What is a part-time job?
A part-time job is a form of employment where an employee works fewer hours per week than a full-time employee. The exact number of hours varies depending on the country and employer.
In fact, even the Department of Labor (DOL) doesn’t specify rules for what constitutes part-time employment. In practice that means that the number of working hours is typically determined by both you and your employer at the specific company where you’re applying.
Part-time jobs are ideal for students, parents, retirees, or anyone needing extra income.
While they offer flexibility, they may come with lower pay and fewer benefits than full-time positions. Despite these drawbacks, they provide numerous advantages.
We looked closer at some of the benefits that part-time jobs offer.
Benefits of a part-time job
As the job market evolves, part-time jobs are becoming increasingly popular for various reasons.
Here are some of the benefits of part-time jobs:
- Better work-life balance. Working part-time gives you more time for other things, like looking for another job, going to school, or enjoying hobbies and family time.
- Greater flexibility. Part-time jobs often come with more flexible schedules, allowing you to plan your working hours around personal commitments and unexpected events.
- Additional income. A part-time job provides extra income, crucial for students, retirees, or those looking to supplement their primary earnings.
- Helps you develop your skills. Part-time jobs are available across various industries and can range from entry-level to more skilled roles. If you’re considering a career change, part-time jobs are excellent for gaining work experience and developing skills beneficial for your future career prospects.
- Boosts independence and time management skills. Having a part-time job helps you become more independent. You learn to manage your schedule, handle your finances, and balance work with other commitments. This experience builds discipline and improves your time management skills.
7 Best part-time jobs out there
There are plenty of part-time jobs to choose from, whether you’re a first-time job seeker or someone with more experience looking for a career change.
You can opt for a part-time job that you can do from the comfort of your home or a remote job you can do while traveling. These jobs offer a combination of flexibility, decent pay, and the opportunity to develop and gain new skills.
Without further ado, here’s a list of 7 best-part time jobs:
1. Customer service representative
Customer service is a great starting point for people without any prior experience who want to start immediately.
However, bear in mind that you have to be ready for communicating with customers. Even the unsatisfied ones.
- Average base salary: $18.79 per hour
- Main tasks: Communicating with customers, providing information about products, generating sales, developing new customers, collecting and analyzing feedback, and payment processing.
- Skills: Communication skills, problem-solving skills, effective listening.
- Requirements: A high school diploma or equivalent will be required for most jobs, some companies offer special training for their products.
2. Tutor
A tutor offers one-on-one assistance to students, tailoring their approach to each individual’s needs, unlike a traditional teacher who manages an entire classroom.
Being a tutor is a rewarding job that can positively influence the lives of your students. Especially if you teach something you genuinely enjoy.
But again, a bad client=bad experience.
- Average base salary: $23.83 per hour
- Main tasks: Developing lesson plans, preparing materials, reviewing homework, and providing guidance.
- Skills: Subject knowledge, patience, active listening, leadership abilities, and communication skills.
- Requirements: Undergraduate degree; specific qualifications for certain subjects.
Social media managers are responsible for creating, developing, and managing a company’s social media strategy to increase brand awareness and engagement.
You’ll get to connect with a lot of influential people and share your creative side. However, while your audience will appreciate your content, they’ll also notice any mistakes.
- Average base salary: $21.87 per hour
Main tasks: Creating content, managing accounts, analyzing metrics, staying up-to-date with trends.
- Skills: audience research, creativity, and strategic thinking.
- Requirements: You don’t need any specific prior experience, but knowledge of social media management is a plus.
4. Virtual assistant
Virtual assistants offer administrative, technical, or even creative services to clients usually from remote places.
And while working remotely without a fixed schedule is surely a huge plus, you’ll have to keep in mind that the people you’re assisting can be quite demanding, requiring you to be on call 24/7.
- Average base salary: $26.25 per hour
- Main tasks: Scheduling, making phone calls, managing travel arrangements, managing email accounts.
- Skills: Communication, good organization, and great time management.
- Requirements: Virtual assistant doesn’t require any education or former experiences, but a strong online presence and slowly building a portfolio of customers is a great place to start.
5. Therapist
As a part-time therapist, you will provide counseling sessions through various online platforms, allowing you to schedule your own hours. Unlike a full-time hospital job, this role offers flexibility and independence to manage your time and workload.
Helping people in any way is rewarding, without a doubt. But being a therapist can be emotionally draining and requires maintaining a high level of availability.
- Average base salary: $34.56 per hour
- Main tasks: Diagnosing and treating mental disorders, developing treatment plans, providing counseling.
- Skills: Empathy, patience, active listening, communication, cultural competence in healthcare.
- Requirements: Major in psychology, specific therapy training.
6. Delivery driver
In recent years ordering food and other goods online has become popular among customers all over the world. Whether it’s post-delivery services or food delivery.
If you don’t mind working alone, or even thrive on it, this job is for you. As a delivery driver, you’ll spend a lot of time in your car, so make sure you’re prepared for long hours on the road.
- Average base salary: $19.53 per hour
- Main tasks: Loading and transporting items, ensuring timely deliveries, planning routes, documenting delivery, and processing payments.
- Skills: Time management, customer service, driving skills.
- Requirements: Valid driver’s license, clean driving history.
7. Accountant
Accountants can work as freelancers and provide services for multiple clients on a part-time basis. Many businesses, especially small enterprises, start-ups, or non-profit organizations need accounting services but do not need a full-time accountant.
This job offers a clear career path and stability. One of the biggest benefits is that it’s available in many locations due to the industry’s growth. However, there can be periods of heavy workloads and can make this job quite stressful.
- Average base salary: $28.59 per hour
- Main tasks: Tax returns, financial record keeping, reporting and analysis, tax preparation, and compliance.
- Skills: Data analysis, time management, technology expertise, business knowledge.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree (optional), accounting certification.
High-paying part-time jobs
People often think part-time jobs don’t pay well and are just for extra cash.
However, some part-time jobs can actually offer decent pay.
Here are some of the highest-paying part-time jobs:
- Web developer. Tasks include coding, building and maintaining databases, fixing website problems, utilizing web applications, and monitoring website traffic.This job offers growth opportunities and the chance to gain great transferable skills. While this can boost your salary, it may also lead to stress and heavy workloads. Web developer average base salary: $32.51 per hour.
- Grant writer. Main task is finding funding and writing proposals to earn grant money. You get to help organizations secure funding for important projects, which can be quite thrilling. However, the deadlines can be tight and the work can get stressful. Grant writer average base salary: $34.35 per hour.
- Real estate agent. Duties include showing properties, negotiating, property valuation, arranging viewings, and managing transactions. This job has no income cap. With solid business knowledge, you can earn good money, but it requires a lot of dedication to build your personal brand. Real estate agent average base salary: $43.13 per hour.
- Freelance editor. Work includes reviewing, correcting, planning, and editing content with authors, as well as verifying facts and cited material in publications and written material. With this job you have the freedom to choose your clients and projects. Plus, you get to work on diverse projects, which keeps things interesting. The biggest challenge is finding clients and securing a stable income. Editor average base salary: $32.53 per hour.
- Speech-language pathologist. You’ll help people with communication issues, like speech, language, and other communication disorders. You’ll need a master’s degree and proper licensing. You can work in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, or even build your own client list and work freelance. Speech-language pathologist average base salary: $49.70 per hour.
Best online part-time jobs
Are you looking for a part-time job you can do from your living room? No problem.
Online (or remote) part-time jobs are nothing new.
Here are some of the best online part-time jobs:
- Graphic designer. Graphic design is a relatively easy profession to get into and will let you transition into a wide variety of more specialized design jobs in the future if you decide to stick to it. You’ll be creating visual identities, designing layouts, logos, print materials, and media products.
- Translator. If you already speak another language well, translating should be a relatively easy thing for you to get into. You’ll be translating spoken or written material from one language to another, proofread, and edit translated materials.
- Website designer. If you’re familiar with design and coding, this might be a good choice. This job involves designing sample pages, creating mockups, and planning website navigation.
- Product tester. If you enjoy trying out new things and are interested in the latest products on the market, this might be just for you.Tasks include providing feedback on products, recording data, and reporting issues (also called bugs). Testers must have good analytical skills and a superb attention to detail.
- Data entry clerk. A data entry clerk is responsible for inputting, updating, and maintaining accurate information in digital databases. While this job can get pretty repetitive, some people actually appreciate the stability and routine it offers.
Best part-time jobs for college students
For many students, a part-time job is essential to help cover school expenses.
The ideal job should be flexible and not require years of experience or lengthy application processes.
Here’s our selection of the best part-time jobs for college students:
- Barista. As a barista, you focus on the art and science of coffee preparation. If you’re a coffee enthusiast, look for a specialty coffee shop where you can work with fellow coffee geeks and learn even more about your favorite brew.
- Babysitter. If you have a natural inclination to be good with kids and even enjoy it, why not! Duties involve caring for children, including feeding, playtime, and bedtime routines.
- Dog walker. This job is especially great for dog lovers, but almost anyone can do it. Lots of fresh air, cuteness overload, okay pay, what’s there not to love? Tasks include walking dogs, playing with them, feeding them, and ensuring their safety.
- Lifeguard. This role requires certification and is suitable for good swimmers who enjoy spending time outdoors. Responsibilities include maintaining beach or pool safety, responding to emergencies, and providing first aid and rescue.
- Library assistant. This job is ideal for college students who want to work on campus. Duties involve maintaining library materials, assisting with locating books, and checking and processing library returns.
If you’re not a college student yet but are still looking for part-time jobs, check out these 10 jobs great for teens.
Job sites for part-time jobs
Finding part-time jobs has never been easier, thanks to a variety of job sites which either specialize specifically in advertising part-time jobs, or offer the possibility to use filters.
Let’s take a look at some of the most useful websites and apps for finding part-time jobs:
- Snagajob. Specializes in hourly work, making it ideal for part-time job seekers. It has a large database of remote jobs and offers career growth tips, which can be helpful if you’re starting freelancing.
- Monster. Provides a wide range of listings, both part- and full-time, catering to both employers and job seekers. It offers positions from entry-level to more skilled roles.
- Indeed. A job search engine that offers listings from various industries. Indeed has a personalized job-finding tool, which can be useful for filtering jobs according to your needs and finding part-time positions that suit you best.
- LinkedIn.Serves as a platform for connecting with potential clients and creating an online presence for your business. If you are starting as a freelancer in a part-time job, networking on this platform can be beneficial.
- Glassdoor. A platform for job seekers that provides information on company cultures, benefits, and anonymous reviews, which can be crucial for making informed decisions when choosing the best part-time job.
Resume tips for securing a part-time job
A resume for a part-time job should be no different from a classic resume.
You still need to include the essential resume sections, such as:
However, there are some specific things you can include to tailor your resume for part-time positions:
- Highlight flexibility. Emphasize your availability and willingness to work varying hours, showcasing your ability to adapt to different schedules.
- Showcase relevant skills. Focus on skills directly related to the job you’re applying for, such as customer service, time management, or specific technical abilities.
- Include part-time experience. List any previous part-time or volunteer work, demonstrating your experience in handling part-time responsibilities effectively.
And if you want to make your life a little easier, use Kickresume’s AI resume writer to automatically generate your entire resume in seconds.
