It’s that time of year again: temperatures are on the rise, tourists are on to their way to the beach and high school students are on the hunt for summer jobs. But don’t just settle for any old job. The last thing you’ll want to do is spend every summer day dragging yourself to work at a place that you aren’t even interested in. Follow these four tips to land yourself the perfect job this summer.

1. Be forward and ask businesses if they are hiring

The first step towards getting a job is searching for one. Go into your favorite shops or restaurants and simply ask the manager if they are looking for any help.

It is especially important to use this in-person interaction wisely. Allowing potential employers to put a face to your name can work wonders when you make a good first impression on someone who may be your future boss.

Junior Caroline Guirgis was successful with this strategy when she applied to work at Tilly’s last summer. She simply walked into the store, asked if they had any job openings, applied and got the job.

“I was able to talk to and relate to their type of customer, so I definitely think that helped me be successful,” Guirgis said. “I made sure I knew about the store product and who the store appealed to in order to make a connection with both the customers and my new future manager.”

Appearing confident and interested are essential qualities to a good first impression. But if you don’t have the same good fortune as Guirgis, be sure to leave behind your contact information so when positions become available or the employers change their minds, you will be the first one they contact.

“I would recommend that you appear personable, responsible and most importantly ready to take on new challenges,” Guirgis said.

Stopping by once a while to remind them you are still interested or to just chat for a while is never a bad idea. The more your employers see your face, the better your chances are for getting the job. Summer is closer than it seems — don’t miss your chance.

2. Turn your hobby into your own business

What if you could be your own boss this summer? What if you could be doing what you love and earning money at the same time?

Although this sounds like wishful thinking, it is definitely a realistic goal. Turning your hobby into a business will not happen overnight, but then again, there is no such thing as free lunch.

Junior Andrew Hoang uses his passion for photography to earn money. He manages his own schedule and continuously seeks out opportunities to expand his business.

“I started by taking a photography class here at school just last year and that’s when my obsession with photography started,” Hoang said. “Then I started to take pictures of friends and soon enough people were offering to pay me to take portraits for their families and Christmas cards. Now I’ve started to take pictures at weddings — I’m taking pictures at two weddings this weekend.”

Hoang now has a career that he can depend on and the same could be said for you. In order to be ready for the summer, begin now by enhancing your skills, developing connections and strengthening your passion. Whether it’s writing, cooking, surfing, painting or even programming, your hobby can be put into good use this summer.

“If you don’t have a passion for it, you’ll have no drive,” Hoang said. “I love photography because there is something for me to look forward to everyday. I would much rather fail at something I love than succeed at something I hate.”

So set those ambitious goals and put in effort to achieve them, for what sounds better than a summer of fun and cash?

3. Share your skills and talents with others by becoming a teacher or a mentor

Learning the ropes to a new job is not an easy matter, so it is nice to be working in a field in which you already have experience. By increasing your involvement in an activity that you currently participate in, you will be much more at ease as you will already have the valuable confidence in your qualifications and skills.

Junior John Tanner has been practicing taekwondo for the past 12 years and for the past three years has been teaching taekwondo to other students in San Juan Capistrano.

“I’ve grown up in the studio and have come to know everybody,” Tanner said.  “I am one of the most advanced students there, so it really helps [me as a mentor] that I know everybody and what they are practicing.”

Summer will be the perfect time to expand on your extracurricular activities as you will no longer be limited by the obligations of school work. Begin by initiating discussions on potential summer job opportunities with the managers of each activity you are involved in. Since you are already associated with the program or organization, make the most out of your personal experience and show that you are genuine about your inquires.

“I have been doing taekwondo for so long that it is just a part of my life and it doesn’t feel like work,” Tanner said. “You shouldn’t find a job just for the money. I mean the money is definitely nice, but you are way more likely to enjoy life more to the fullest extent if you enjoy your job and if you are passionate about whatever you’re are doing.”

Instead of having to ‘learn on the job’, spend your summer sharing your already-honed skills with others who are just as passionate as you are. Just as the saying goes: if you find a job you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.

4. Search for volunteer or internship positions

Getting a valuable and well-paid job is the ideal, but the ideal is not always an option. Instead of focusing on the pay-aspect of jobs, seek out non-paying volunteer and internship opportunities to build your character and resume as a high school student.

Junior Mylene Alcayde aspires to become either an OB/GYN or an orthopedic doctor. Since she is not yet qualified to work at a hospital in this field, she has been volunteering at the Mission Hospital for the past two years to gain valuable experience for her future.

“I work with the maternity nurses to make the babies’ beds, fix the moms’ rooms, and I also sub at the reception desk which is where visitors get badges to enter the hospital,” Alcayde said. “I enjoy my job because it provides me with this unique opportunity and experience that I wouldn’t get if I were just working somewhere like the trainers’ office.”

Use your summer to get involved in the career field that interests you, regardless of whether or not it pays well or at all. Some business is bound to be thrilled to have students offering to help out. While you may not want to spend time at a job you aren’t being paid for, the experience will be priceless.

“For me, volunteering is the closest I can get to seeing what the doctors do every day and hopefully what I’ll be doing in the future,” Alcayde said. “I wish this could be a job but even if it is not, it provides me with this experience to grow as a person and learn about the career I want to have in the future.”