Calling all jobhunters. Summer brings with it more than just sunshine. Between entertaining children on holiday, feeding tourists’ thirsts for sightseeing, and running events – not to mention the Olympics – employment abounds. TNT examines the options.
Tour guiding
If you’ve come to London to learn about the place, as a tour guide, you can do just that – and walk home with money for a few pints at the end.
Insider London needs people to run its alternative walking tours, themed ‘quirky London’, ‘sustainable architecture’ and ‘street art and graffiti’ to name just a few.
The company trains you, but you can make the job your own, especially if you’re plugged into a London scene.
“The stuff you’ll learn is what you want to tell your mates in the pub anyway, plus we get really nice customers, so it’s always great to walk around town with people who are interested in what you have to say,” company founder Cate Trotter says.
Through summer, you will work from six to eight hours a week, mostly evenings and weekends, and ideally, you will commit beyond the season.
Average pay: £11-16 p/h insider-london.co.uk
Events hospitality
There are worse ways to spend summer than on the grounds of Wembley stadium during a Premier League match, or waiting on Her Maj and friends at Royal Ascot. These are some of the places you could find yourself while working in hospitality.
Natalie Cherrington, 30, from east London, does this to supplement her income running a travel business. “It is a really handy way for me to earn extra money consistently. And when you’re working at the Hilton, you often see some famous faces,” she says.
Michael Wisher and Associates needs between 500-900 hospitality staff to work at London Olympics events this year, plus a number of exhibitions.
“Applicants should have hospitality experience, and be outgoing, personable and confident,” operations manager Charlene Beale says.
Pay: from £4.98 p/h michaelwisher.co.uk
London attractions
Some 5.3m extra foreign tourists are expected in the UK this summer, and it’s a safe bet many of them will be making a beeline for popular attractions.
Merlin Entertainment owns London Eye, Madame Tussauds and The Dungeons, and will be beefing up its numbers. It needs an array of staff who are confident and show a certain resilience.
“Your smile needs to be as welcoming at the end of the day as the beginning,” a spokeswoman says.
Pay: varies merlincareers.com
Summer camp
Teachers, or those with the patience to keep a room full of energetic tykes entertained, are needed to run holiday activity programmes at various London schools with Super Camps.
Kyle Smith, a supply PE teacher, from Raynes Park, has found the job of camp manager a tidy way to bridge the holiday pay deficit. “I’m definitely glad I’ve had a go,” he says. “It can be exhausting, but it’s handy money to put towards my travels.”
Super Camps caters for anything from 10-100 children each day.
Pay: from £251 p/w. supercamps.co.uk
Olympics security
Be a part of the team making the London Olympics safe as part of G4S, the Games’ main security contractor.
You’ll be working as part of a 10,000-strong contingent doing anything from guarding to stewarding or performing searches at various venues.
“It’s amazing the variety of people we’re getting, including those just taking two weeks off work to enjoy the Olympic experience,” a spokesman says.
Everyone will be trained and certified on the job, so you just need eyes like a hawk and the ability to remain calm at all times.
Pay: from £8.50 p/h g4s.com
More summer jobs
TEFL teacher: Teach English at residential summer schools. TEFL qualifications required.
tntmagazine.com/tefl discoverysummer.co.uk
Charity fundraising: Sell keyrings door to door, with friends, or on your own, in your own time.
gbfundraising.co.uk
Festivals: Work as a steward, or pull pints, and see top bands.
festaff.co.uk
Life guard: The Hurlingham Club is looking for qualified staff.
hurlinghamclub.org.uk
Bar staff: Pour beers at various summer events.
creativebars.co.uk
