Tried And True Tactics To Help You Land A Part-Time Job

These tips and tricks will help you land a part-time job when you need it most.

Scoring your first real job isn’t always as simple as it seems. Whether it’s a local burger joint, mall retail or any other side gig you can think of, sometimes the process of getting hired can be a little more complicated than anticipated- especially if you’re looking for seasonal work. To help you in your employment foes, here’s a list of some tactics that might help you land a part-time job and get that money!

Build a solid resume

Yes, I know you’re thinking duh! Building your resume is the first place most people think to start, but it can be hard to fill a whole page if you don’t have much experience. Don’t be afraid to put college activities, or even things from high school, just so they know you’re active and involved. You don’t need to specify that it wasn’t professional, just put the year you held the position, the organization name, and the state in which it was based. List most recent positions first and include your contact info in the header. Make sure to use a readable font and leave enough white space between lines for readability for the perfect resume to land a part-time job!

Flood the market

Putting out four or five applications isn’t always enough, and this goes for applying for in-field positions after graduation too. The more people who see your application, the more responses you’re going to get. That means a better chance of landing a position. We’re talking 20 or more applications here. Most restaurants, cafes and stores will make their decision based more on your interview than on whether or not you fit their requirements exactly, so don’t be afraid to apply for those positions that seem a little out of your reach. Commitment and motivation is often more important than experience.

Preparing for an interview

I could tell you to have a firm handshake and be done with it, but there’s a lot more to first impressions than the right amount of squeeze to land a part-time job. For example, the right amount of eye contact. Don’t avoid it, but also don’t make it constant. As with most things, everything in moderation. This is true when it comes to talking about yourself as well. Answer every question they ask you fully and with a personal flare, but be careful not to ramble. It can happen without noticing, especially when nerves may be contributing, but you don’t want to make someone who is surely very busy feel like they’re wasting their time. And always ask questions! The best way to convey your interest is to, well, be interested. So ask about the company, ask about the position, ask about hours and ask about what there looking for. Then you can tell them that you’re exactly the person they’re looking for!

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Other helpful tips

Now that we’ve covered the general basics, here are a few extra miscellaneous tips that are good to know for how to land a part-time job.

Follow up on interviews if the employer doesn’t contact you after a week. Sometimes managers get busy, might be on the fence about hiring you, or might be considering someone else. A phone call to show them how much you want to the job can be enough to convince them to give it to you.
If you’re looking for seasonal work, aka a summer job, look for big companies with a high turnover rate. This means jobs that don’t take a lot of training. Hostessing, as opposed to waitressing, and most retail jobs are good places to start.
If your goal is to work during the school year too, check out companies who have locations both near school and home so you can transfer back and forth. This will help with managers who are hesitant to train someone who will only be with them for a short time. And, when in doubt, it’s ok to fib a little bit about your home for the fall if they don’t explicitly ask.

Now go forth and be hired!