  Career-minded Summer Jobs
  Not all summer jobs are simply for fun or to make money. Some of them are a huge help in your career later, like the ones below.
  
  
• Photo OP
  Contact reputed photographers in your city-they're often willing to take on eager, hardworking trainees. It helps to know about photographic equipment, but if you don't, that's okay. What you can't do without, though, is some majorly hard work. You'll have to carry lights, set them up, run errands-all for not-so-much money. Yet, if you're looking at this as a career, there's no better way to learn-not even at the top-of-the-line photography institutes. Shoots are tiring but stimulating and a huge learning experience. And though you'll have a tiring summer, it will be memorable! Good to reinforce this with a course in photography.
  
  
• Via media
  If you're looking at a future in media, this is the time to start. Your resume looks very good if you've already done some serious work by the time you go out and start looking for a job after graduating. You can write on a freelance basis or tie up with a particular publication and do articles relevant to them or then simply approach a paper or mag with stuff you've written. Don't expect great amounts of money though-you'll be paid for the stuff you get published but not much else. If it's television that interests you, get in touch with production houses, which are better bets than major channels-for summer jobs at least-since channels usually prefer qualified, trained people.
  
  
• Hotel stay
  Hotels are a great hunting ground for jobs. If you're studying hotel management, nothing like it, but even if you're just testing the waters, this is a fun option. You'll be assured of a totally comfy and glam workplace. The money is decent and the opportunities many. But be prepared to slog it out and start absolutely at the bottom of the ladder. Also remember, it's only glam on the outside-on the inside, it's as good or bad as any other job.
  
  Fastfood joints are another option and work on the same principle as hotels-start at the bottom. You'll have to clear tables, take orders, the works. Offers flexi timings, good money and great food! But be prepared to leave your this-isn't-my-job attitude at home, because everyone's gotta do everything there is to do. Don't wait for them to advertise, though. Approach the place you're interested in working for yourself with a resume and a good reason for why you want to work there and get started!
  
  
  
• AD Mad
  If you're studying commercial art or design or something similar, there are a whole lot of opportunities for you in the big bad ad world. You could spend the summer doing some major learning while your counterparts are taking it easy. Contact any of the reputed ad agencies in your city, talk to someone in charge about what you're doing and why you want to work with them and chances are, if you look sincere enough, you'll get a break. And remember, if you do a good enough job, not only do you get good references and decent money, they'll keep it in mind when you do go job hunting after graduating.
  
  
• Hobby Jobby
  Not looking for anything so career-oriented? Go for something that's in keeping with your interests. Like reading? Check out libraries, which often need people for short periods of time. Music freak? Check out music stores, which usuallyhave short-term openings. Want to be near the happening hangouts? Check out big retail stores or gift and card shops, which always have a lot of activity happening. Remember, these places aren't necessarily the best paymasters, but you will be doing something you love. And that's the bottomline, right?

Net Profit!!!

Money money everywhere and that is all I need! We are talking here of the hip 'hooked' people who seem to have transcended all borders and do almost everything online and then land up with not only hefty phone bills, but sometimes even the titles of nerds and geeks!

Welcome to the 'free' world of the free economy. Since the Net has changed the way people do almost everything, how could moneymaking be left behind? You don't have to be a Net guru to do things on the Internet and neither are we talking about e-commerce. All you need is an ability to behave like a mouse potato, and you are in. And besides earning money, you could net yourself loads of freebies and merchandise, without doing much.

"It's all about money, honey!" is the punchline of one of the many Indian sites, and you can actually do that at sites like Elabh, Moneyinmail and Chequemail. Interested?? Then point your browser towards Elabh (www.elabh.com) which offers a small piece of advertising software that gets you lots of moolah. Simply install the AdvertisingBar and run it whenever you're online. It will display banner ads. You get paid for surfing, referrals, extended referrals and more...

Also, you could earn some more money by checking your mail at Chequemail (www.chequemail.com). This site pays you (by cheque, of course) for using their web-based e-mail service. They provide a 3 MB mailbox, some good add-on services and lots of cash to check your mail.

Similarly, you could sign up at Moneyinmail (www.moneyinmail.com) and get paid for reading junk mail. Difference here is that you get the company promotions by choice and not by chance. Plus, you are safe because your personal information is not disclosed to anyone.

That was for the hard cash buffs. But if you don't mind earning some free goodies, then get yourself an e-mail address from www.mailmetoday.com. This offering from India Today gives you points each time you send or receive mail. Reimbursements start as soon as you have enough points to get yourself something on offer, like a deo.

You could also earn the same merchandise at www.freekamaal.com, where all the maal you ever wanted is delivered right at your doorstep. The concept is simple-you need to click at a company's promotion a specified number of times and win the merchandise they offer. But if someone manages to do that before you, then you lose.

If you are broke with a date, there's plenty for you. After getting yourself gifts from Mailmetoday or Freekamaal, all you need to do is to meet up to hand the goodies over. Just win a contest from www.contests2win.com. There are free gift hampers, meals for two, hotel stays and lots more, including some fab tapes and CDs. And if you're one of those who run out of Internet hours and need to go and pick up a new pack every now and then, don't. At Cheecoo (www.cheecoo.com), you can download another software to see ads and get free Internet hours with a service provider of your choice, depending on the number of hours you browse and watch those adverts.

Some effortless clicking here and there and you could actually get richer than someone working hard in the real bricks-and-mortar world.

But then, that's the beauty of going virtual and that is the reason that every Bunty, Tickoo and Pinky around is a dotcom company owner. Best of luck for your net profits.

Starter Tips

• You're doing nobody no favour by working. Leave the attitude at home when you start looking for a job.
• If money is your prio, you might have to sacrifice job content and vice versa. Get your priorities straight before you get started.
• Just because it's a summer job, don't take it lightly. Once you've committed yourself, you're totally responsible for the work you've taken on.