Workplace

Having a tough time finding work? It may be time to get a “survival job,” a flexible gig that can provide a paycheck while you wait for the job market to improve. Here are six part-time positions to look into, courtesy of US News & World Report:

• Survival job #1: Pet care. People want to make sure their four-legged family members are fed and walked. Just post an ad on Care.com or put up a flyer at your local church, coffee shop, or pet store. Or set up a profile on SitterCity.com.
• Sitter City also has positions for elder care, and a lot of people will pay someone to provide companionship to an elderly family member – even if it’s reading to them for a couple hours a day.
• The next survival job: Substitute teacher. The hours are flexible, so you’re off early enough to go on job interviews, and you can make more than $100 a day. Some school districts make applicants take a test or get certain credentials, so it’s sometimes easier to become a substitute teacher at a private school. Interested in becoming certified? Google your school district’s website for more information.
• Continuing education programs and community colleges also need teachers, especially those who’ve mastered a musical instrument, or are fluent in a foreign language.
• Another survival job: Hotel worker, like bellhop, housekeeping, and desk clerk. So check the hotels in your area to see if they have any seasonal or part-time openings. Try HospitalityOnline.com.
• The final survival job: Catering or party planning. Event planning takes connections and know-how. So, start small – like offer to bake a cake for a birthday party – then leave some business cards. Or start with a catering company. They typically have plenty of openings that don’t require experience.