THE single, biggest mistake that most people make when they are trying to get a part time job is to treat the whole process differently to how they would when they are trying to secure a full time job.

For some reason, many jobseekers don’t take things as seriously when they are trying to impress employers who are trying to recruit part time staff. But, all of the same rules apply no matter whether you are trying to find a temporary, permanent, full time or part time position.

So, do your homework, be prepared, present yourself in the best possible fashion – and you’ll give yourself the best chance of landing that part time vacancy!

Where Do I Look For Part Time Jobs?
You could check out local newspapers and shop’s notice boards in your area for potential part time job vacancies. You can also put your best foot forward and have a walk around the big part time employers in your area to ask about current vacancies. All of those are tried and tested methods for a casual job search.

But really, there’s nowhere better to start than the UK Part Time Jobs search pages. From there you can whittle down your search by area and the sort of part time opportunities you are interested in – without ever leaving your laptop. Most of the time you can apply for our part time jobs direct and online. Let us do the hard work for you and save your energy for when your first day at work.

Applying For A Part Time Position
For most of the part time vacancies that you can apply for online with UK Part Time Jobs you will only need to fill out your personal details, background, experience and qualifications with us once. Then, when you apply for the latest part time jobs on our site, your details will be automatically passed on to the relevant employers. This means that you don’t have to keep filling out application forms and sending off CVs left, right and centre. We make the whole process of putting yourself in front of part time recruiters hassle-free.

However, if you are required to make a formal application for a part time job then you should definitely take the paperwork seriously.

Make sure you fill out the application form clearly so that it is easy to read and so all of your best qualities can be taken in at a glance.

Fill in every single question that is required of you; nothing looks worse to an employer than if you didn’t take the time to answer all of the questions that they asked.

Check over the form for spelling errors before you seal the envelope.

If the part time vacancy that you are applying for asks that you send a CV then please have a look at our CVs for Part Time Jobs advice page. If you follow that advice and include a good covering letter then you’ll put yourself in a great position to at least earn yourself an interview for the part time position.

Act Like A Scout
Always be prepared!

Once you’ve found a part time job you fancy and have applied for it, be ready at all times for the potential recruiter to get in touch with you. Leave them with various ways to contact you about the position – address, home phone, mobile phone, email. If possible, ensure that your home and mobile telephones are set up to record messages if you are unavailable. And have yourself ready to respond when they do get back to you – even when a phone call about a part time position comes out of the blue.

In addition to being prepared you should also do your best to keep things organised. Keep good records of which companies you have applied to along with any contact names that you might have stumbled across.

Are My Best Jeans Okay For The Interview?
We would advise against going to an interview for a part time job in anything but smart clothes. Just because it’s a casual job it doesn’t mean you need to go in your casual clothes.

It’s very old advice, but good advice nevertheless – First impressions count!

You wouldn’t dream of going to an interview for a full time job in your jeans and trainers so why take the risk when it’s a part time position you are hoping to grab?

The main thing to keep in mind about interviews is that you should try to stay relaxed, And, so long as you’ve done your homework, that shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s an interview not an inquisition.

When Can You Start?
So, now you’ve got your part time job, what comes next? We will be writing about how to prepare for your first day in your new uniform so watch this space.