Since there are a number of different reasons why you might be looking for a part time job, the questions you should ask yourself vary. Are you a college student who needs a part time job to help support yourself while you earn a degree? A stay-at-home mom looking for a part time job as a reintroduction into the workforce? Someone with another fulltime job that needs a little more income to make ends meet? What you need to consider depends on your personal situation.
If you are a college student: Can you give enough time to a part time job without harming your grades? Is your transportation or local mass transit adequate to get you to an off campus job? Can you reliably report to your part time job? Remember, most business owners don't care if you have a test tomorrow - they just need someone who can do the job they are paying for.
If you are a stay-at-home mom preparing to rejoin the workforce after your youngest enters college: Is the part time job something that can transition to a full time job? Will this job be a resume-enhancer? If you are a single mom, be warned that part time jobs rarely offer benefits. If you need a health coverage plan, you will need to find full time employment.
If you are lucky enough not to need the income from a part time job, but are just looking for an interest outside the home, or a way to give something back to society, volunteering is a viable alternative to a part time job, and volunteers often transition to paying positions within the organization they volunteer for.
If you need a part time job for additional income simply because your fulltime job isn't paying all the bills, you have some serious questions to ask yourself. Are you in debt because of reckless spending? Consider a consolidation loan and debt counseling either in lieu of, or in addition to, finding a part time job.
If you have been a prudent spender and still can't make it on your salary, ask yourself whether your fulltime job is paying as much as it should? Are there other jobs in your field that pay better and might remove the necessity of your working another job? Consider asking for a raise at your fulltime job before looking for part time employment, but whatever you do, do not use your financial situation as an argument for a raise, especially if others in your pay grade are sending children to college on the salary you are having trouble living on.
If there is no alternative to taking a part time job in addition to working another job fulltime, make sure the pay is sufficient to make up for the additional costs to you. If you must drive 45 miles and pay for parking, the increased costs may eat up the pay you receive and you will be no better off - and significantly more tired - than you were before taking on a part time job. The ideal, of course, is to work a well-paid part time job as a try-out if you are considering leaving your current job. But be warned - your current employer will consider this disloyal and will not consider you for advancement if it becomes known you are looking elsewhere.
In all cases, consider the position of your potential employer. While asking yourself questions about how the part time job can benefit you, either financially or by enhancing your future employability, take a few moments to consider how employing you can benefit your employer. If you know the answer to this, you are much more likely to be selected than someone whose motives are purely financial.
