Finding a part-time job is much easier if it is done in a systematic manner. Whether you are a student, homemaker, retired professional, or even a mid-career professional on the lookout for the right opportunity, part-time jobs can lead to a happy balance between work, income, family time/me time and career development.

With the world moving towards a gig economy, part-time jobs are way more common now than they were in previous decades. The key difference between a part-time job and a full-time job relates to the amount of time a worker is expected to dedicate to it. Contrary to popular perception, part-timers are not necessarily given less responsibility at the workplace compared to their full-time counterparts. They usually shoulder equal responsibility if not more. Nor are part-time jobs poor-quality, low-paying assignments as people often think. There are plenty of part-time gigs even in the UAE such as instructors, software engineers, and finance and legal professionals that are both prestigious and remunerative.

Working Part-Time & Full Time Jobs      

In 2010, the UAE started allowing full-time employees to take up secondary, part-time jobs. This meant people who were already gainfully employed in full-time jobs could engage in a second job to supplement their income. Unfortunately, there were many grey areas in the law which prevented people from fully utilising the opportunity. Hence a new system was introduced in 2018 clearing the path for employees to work two jobs subject to certain rules and regulations as listed below:

• The facility is only available to workers in specialised professions requiring administrative, scientific or technical skills.
• Workers must have a university degree, or a two- or three-year diploma in a technical or scientific field.
• Obtaining a part-time work permit from the government is essential.
• Employees must work less than eight hours a day in the secondary job.

Under the new rules, full-time job holders are no longer required to inform their primary employer about their part-time job with their obligations limited to the above points.

Finding Good Part-Time Employment

The right part-time job can help you earn a decent living and also get ahead in your career. It is an excellent option for different sections of people including students that want to break into the labour market, homemakers and retired professionals looking for some extra money, jobseekers looking for stop-gap work, professionals who wish to undergo a career change, and full-time employees with a need to supplement their income.

It requires a certain amount of strategising and preparation to get the part-time job you want. Here is a template you could follow to increase your chances of landing your desired part-time job.

Step 1: Shortlisting Jobs

The trick to shortlisting the best jobs is to cast a wide net. Instead to limiting your job search to newspaper ads or online listings, broaden the scope by sounding out your friends, family and acquaintances. Submitting your CV to a professional recruitment agency is another excellent idea. The more avenues you employ, the better your chances of finding a job that is in line with your expectations.

Step 2: Applying for the Job

Most people don’t customise their documents before sending out their application. Modify your CV as per the job requirements and sprinkle it with keywords from the job description. As far as the cover letter is concerned, adapt the text to each job by explaining why you are the best person for the position. These steps will help your application to stand and increase your likelihood of qualifying for the next stage.

Step 3: Interview Preparation

Congratulations on making it to the interview stage! Now is the time to go all in! Research well by scanning the company website and social media accounts and check whether the firm has been in the news in recent months using Google Search.

It is helpful to prepare for certain common questions asked by interviewers such as those listed below:

• Tell me about yourself.
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why do you want this job?
• Why are you the best candidate for the job?
• Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Step 4: Actual Interview

Dress smartly and reach the venue before time on the day of the interview. Be polite to the interviewer when you are called in; speak with confidence and display positive body language. If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t say ‘I don’t know’ right off the bat but also don’t make things up. Instead, make it a point to remain calm, ask additional questions if necessary, and explain how you would arrive at the correct answer. This approach may not work in every case but it does a decent job for most.

Almost every interaction ends with the interviewer giving the candidate an opportunity to ask questions. Passing up the opportunity could damage your chances of getting the job as you will also be judged on the kind of questions you ask. Below are some questions you could bring up.

• What does a typical day in the job look like?
• How will you measure my performance?
• What is the most challenging part of the job?
• What’s the best thing about working for the company?
• Will I be given training and development opportunities?

Step 5: Thank-You Note

Sending a thank-you note after the interview not only shows you are polite and respectful, but also helps the interviewer remember you. Mail the interviewer directly mentioning why you think the company feels like a good place to work in. You may also choose to talk about a specific part of the interaction which you thought was interesting. The mail should ideally go out within a day of your interaction.

Good Preparation Yields Good Results

The interview is not the time to talk about salary and benefits. These come at a later stage after you have received the offer letter. Sincere and thorough preparation can go a long way to help you in your job search. Selective, targeted applications are more likely to yield results compared to a random job search strategy.

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