More Bang for Your Buck: Summer Money

(WSVN) Let's face it - times have changed.

Lemonade stands aren't bringing in the money like they used to.  And mowing the lawn doesn't neccessarily rake in the dough.

So if your teenager is desperate to make a quick buck, forget flipping burgers - send your student to the office.

"Many students would love an office environment where they just work 9-5 and they're in air-conditioning."

Victoria Villalba knows summer jobs, her employment firm gets as many as 100 calls a day from students seeking temporary work.

"They give us a wish list and we try very hard to place them in that type of arena."

Thanks to Victoria, Ramon Gonzalez is working 9 to 5.

The college Sophmore is spending his summer vacation at South Miami Hospital.

For eight dollars an hour, Ramon is getting a hands-on lesson in the real world.

"What I do is all the clerical stuff.  If they need somebody to get a paper, fax something, check a list that they have, I'm the one that does it," says Ramon.

That adds up to the perfect summer job for this future accountant.

"I would say that 90% of this job is dealing w/ numbers."

And the numbers don't lie.

The more skills you have, the more experience you have, the more money you can make... even if its short term.

Victoria Villalba of Victoria & Associates says, "We find positions for people paying 12-13-14 dollars an hour but again it depends on the skill set."

But if you're looking to make fast cash, you have to be flexible.

Beggers can't be choosers.

Some computer knowledge can also go far.

"Requertade que el sur de la Florida es importante hablar espanol." 

"Nowadays, many execs are working with other countries like South America and its very important for a candidate to be able to communicate in both languages so its defintely very helpful," she says.

Jobs can range from customer service reps, to filling in for executive assistants.

"You are going to learn things in that position that you carry with you for a lifetime."

That's exactly what Ramon is thinking.

He hopes this short-term gig eventually leads to something more permanent in the near future.

"I'm making money plus this is a good company maybe in the future I could get a job in their accounting department and i've already got my foot in the door."

As you would expect the job market is a little different depending upon your experience level.

Victoria suggests most high schoolers look into more entry level positions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

www.victoriaassociates.com