5 Summer Jobs You Can Take With You to the Beach

It’s no secret that technology is dramatically changing our world. In particular, it has reshaped the modern workplace and the way people choose to work.

The proliferation of high-speed internet and the affordability of laptops have combined to fuel the growing trend of digital nomads — people who rarely, if ever, set foot in an office cubicle. Instead, they work from wherever they want, whenever they want, and, for some, as many or as few hours as they want.

“Remote job opportunities and digital nomad positions are definitely something we’ve seen growing over the last five to 10 years,” said Brie Reynolds, senior career specialist at FlexJobs, a site that lists thousands of such opportunities. “But really in the last five years, it’s become even more of an option for more people because the technology is so much better now and high speed internet is more accessible. Those kinds of forces really have transformed the way we work and where we work from.”

Given the freedom and flexibility that comes with digital nomad employment, Reynolds and other industry experts say these positions also make great summer jobs. Who doesn’t want to earn some cash to boost their bottom line, while still being able to spend quality time at the beach, or travel the globe?

If you’re interested in snagging one of these jobs, be sure to mention on your resume along with your skills whether you have previous experience working independently and remotely, said Reynolds.

In terms of where to find such opportunities, in addition to FlexJobs, digital nomad openings are listed on employment sites such as Indeed.com, and Remote.co, as well as individual company websites and more. (Pro tip: Some employers check your credit during the hiring process, so it’s good to know whether you have poor, good or excellent credit. You can get your two free credit scores right here on Credit.com.)

Here are five digital nomad job categories that are particularly suited for summer job seekers.

1. Virtual Teacher or Tutor

While schools close for the summer, online classes are in full swing, making this booming industry ripe for the summer job seeker.

“Online education is one of the growing areas in remote work,” said Reynolds, noting that tutoring openings are especially abundant in the summer, when people seek to extend their education or perhaps develop skills in a particular area of interest.

New Life ESL, for instance, is hiring education graduates to teach English as a second language online to Chinese students. Teachers only need to commit to five hours per week and can earn between $17 and $28 per hour.

“It’s an opportunity to teach great students and earn some excellent cash on the side,” said Brendan Gibson, New Life ESL’s co-founder.

2. Writing/Proofreading/Editing

The beauty of writing and editing gigs is you can choose to take an extended position providing these services, or opt for a one-off type of project, such as editing a manuscript.

On top of that, the skills are very much in demand, said Reynolds.

Corporate blog writing in particular can provide an ideal summer gig for those studying communications or creative writing, said Janel Scott, digital marketing manager for DatabaseUSA.com.

“Corporations are looking to add search engine optimization to their sites, and one way to achieve this is by generating relevant content for their website via a blog,” said Scott, who writes many such blogs herself. “Now as awesome as some corporations are, they don’t always have great writers on staff or their marketing executives are just too busy to get the job done.”

If you have the skills to provide blogging services, there are plenty of remote opportunities, said Scott. And if you’re good at it, you can make about $100 a day while sunbathing in Maui.

3. Online Community Management/Social Media Management

Online community management and social media management roles also make for great short-term, remote employment. That’s because many times a company will have a seasonal social media campaign it needs assistance with, or smaller companies seek someone to help get their social media off the ground or with a special project.

Bottom line, the time commitment can often be ideal for those seeking just a few months of work.

The pay for these jobs ranges from about $15 to $25 per hour depending on how big the project is and how involved it is, said Reynolds.

4. Google AdWords Certified Consultant

You know those ads at the top of a Google search engine page? They’re called AdWords and there’s someone whose job it is to manage those ads by bidding on them, testing them and writing ad copy. That someone could be you.

Being a Google AdWords Certified Consultant requires a bit of preparation to become eligible, but once that’s squared away, it’s a truly flexible job opportunity, said Scott.

Qualifying to be an Adwords consultant involves getting certified, which requires taking a test. But if you have the time to put in a few weeks of study and pass the test, you’ll open the door to a remote job that can be done for just a few hours a day.

“The whole AdWords interface is online. And most of the time you can automate an account and check in on it about three times a week for a couple of hours,” said Scott. “It can be 100% remote if you become certified in AdWords and connect with a company that’s looking to outsource this type of advertising. Thousands of companies use AdWords, and there will always be a need for people who understand it and manage it.”

5. Virtual Assistant/Executive Assistant

A growing field, virtual assistant jobs involve doing such things as making travel arrangements for executives and small business owners, typing letters, and other administrative and logistical tasks. Think executive or administrative assistant, minus the office and the 9-to-5 hours.

“It’s very on-demand sort of work,” said Reynolds. “You can say ‘I’m available for 20 hours this week.’ ”

A variety of sites list these job openings including FlexJobs and upwork.com. The pay ranges from $13 to $21 per hour.

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