Your CV Can Wait: 8 Jobs to Do Before You Grow Up

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(Photo: Paul Giamou)

Originally Published Sep 16, 2013 Updated May 12, 2022

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Before You Grow Up

There are only a few carefree summers in your life. Don’t waste them interning at law firms—opt for one of these adventure-packed seasonal gigs instead.

—Frederick Reimers

Arborist

Great outdoor jobs are rare for kids marooned in suburbia. Climbing trees in a harness with a chainsaw? An exception.

» How to work as an arborist

Arbor One Buckingham Ed Carpenter Ergovation Freesolo Photography. www.frees NEISA Sterling Sterling Rope VT Vermont Youngstown Gloves arborculture arborist rope access arborist job find how apply — Great outdoor jobs are rare for kids marooned in suburbia. Climbing trees in a harness with a chainsaw? An exception.

» How to work as an arborist (Freesolo Photography)

Deckhand, Luxury Yacht

To be clear, this is not cruise-ship work (which is terrible). Sign on to assist a private charter boat and you’ll polish chrome, sling drinks, and clean cabins, all while seeing the world (or at least Bermuda) from an extremely posh vantage.

» How to get a job as a deckhand

deckhands yacht boats jobs how to apply — To be clear, this is not cruise-ship work (which is terrible). Sign on to assist a private charter boat and you’ll polish chrome, sling drinks, and clean cabins, all while seeing the world (or at least Bermuda) from an extremely posh vantage.

» How to get a job as a deckhand (Leif Skandsen/Flickr)

Raft Guide

What’s not to love? You get paid to float a river, and vacation days offer climbing, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking.

» How to become a raft guide

Hell's Canyon Idaho North America OARS Oregon Snake River adventure adventure travel fun guide people rafting recreation river river guide travel water white water rafting job apply how to — What’s not to love? You get paid to float a river, and vacation days offer climbing, hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking.

» How to become a raft guide (Justin Bailie)

Deckhand, Lobster Boat

The Good: you’re on the open ocean, the pay’s great, and you’ll never complain about hard work again. The Bad: it’s nearly around-the-clock, demanding physical labor—hauling traps out of the water, removing the lobsters, cutting up bait fish with huge knives on rolling waves.

» How to work on a lobster boat

Pedicab Driver

Hauling tourists around the historic quarters of a scenic city on a clunky tricycle may not sound (or look) too glamorous. But you make your own hours, you exercise on the job, and there’s no better way to get to know a new town.

» How to become a pedi cab driver

1 person bicicletta bicycle capitale capital citta' city colore color figura intera full length figur giovani gioventu' youth lavoro work orizzontale horizontal pedalare pedaling andare in bic ragazzo boy ritratto portrait taxi cab trasporti transportation trasporto via terra ground tran pedicab driver job how to — Hauling tourists around the historic quarters of a scenic city on a clunky tricycle may not sound (or look) too glamorous. But you make your own hours, you exercise on the job, and there’s no better way to get to know a new town.

» How to become a pedi cab driver (Alessandro Cosmelli)

Seasonal Service Worker, National Parks

Cooking or waiting tables in a national park is a rite of passage for college kids out west, some of whom cycle among parks until their mid-twenties. The views are amazing, and there’s a jubilant camaraderie that comes from working in some of the country’s most beautiful places.

» How to work as a park ranger

Park Ranger Ubirr seasonal services worker national park job apply how to — Cooking or waiting tables in a national park is a rite of passage for college kids out west, some of whom cycle among parks until their mid-twenties. The views are amazing, and there’s a jubilant camaraderie that comes from working in some of the country’s most beautiful places.

» How to work as a park ranger (Josh Bingham/Flickr)

On-Call Wildlands Firefighter

Think of this as the minor leagues for aspiring hotshots and smoke jumpers. On-call firefighters, many of whom are college students, learn the ropes by working 14-to-21-day stints as mop-up crews at forest-fire sites, dousing flames and clearing out felled brush.

» How to work as a hotshot

early job wildfire firefighter on call hotshot — Think of this as the minor leagues for aspiring hotshots and smoke jumpers. On-call firefighters, many of whom are college students, learn the ropes by working 14-to-21-day stints as mop-up crews at forest-fire sites, dousing flames and clearing out felled brush.

» How to work as a hotshot (Nick/Flickr)

Ocean Lifeguard

Your office is the beach, your uniform a pair of boardshorts, and you could rescue dozens of people. According to 30-year veteran Southern California lifeguard Lance Dempsey, “On a busy week-end, there might be 2,000 people in front of your tower.”

» How to become an ocean lifeguard

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Lead Photo: Paul Giamou