Amy Lindgren I saw an article a few weeks back that didn’t sound quite right to me. The writer, a journalist, interviewed several people who said they’d been looking for part-time work without success. Some had searched for years and one was even willing to work for free. I later had a chance to talk with one of the people interviewed and learned that this particular candidate prefers to work within walking distance of home and regularly leaves the state for three months each winter. As you might imagine, these criteria would complicate things. I’m not reporting this to make fun or pass judgment on this job seeker. Just the opposite in fact. Knowing what you want is a critical component of a job search. But the strategy has to flex for special conditions or the search won’t be successful. The reason the article got under my skin is that key context was omitted, leaving readers to believe that the market for part-time workers is far worse than it actually is. I don’t know if we’re heading into another recession, but if we are, I want better from all of us who report these stories. Otherwise, we risk creating an echo chamber that convinces everyone there’s no point in trying. Let’s start over, with a look at how one might go about getting a part-time job when that’s the goal. I’ll start with a puzzling axiom: Not many employers advertise for part-timers, but most employers use them. If you think of all the places you’ve worked or shopped, you know the second half of the axiom is true: Just about everyone employs part-time workers. That confirms your search can be successful. But first you have to cut ties with online job boards because employers aren’t posting part-time options. Here’s why: It’s as much work to hire someone for part-time as it is for full-time, but the anticipated productivity is lower so it feels less critical. Since employers can often stretch existing staff to cover the work, they aren’t as motivated to do the hokey-pokey with online ads. I can also attest that ads for part-timers sometimes yield candidates who try to talk you into something full-time. That’s stressful. Here are six steps in a better process for finding your next part-time job: • 1. Clarify your goal. Are you going for retail? Database work? Guest services somewhere? Knowing the goal lets you target employers and tout the skills they need. • 2. Focus your résumé. If this is a new area for you, use a short résumé focused on related skills with your usual career edited to just a few lines. Be sure you’re presenting enough relevant information to be considered. • 3. Identify places to work. For best results, expand past the obvious. If you’re thinking retail, sure — check Target and Walmart websites and post your résumé. But don’t stop there. Instead, identify 25 smaller shops within an easy commute and hand-deliver your résumé when they’re not busy. • 4. Start a whisper campaign. Tell your friends and family what you’re looking for and ask them to check at places they work or visit. • 5. Make an outreach plan. If you’re serious, create a weekly plan and follow it. If this is more of a casual search, set a quarterly date on your calendar to review your progress and refresh your steps. • 6. Troubleshoot. If you’re still striking out, it’s time to dig deeper. For example, perhaps you don’t have experience for the work you’ve been targeting. The managers might train, but they have to know there’s material there to work with. Retail and other jobs that look entry level to the casual observer still need customer service acumen or physical stamina. Sticking with the retail example, here’s what you could try: Volunteer someplace where you can pick up at least one of the key skills (customer service, inventory, stocking shelves, taking payments). That could be at a friend’s store, at a charity shop, at a food shelf — even driving for Meals on Wheels would give you something for your résumé. It might seem that you shouldn’t have to work so hard just for a part-time job, but maybe that’s what’s holding you back. It’s not “just” a part-time job to the employer who’s giving you access to customers, cash, inventory or databases. If you haven’t been seeing things from this angle, trying it might open doors that seemed closed before.Related Articles Business | Working Strategies: Holding on when things get tough Business | Working Strategies: Using AI tools to prepare for interviews Business | Working Strategies: Part 3: Preparing for a possible buyout or layoff Business | Working Strategies: Weighing the buyout offer Part 2, personal considerations Business | Working Strategies: Responding to a worker buyout offer – Part 1 Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com. ...read more read less