When it comes to employment, one of the terms that you are bound to come across more often is the term “part-time job.” Essentially, when an employer offers you a job contract detailing work that constitutes a lesser number of hours than full-time employment, then that’s considered to be a part-time job.
The terms part-time and full-time are often used interchangeably by some employers. There are no set terms to differentiate between both. So if you are wondering ‘what is a part-time job,’ essentially, it is the same as a full-time job with more or less the same responsibilities.
● The number of hours:
It is a little hard to define since companies tend to vary when allocating a certain number of hours for a part-time position. For example, take the US – most employers expect their employees to work for at least forty hours per week as per the terms of their regular, full-time employment contract.
Now, when it comes to part-time employment, employers differ in allocating a set number of hours to define part-time employment.
Generally, they either consider anything less than thirty hours per week to be part-time employment or any employer who works based on a shift system to be a part-time employee. These terms can vary widely from one company to the other.
● Part-time employees:
When it comes to a part-time job, you will find that the employees mainly consist of students, retirees, drop-outs, or those in immediate need of a job. So if you are wondering, ‘what is a part-time job?’, do read on.
One of the reasons that most of these students or even those enrolled in college need a part-time job would be due to financial constraints and the fact that they cannot make the same time commitment that a full-time job would require.
Granted, that does not apply to all, but it is one of the reasons that several industries have streamlined their employment policies to include part-timers. Essentially, most of these companies have even streamlined their insurance policies to protect the company from any liability that may arise on-site due to accidents.
● How does it all work?
Each company has its own set of requirements, which they would need the part-timers to fulfill. The part-time job offered to prospective candidates should provide them with much-needed, on-site details. Check what full-time employment would consist of at the end of the day.
Several companies have advanced various part-timers to full-time positions with similar reimbursements, insurance, health benefits, etc. Due to the time commitment required for a part-time position, some students hold two or three positions to earn more.
These jobs should provide them with adequate knowledge regarding the inner workings of a company and, in turn, provide them with valuable experience and know-how.
● The different types of part-time positions:
While it is widely accepted across industries to label employees as part-timers since they cannot make the same time commitment, the conditions differ widely from one sector to the next.
For example, if you had landed a part-time job as part of the cleaning crew in an airport, you would find that the work, while not time-consuming, can be labor-intensive.
On the other hand, if you manage to secure a part-time post in an office detailing the work being carried out, you would find that the work falls in line more with administrative responsibilities.
Conclusion
This is what a part-time job is all about. Each sector would have its take on what a part-time job is and what it entails. And that’s all the more reason that you would have to apply to the company in person to get more information regarding the responsibilities assigned to you, on being accepted.
