How to Find a Part-Time Job

The 28 million Americans currently working part-time include teens, college students, moms, retirees, and many others. While part-time jobs don’t often come with the benefits of a full-time job, they do offer flexible schedules. A part-time job can be a great way to work while still having the time to raise a family, go to school, enjoy retirement, or even work a second job.

Interested in finding a part-time job? Follow these tips for landing a part-time job that is right for you.

Industries That Offer Part-Time Work

Pretty much every industry hires part-time workers in some capacity. You can also find part-time jobs ranging from entry-level to managerial positions.

However, some industries that are well known for offering part-time work include retail, delivery, healthcare, education, customer service, and hospitality. Keep in mind that wages for part-time work vary by industry and by job. Check out these well paying part-time jobs to get a sense of some of the most profitable positions.

Best Sites to Find Part-Time Work

Overall best part-time job website: Forbes.com recommends FlexJobs.com as the best and most useful job board for part-time work, noting that the $14.95 charge per month is worthwhile. The site checks to make sure all listings are legitimate, plus they list a large number of professional jobs. FlexJobs boasts over 50 categories with a range of schedule options, from part-time to telecommuting to full-time but flexible. The site also has a number of work-from-home job listings.

Best job website for work-from-home opportunities: Ratracerebellion.com screens its listings and organizes them into a free daily newsletter. Finding quality work-from-home opportunities online can be difficult, but this site takes the guesswork out of whether or not a post is legitimate.

Jobs cover a range of industries and types, including customer service, technical, administrative and writing. While much of the work pays under $20 an hour, some higher paid options do exist.

Best job website for adventurous job seekers: Coolworks.com appeals to both youth and seniors with their seasonal and part-time jobs in cool places, and the site features a jobs page called “Older and Bolder” for retirees.

From a chef job in Bryce Canyon to marine tours in Alaska, these part-time and short-term jobs can take you around the country. Categories include administrative, conservation, environmental, farming, food and beverage, tour guiding, and more.

Tips for Finding a Part-Time Job

In addition to checking out the top online job search sites, arm yourself with knowledge. Here are some tips to help you ace your job search and land the part-time job you want:

Think about your schedule. Before even beginning your job search, think about your schedule. What kind of work schedule do you want? Some part-time jobs are shift work, which means you have to be able to work a variety of hours. This might be ideal for you if you have a flexible schedule. However, if you can only work certain hours of the day (or certain days of the week), keep this in mind when job searching. Most job listings will give you a sense of the kind of schedule you would have, so only apply to things that fit your lifestyle.

Express availability. When you apply for a job, be sure to express your flexibility in your job materials and during your interview. You want to show that you are willing to work whatever hours are required, especially if you are working a shift job. While you do not want to lie (don’t say you can work nights if you can’t, for example), try to highlight your ability to work whenever you are needed.

Show commitment. Many part-time jobs see a lot of turnover. Employees tend to leave quickly, either because they are students returning to class, or because they find a full-time job. Try to emphasize in your job materials and interview that you are committed to the position. Employers will appreciate a candidate who is excited about the job and isn’t planning to leave right away.

Show, don't tell. In your resume and cover letter, avoid cliché phrases like “self-starter” and “works well with others.” Rather than telling the employer who you are, show them. For example, if you want to show that you work well with others, provide an example in your cover letter of a successful team project you worked on. Also, when possible, use numbers to demonstrate your success. If you want to show your previous experience handling money, you might say in your resume that you “Managed senior class budget of over $10,000.” This kind of information will impress the hiring manager, and show who you are as an employee.

Treat the process like a full-time job search. Keep in mind that applying for a part-time job is very much the same as applying for a full-time job. You will still generally need to submit a resume and cover letter (although some places will only ask for a job application and maybe a resume, especially if you apply in person).

You also want to take the interview seriously. Be sure to research the company and prepare answers to common interview questions in advance (as well as answers to these common part-time job interview questions). Dress in appropriate interview attire as well – business professional is typical, although you can wear business casual for a more informal work environment. By dressing appropriately, the employer will appreciate that you are taking the process seriously. It will show him or her how much you want the job.

Consider temporary work. If you are having trouble finding a part-time job, consider temporary work. You can search on job sites or work with a temp agency to find short-term positions. Some of these jobs can last days, weeks, or even months, and you can sometimes turn a temp position into a permanent one. Some of these are full-time, but others are part-time.