Resources For Finding Jobs

Fast Food

Fast food jobs can be one of the easiest jobs for a Work and Travel student to find. Just go into the fast food restaurant around 2 in the afternoon and fill out an application. Ask if it is possible for you to hand-deliver the application to a manager.

Call Centers

If your English level is good, you could get a job working in a call center. You would either be working with incoming phone calls, where you answer questions, or outgoing calls, where you are calling households and conducting surveys, or promoting a product.

Restaurants

Restaurant jobs can be one of the easiest jobs for a Work and Travel student to find. Just go into the fast food restaurant around 2 in the afternoon and fill out an application. Ask if it is possible for you to hand-deliver the application to a manager.

Hotels

Many Work and Travel students work in the hotel and hospitality industry. To find a job in the hospitality industry, visit a hotel’s Human Resources Office and ask to fill out an application. Some hotels will also provide housing at a reduced rate. If housing is being deducted from your paycheck, be sure that you are still receiving minimum wage AFTER the deduction.

Retail Stores

It can be easy to find a job in a retail store; however the most common complaint is that retail store jobs do not provide enough hours weekly – sometimes as low as 4 or 8 hours per week. You may consider finding a retail store job as your second job.

Lifeguard

Working as a lifeguard at a swimming pool is a popular job for Work and Travel students. Be sure that you know what costs you will be required to pay before you start work, including the cost of lifeguard school, Red Cross medical training, training materials and uniform.

Pedicab

In recent seasons, there have been reports by Work and Travel participants of problems with the pedicab industry. Participants have been charged large deposits and are being made to rent their own pedicab. If you wish to work as a pedicab driver, please be sure that you are aware of the costs, and are prepared in case you do not make very much money.

Temporary Staffing Agencies

With a temporary agency, you become an employee of the agency, and they send you to various job sites depending on your abilities. Your paycheck and paperwork will be with the temporary agency, not your actual job site. You could work a little or a lot, so it is a good idea to sign on with multiple temporary agencies. NEVER pay a fee to a temporary staffing agency for their services (other than a small fee - $10 or less - for a background check or drug test). Some big, reputable staffing agencies are:

Many U.S. universities also have a temporary staffing service. Visit the Human Resources Office at the university to find out more.

Websites With Job Listings

Adventure Jobs

If you find any other good job websites, let ERDT know so that we can share them with other students!

Making A Good Impression

Professional clothing, neat & clean hair and a professional resume will help you a great deal when you go to meet employers. ERDT will gladly give you suggestions on your resume – just email it as a Microsoft Word Document to info@erdtworkandtravel.org.

Getting A Second Job

If you wish to get a second job, you must first have the permission of your employer.

Changing Jobs

If you want to change your job, remember that you must fill out our Request to Change Employers Form. Failure to do so could result in the cancellation of your visa and your immediate return home.

Also consider the costs associated with changing your job – moving, uniform, transportation, training, and the amount of hours you’ll be working when you start. Make sure that changing your job is really a good idea financially.

If You Cannot Find A Job

If you do not have a job and are having trouble finding one, contact ERDT. Although we are not a job placement agency and do not provide jobs ourselves, we will assist you in your job search until you find a job. Shortly before you depart the U.S., it is your responsibility to contact your employer and ensure that the details of your job are still valid.

Jobs That Are Not Allowed

Students on the J1 Work and Travel program may not work as camp counselors, as domestic workers in private homes, or in positions that require you to spend your money to purchase a product, then sell it. Violation of this rule could result in cancellation of your visa.