Want a Full-Time Job? Try Part-Time

Whether you’re looking to supplement your income, take a break from your nine-to-five or have given up hope of finding full-time employment, part-time jobs are the way to go! In this article, you’ll learn what skills you can use to transition into part-time work and how to find openings in your area. Once you’ve got your foot in the door, you can leverage that experience to find full-time work down the road. Good luck!

4 Ways To Ace The Interview

The first step to getting a job is, of course, getting an interview. Here are four ways you can make sure you ace your interview and get that offer. 1) Dress To Impress: The way you look when interviewing has everything to do with how you will be perceived in that moment. Employers are looking for someone who fits their company’s culture, so by dressing appropriately for your interview, you’re instantly communicating interest in and appreciation for their business. So dress nice! (There’s no one specific rule about what makes nice but there are rules on appropriateness.) Nice enough to show respect while not overdressing or distracting from your purpose—job hunting.

What to Know Before You Apply

The term part time can be misleading, as it doesn't necessarily mean 30 or 40 hours per week. According to PayScale, roughly 15 percent of part-time workers log between 20 and 29 hours each week, while 12 percent work fewer than 20 hours. Whatever you do, don't leave your employment history off your resume. Employers might think you're hiding something if they see no history of previous jobs. Also remember that everything from freelance work to baby sitting can look like employment gaps on your resume.

Where To Look

If you're in a professional field, whether it's law or marketing or information technology, there are certain questions your interviewer will likely ask. Things like: What is your greatest weakness? and Where do you see yourself in five years? Learn these common questions, so that when interviewers ask them you can give well thought out answers. If you don't know what questions to expect, Google them—but try to find common variations of them (most people don't actually ask what is your greatest weakness). The more practice answering these kinds of questions, the better off you'll be.

Who to Talk To

If you’re looking for work but don’t want to sign up for classifieds, chat with friends and family. Post on Facebook or Twitter, too—you never know who knows what. If you find one job that interests you, let people know. You might end up talking to someone else down the line who can give you more information about it or refer you in for an interview. And if someone says they don’t know of anything that might be available, ask them how they keep their ears to the ground. Maybe they have connections at places that are hiring—or maybe they just have friends who are willing to put in a good word.

How To Answer The Most Common Questions

One of the first questions a hiring manager will ask you is, Tell me about yourself. If you’re like most job seekers, that’s probably not your favorite question. But it’s not so bad—most hiring managers aren’t out to trick you. In fact, they usually have some idea of what they want in an applicant and would like to get on with it. For that reason, don't worry too much about constructing an impossibly elaborate story or presenting yourself as someone who's ready for anything. One good way to approach things is to think through some potential scenarios: What if I'm asked why I left my last job?

Following Up On Your Interview

A few days after your interview, send an email thanking your interviewer for his or her time and outlining one or two reasons why you’re interested in working for the company. It’s also a good idea to reiterate what you discussed during your interview—the highlights of your experience and skills that are relevant to their position—as well as emphasizing any information they may have shared with you. Be sure to include how they can reach you should they need further clarification on any points. You don’t want to make an assumption about what could be an important detail (such as availability, skill level, etc.) so be sure to ask follow-up questions where necessary.