Career Guide Tips

Are you a high school or college student looking for a part-time job? Are you already a full-time worker who is looking for a second job with fewer hours? If so, you want to start your job search today. But wait! There are lots of part-time jobs out there; how should you go about applying for them?

First and foremost, it is important to mention that companies have different hiring practices. Even two retail stores right next to each other in your local mall are likely to have different methods of accepting applications. One store may request that you submit your application in person, while another wants you to return home and use the online application found on the store’s website.

However, many companies looking to hire for part-time jobs do give applicants choices. Lets say that you have a choice; what method of applying is best? To come up with an answer, lets look at the pros and cons of each.

Applying Online: When applying for a low-hour job via an online website, you are likely submitting your application to the company’s corporate office, but applying for a job at a local branch. There might be a couple of days or weeklong lag by the time your job application makes it to the local branch (store, bank, restaurant) in question. There has been a few rare cases when a job seeker has called to inquire about the status of their application, only to hear that the local hiring manager never received it.

There are however, benefits to applying for part-time jobs online. A job search website will connect with you multiple jobs (possibly hundreds depending on your location) at once! This is a huge figure. Since you can apply for jobs online by filling out the online application or by uploading your resume, the process goes fairly quick. Basically, you are able to apply for more open positions in less amount of time.

Applying in Person: There are a few downsides to applying for part-time jobs in person. One being the time it takes. When applying for jobs online, you can copy and paste parts of your resume onto the online application form. When filling out applications in person, you must write it by hand.

While you can attach a printed resume to the application, most companies require that their application is filled out regardless. Moreover, lets say that you want to work at a local retail store. Even if you hit your local mall, where there might be 50 to 100 stores altogether, it takes time to visit each store, apply, and submit your application.

The main benefit to applying for part-time jobs in person is that you get face-time in the store. Whether you apply by submitting your resume to the hiring manager, an assistant manager, or even another cashier, you are able to get into the establishment and network.

This is good because you want the hiring manager to be able to associate your resume with a face. On that same note, caution is advised because of this. Always dress professionally when submitting a formal application for a job, don’t visit the establishment during a rush (weekend for retail and dinner time for restaurants).

As a reminder, it is important to apply for jobs the way that the company recommends. Email your resume if they want it emailed; apply online if they want you to, and apply in person if requested. If you do have an option, it might be a good idea to attempt to apply in person, hopefully scoring yourself a little one-on-one time with the hiring manager. Good luck!

By Adnan Masood