By Tina Nabor
With warm weather approaching, what better time to start looking for work? Summer is typically when most families take that long-needed vacation with their loved ones by traveling out of town to popular destinations to relax, enjoy the weather or just do things that bond them together. For this reason, many venues will be increasing their staff, merchandise and concessions to accommodate the crowds and generate the most revenue while taking full advantage.
To start, one of the first questions you should ask yourself is, what do I want to do? Does the thought of working for pay sound better than volunteering time for free? But before going out the door, ponder the best option and outcome for your maximum benefit. With numerous options available, narrow it down to a few of your favorite hobbies and interests.
Do you want to be outside and bask in the sun? There are multiple places to check out within the cities of Los Alamitos, Cypress and Buena Park. The surrounding cities all have parks, recreation centers, tennis courts, swimming pools, gymnastics, cheer, athletic and dance centers, not to mention baseball and football fields. To accommodate the increase in kids signing up for summer activities, there will be plenty of extra help needed for either volunteer or paid work opportunities. Most businesses hire sooner than June to get their new training process started, so do not delay. Start researching any openings now before they all fill up.
If staying indoors sounds better and you enjoy working with children or adults, then consider looking towards the local libraries who search for outgoing people to assist in their summer reading programs. Check with the local Boys and Girls Club, YMCA in Cypress and Buena Park, or one of the few nonprofits in Los Alamitos who would love to have volunteers help with their various needs.
With a preference towards retail sales or food service and you are outgoing, then take full advantage of one of the countless strip mall stores, small cafes, coffee and dessert shops or just visit the larger scale Rossmoor Shopping Center, Buena Park Mall or popular chain restaurant closest to you. For those that prefer to work alone, many retailers need stockers, custodial and night help, so be sure to stop in and check.
For the thrill seekers, don’t overlook amusement parks like Knott’s Berry Farm, Soak City and Adventure City. These attract lots of different customers like families, crafters, shoppers and collectors of all kinds, so this would offer a vast variety of jobs like food service, custodial, security, attendants, cashiers and the list goes on. To get started, look online at the company website or stop in to ask for an application and any specific questions. Sometimes meeting someone in person makes a big difference.
