Here in Seattle the sun is finally out thank goodness. What a long, wet, cold winter and spring it has been! Anyway, the sun has us all thinking that we should be outdoors sucking up the warmth – regenerating our batteries. For job hunters there’s a tremendous opportunity to spend maximum time outdoors this summer. Livin’ life. Take a look around the free JobMonkey website. You’ll see that we have an extensive outdoor jobs section where you can learn about park ranger jobs, opportunities with dozens of park concessionaires, seasonal government jobs…and so on. ...

Unless you have been living in a cave for the last 18 months, you know that our country is in a major recession. What that means for you, whether you are 16 or 66, is that your job is less secure — and a new job is going to be harder to come by. For teenagers looking for a summer job, the pressure is especially intense. There are fewer jobs than normal, and each one is being fought over by a far greater number of applicants. There is some good news in this whole mess: There are a growing number of programs, many of which are funded by the federal government, to aid 14 to 24 year olds ...

This recession is doing funny things to people’s career goals. On the one hand, it is forcing us to reevaluate our plans and think practically about our futures. That’s mostly a good thing. If our heads had been in the clouds, they are not any more. Of course, the flip side is that people are abandoning their career dreams to focus on what they think (hope?) is a “sure thing”. Things like recession proof careers, steady paychecks and stable 9-5 jobs. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that living your life responsibly and paying down your mortgage are...

Are you a college or high student looking for a summer job? The time to start your search is now. Be sure to check out JobMonkey’s featured employers, like Sea World in San Diego, California; Yellowstone General Stores in Bozeman, Montana; and the Alaska Princess Tours Cruise Line. All of these companies offer great summertime employment options. Now, in addition to being a great way to earn money during your vacation, many summer jobs offer a host of other benefits* — many of which last a longer than your paycheck will. Here are ten of the top benefits of getting a summer job: 1.Â...

Are you looking for a job? Have you checked JobMonkey’s free job boards lately? Updated daily, the database features jobs from around the country (and the world) in every imaginable field. From high school students to retirees to everyone in between, the job center is a great place to start your job search. Every Wednesday (well, in this case Thursdays – sorry!), I try to make your search a little easier by spotlighting three of the hottest new opportunities for the board. This week, there are gigs for seasonal workers, including a summer camp job fair in Ontario, Canada; treeli...

Does the thought of punching a clock at a 9-5 job make your heart shrivel up? Would you always rather be outside than behind a desk? Spending time in the great outdoors doesn’t have to be just on the weekend. You can enjoy a rewarding career (with incomparable views from your "office") working for the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, private park concessionaire companies, and environmental organizations. In addition to a growing number of year-round positions, many of these employers also offer seasonal jobs that are perf...