Part Time Jobs with Benefits Are Out There

How great would it be if you could work part time and still be able to secure some of the full time benefits available through your employer? Too good to be true you say, well, there are opportunities available, you just have to know where to look, and then you can decide for yourself what is right for you, your financial needs and your flexible schedule.

After 25+ years of service to one company, I was told that my services were no longer needed in January of 2005. My story to this point isn’t too unlike many others like it, I certainly didn’t see it coming as it was a smaller family owned distributor where people were generally treated like family, so much so that the owner and his family were guests at my wedding. I did receive a very fair severance, oh excuse me, “departure package”, and I am proud to say that I didn’t spend one single minute feeling sorry for myself. I wish I could take all the credit for that, but there were two reasons that I probably didn’t to be quite hones, one, because I have obligations as a father and husband to provide for and take care of family, and two, my wife was supportive, and still is, right from the start.

She sensed this was an opportunity to try and take some things I had been doing as “extra” sources of income, and making them into a full time self employment opportunity. On the surface this sounded great, and things started out pretty well and still are hanging in there, knock on wood, but I never really realized how exhausting chasing every single dollar of your livelihood could be, and how stressful waiting out decisions by potential clients could be as well.

Anyhow, I did quite a bit of research on successful start ups, and the people themselves successful with these startups, and found a pretty common thread with them that honestly had never occurred to me. Most of them, while their businesses were in their “infant stages” of growth had taken on steady part time sources of income to stretch their dollars a bit further relieving some stress, that allowed for better focus on the task at hand, and also these folks had done some research that found them some part time, flexible hours employment opportunities that had potential full time benefits available as well. Talk about the best of all worlds!

The first piece of advice they had to prospective business start ups was to “check your ego at the door” In other words, don’t be afraid to drive a school bus, work at the local Walgreens or even a department store while your are building your business. In addition to steady income, some of the benefits available include 15% employee discount, discounted copays, holiday/vacation pay and even profit sharing for employees that work over 20 hours a week @ Walgreens, while those over 30 hours per week are eligible for for other full time benefits such as medical, dental, life/disability insurance and even sick time and family leave time.

Your local school system is a great place to seek out very flexible part time opportunities, mine became driving a school bus and working at the community fieldhouse. I still am a substitute driver, but the rate of pay is terrific even as a sub for what amounts to about a 26 hour work week, split between the morning and afternoon, leaving me more than enough time to search out new clients and opportunities for my other endeavors.

Delivery companies such as UPS, DHL or even FedEx also have very flexible loading, unloading and sorting package part time opportunities that usually don’t include weekends. These shifts typically receive full benefits and the option to participate in the 401(k) plan and a stock program. Part timers with UPS also are eligible for UPS’s “Earn and Learn” tuition assistance program.

Two other places to look would be health care organizations, and even the government, federal, state and in some cases even local. Some hospitals have as much as 40% if not more of their workforce on part time 24-35 work weeks that still receive full benefit packages and while government agencies offer a wide variety of part time employment opportunities as well, the benefits available vary widely, so a little more investigation on your part will be needed, but the chances are the time invested will be well worth it in the long run.

I hope you found this helpful, I sure did, and my ego is firmly behind a closed door, because believe it or not, even with a bus load of elementary students on board, my blood pressure and stress levels have never been lower. Happy Hunting!