A new study has revealed our top 10 dream summer jobs and working on an animal conservation project (23%) tops the bucket list. 

Being a pet or house sitter (21%), working as a tropical island caretaker (21%) and leading safaris (20%) also feature highly in the survey by Gumtree.  

And this must have made a recent recruitment drive at Longleat Safari Park particularly attractive. Its part-time and full-time roles cover the summer season, but contract extensions may be available. The jobs also come with a range of benefits, including free tickets to Longleat and Cheddar Gorge, as well as discounts on food, drink and merchandise. 

However, the sector Brits see themselves most likely working in this summer are retail and volunteering, with almost one in five surveyed saying they expect to be based in a shop or with a charity organisation. 

The chance to earn hard cash and help others are not the only attractions for summer work; so, too, is the opportunity to live and work in stunning locations, with jobs available in some of the UK’s most unusual and beautiful destinations. 

When it came to choosing locations for seasonal work, the lure of island life was a major attraction for Lucy Peckett…although she confesses to finding her current home on the Isle of Iona by sheer accident. 

“I’d never even considered Scotland as somewhere to work in the summer,” says the 25-year-old. “I only ended up here because I’d put my passport through the washing machine – I wanted to go somewhere abroad but couldn’t leave the UK!” 

Lucy works as a waitress and general assistant in Martyr’s Bay Pub and Café. 

“I’ve been working in hospitality for about eight years,” she says. “In the winter I work in ski resorts and in the summer I’ve worked both in the Alps and for the past three years on islands off the West Coast of Scotland.  

“Any spare time I have – which is usually May, October and part of November – I spend travelling. I took a break from the winter seasons in 2013-2016 to get my degree in mathematics and economics but still worked seasonally in the summer in between.” 

Lucy chose her current role in hospitality because of how flexible it is and because it offers the opportunity to meet people from so many walks of life. 

She says: “I worked here last summer, and they were happy to have me back (I think!). Iona also has visitors from all over the world, so I get to meet lots of different people.” 

She adds: “It’s also an easy way to save money as I work plenty of hours and there are very few places to spend my earnings.” 

Perfectly illustrating the fact seasonal work can be diverse and take you to places all over the world, Lucy has just accepted a job as a ski technician in Niseko in Japan for the 2019-2020 winter season. 

There are many other advantages too. 

 

“I get to live where people normally pay to go on holiday,” Lucy points out. “And here in Iona the lighter nights and longer days mean I can still do things before and after work.  

“Because I get bored easily and generally want to move on after four to five months, this kind of work fits perfectly with the summer seasons in most places.” 

There are some minor downsides, of course: “Constantly being ‘new’ to a job can be challenging…although it’s taught me to be a fast learner and pick up new things quickly.” 

Picking up new things is another benefit of a seasonal role – summer work can offer skills that can be used all year round, while the work experience will be invaluable when looking for a full-time position in the future.  

This is the reason many seasonal work vacancies are a perfect match for school leavers, students, recent retirees or parents who want to find a position that fits around their childcare commitments. 

As more tourists flock to the UK from all over the world this summer, hotels, restaurants and bars need chefs, cooks, caterers, receptionists, waiting staff, housekeepers and shop assistants to ensure visitors receive the warmest of welcomes. 

Many of Britain’s biggest charities will also be looking to recruit and take advantage of these boosted visitor numbers. 

There are also roles in telesales or call and contact centres fast becoming available. In these vibrant sectors, the hours are not so constricted, while night shifts normally pay more and can free up afternoons for sunny, summer fun. 

So why not explore the seasonal job opportunities online and make this a summer to remember? You might even find your own island paradise