Strategies for Finding & Keeping a Part Time Job

Knowing When and Where to Obtain Employment With Flexible Hours

Oct 6, 2009

Regardless of a bad economy, certain industries offer seasonal part time employment. Know the market, the required job skills, and begin earning additional income now.

A good place to start searching for a part-time job is online. Job search websites offer up-to-date job postings and tools to make the job hunt easier. To access advanced tools like setting up a career profile, and saving searches, some websites will automatically send customized job listings directly to any specified email address.

Websites Exclusively for Hourly and Part Time Work

Take the guesswork out of the job search with these websites which exclusively list available part time jobs.

Websites Listing Full Time and Part Time Work

The economy has job searchers frustrated with fewer part-time job listings. Expand the job search to include full time positions. Companies may be willing to accommodate several part time positions in lieu of one full time position in order to save on benefits.

In addition to job search websites, view the classified advertisements in local papers, many of which are now available online. For smaller town newspapers not available online, it's best to frequent local coffeehouses to browse free copies of the newspaper and chat with locals. Word of mouth is the key for landing a part time job in a small town.

Part Time Jobs During the Holidays

Some jobs are available starting during the fall season, and typically remain available through the end of December or beginning of January. To be a competitive job applicant, start inquiring about seasonal openings in early September, at the latest. If positions are not immediately available, talk to a manager in person about the company and express interest in future positions. Leave with the name and contact information of a hiring manager and a date to follow up.

Jobs Associated with Quarterly Business Needs

The following jobs typically have the most openings at the end of March, June, September, and December to coincide with quarterly business needs:

Certification and Training Courses for Part Time Jobs

Some part time jobs require prior certification or training. Research the cost of obtaining additional training compared to hourly wages for the position and consider whether the field is of genuine interest. Popular part-time jobs requiring prior training include:

Maintaining Part Time Jobs

Getting the job is just the first step. Two major factors which interfere with people's ability to keep a part time job are the market and other existing job responsibilities. Business needs dictate the timing of hiring and terminating cycles of part time workers. As such, it benefits job hunters to have several part time jobs simultaneously, or always be looking for the next job. But taking on several jobs simultaneously can cause difficulties in arranging childcare, balancing the demands of multiple bosses, and surviving physical exhaustion. In a bad economy, many people have no choice but to hold several jobs to make ends meet.

The Right Job for Any Lifestyle

The advantage of part time employment is that it can fit into any busy lifestyle. Knowing where and when to look for a job, as well as how to remain employed is the challenge. Online resources, word of mouth, and perseverance can land the job. Setting long-term career goals, along with realistic expectations can lead to a stable, fulfilling career.

The copyright of the article Strategies for Finding & Keeping a Part Time Job in Job Search is owned by Jule Rizzardo. Permission to republish Strategies for Finding & Keeping a Part Time Job in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.