From the time he was 16 years old, J. C. Montroy of Elma has spent his summers sealing driveways. Even after he became an English teacher at Pembroke High School, he kept up the summer gig for extra scratch. Eight years ago, he turned it into a legitimate business– Eagle’s Pride Asphalt Maintenance – and it helps him make extra money when school is out of session.

“[Sealing] was something that was easy to do and paid well,” said Montroy. “Being a teacher, I know a lot of people. I was able to get all of my jobs by word of mouth.”

The summer job market is going to be tight this year, according to the latest outlook report from Challenger, Gray&Christmas, an outplacement firm. The typical teens and teachers looking for supplemental income will have fewer jobs to choose from and will face more competition from laid off workers, retirees and others. In fact, last summer’s seasonal hiring market was the toughest since 1949.

Anyone, of any age, who is having trouble finding a summer job may want to make their own luck and take a page out of Montroy’s book: Think about what you’re good at and try creating a summer job of your own.

Here are some ideas:

Dog walking: There are plenty of pet owners out there who feel guilty leaving their pooch inside on a beautiful day while they are at work.

Try offering your services at $30 per week for three 30-minute walks per dog. That’s $10 per hour. You’ll get fresh air, exercise and a tan to boot!

But forget the images you’ve seen in the movies of dog walkers holding 10 dog leashes at a time to maximize earnings. You don’t want to take more than one dog out unless they are from the same home, get along well, you can manage them and you have the owner’s permission.

And don’t forget the cleanup bags!

Pet waste removal: Speaking of cleanup, it’s a job no one likes to do, which makes it very likely someone will be willing to pay you to do it for them.

Try charging $15 to $30 per week for one dog. You’ll probably use a dustpan and small rake for the job, and collect all of the waste in a plastic bag. No need to pay for disposal, just toss the (tightly knotted) bag into the client’s trash can.

As with the dog walking service, it is ideal to find clients in close proximity to one another so your time and profits aren’t eaten up by travel.

Parking attendant: Do you live near a fairgrounds, parade route or some other hot real estate? Try renting out parking space in your driveway or even on your lawn.

Even if it’s just one day per year when a special event is going on, you could charge up to $10 for somebody’s dream parking spot. All you have to do is make a big sign to let people know parking is available, then stick around to make sure nobody’s car gets stolen or broken into.

Or maybe you have more garage than you need. Perhaps someone would be willing to pay you to let them park their snowmobile, winter car or whatever else there for a while.

Florist: Got lilacs growing in your yard? Roses? Wildflowers? Arrange them into pretty bunches, set them out on a table near the road in some water and leave a coffee can to collect the dough. I’ve seen a couple branches of pussy willows go for $5 apiece.

Even better, hang onto the little plastic containers your plants and flowers come in from the nursery. Plant your own flowers and herbs in them and sell them once they sprout. You’ll have a never-ending inventory!

Nanny: It’s one of the world’s oldest professions. No, not that one. Baby-sitting!

Child care is a huge expense for working parents. If you can offer one-on- one care at a better rate, you will have parents beating down your door. Parents of school-age children who are out for the summer may be especially willing to send kids to a baby sitter rather than a day care or camp.

But rather than taking on the huge legal responsibility of watching kids in your own home (that’s crossing over into unlicensed day care territory) rent yourself out as a nanny, taking care of the kids at their own residence.

Housekeeper: In the past, maids were considered a luxury for only the rich and famous. Now, with two working parents, busy professionals are much more likely to hire out for services such as housecleaning.

You can buy your own cleaning supplies or use the homeowner’s. Try negotiating $50 to $75 per three bedroom, two bathroom home. Be sure that you and the client agree on what tasks you will be tackling and what you will not. Perhaps they’ll let you do the laundry, too, for an additional fee.

House painter: This one requires a bit more money for start-up costs, so it will be especially ideal if you’ve already got ladders, scaffolding, a power washer and the other necessary tools. Much of what you charge per home will go toward the supplies such as paint and caulk that are specific to each job, so be sure to write a detailed list of the supplies with their amounts and costs on your estimate.

For help figuring out how much to charge, there are several estimate calculators online. You input figures such as square footage and the age of the property and it spits out a suggested price. Find one at craftsmennetwork.com.

Landscaping: Got a lawnmower? Offer simple lawn cutting. Got a hedge trimmer? Do the hedges, too. Weeding will keep you busy —and paid — all summer.

The trick is to keep your tools well maintained and sharp so you can do the jobs quickly and well without wearing your tools out.

Sell bottled water: Yeah, it’s kind of like having a lemonade stand. But it makes sense — people who are hot will pay you for a cold drink. I’ve seen kids make a killing near fairgrounds, parades and other events selling cold bottles of water out of coolers.

Buy cases of water in bulk — you can get 35 bottles for $4.99 or less — and sell them for $1 each.

Seal driveways: Depending on how many jobs you line up, you can buy individual buckets of sealer at the hardware store or buy it in bulk from companies such as Sealmaster on Ludwig Avenue or Cosmicoat in Gasport.

For residential jobs, try charging 8 to 10 cents per square foot. For parking lots, try charging 6 to 7 cents per square foot.

Pet sitter: Many pet lovers feel awful leaving a member of their family in a kennel while they are out of town. They would prefer leaving them in their own home with someone who will take care of their every need. That’s you.

Kennels in the area charge from $20 to $30 per day and up. You might charge the same.

Sell things: Garage sales are pretty easy money. But selling items individually in the classifieds can net better bank. Of course there are always auction sites such as eBay, too.

Offer to haul away junk for family, friends and friends of friends and sell their stuff, too. You would be surprised what people would buy.

Make things: Can you sew, paint, draw, sculpt? Websites such as Etsy.com make it easy to sell whatever you have a knack for making. The site has built-in buyers and makes it easy to create your own page on which to display and sell your wares.

The bottom line for all these jobs is this: Put in a little hustle and you may discover your inner entrepreneur.

schristmann@buffnews.comnull