"I know you wanted to work full-time, but...

...we can only offer you a part-time position right now."

Don't panic. In fact, but happy. If you hear this statement, that means you are good enough to be offered a part-time position. Celebrate. Even if you don't take the position, its a positive step.

Here's my take:

Obviously, most of us want full-time jobs. The 40 hour work week is something we were programmed to do back in college. We geared ourselves up for the commitment and have already made the sacrifices necessary to make that happen.


However, having worked three part-time jobs simultaneously myself, there are some upsides to having several work projects going on at the same time. Here are a few:

1. Stability- if you lose one of your jobs, you won't lose all of your income
2. Variety- if you like having a lot of variety in your work week, you'll see plenty if you have two or more jobs and will avoid the grind of a monotonous job
3. Steep learning curve- you'll pick up a lot of different skills, especially if your jobs are in different industries and have different daily requirements
4. Networking- meet more people, learn from different role models and come in contact with a variety of vendors, suppliers and potential mentors
5. A foot in the door- taking a part-time position at a company puts one foot forward towards your goal of a full-time job, so take the opportunity to show your managers how great you are and what you can provide for the company and they may consider creating a full-time position (make yourself indispensable!)
6. Time to start a business? This might be a good time to start writing a business plan for a venture you've always wanted to launch
7. You're a Bad Ass!- Take pride in the fact that you work hard, even if you don't have a full-time job- chances are, you'll be respected for being someone who can make ends meet in a volatile economy

 Of course, there's always a flip side. Here are a few downsides:

1. Balance- Your work-life balance may be in jeopardy, especially if you work fifty hours a week or more between your jobs
2. Scheduling- You might be able to manage if your employers are strict about when you should be in the office, but what happens when you have to stay longer at Job A and you're late for Job B? What happens when Job A and Job B both want you to work all day on Friday? Communicate with your employers and let them know you have a schedule to keep on someone else's watch (Pro tip: here's where you suggest these problems would go away if you are hired full-time)
3. Benefits- Part-time employees typically don't enjoy the same benefits their full-time counterparts do, (that's why many employers hire several part-time people instead of one full-time employee) so  things like health insurance, paid vacations and tuition reimbursement won't be offered by your employers
4. Traffic Sucks!- You may find yourself driving a lot more in between jobs, so make sure you've got a semi-reliable mode of transportation (your mom doesn't count) and make sure you give yourself enough time to get in between jobs, even if there's heavy traffic or you stop to fuel up on black coffee
5. Frustration- I'll admit it- there's some frustration involved in working several jobs, especially if Job A emails you and expects a response back while you're at Job B, or there's an emergency at Job B and they need you to come in right now, even though you're currently working Job A

With that in my mind, here are my recommendations:

1. Take the part time job, especially if you think there's the potential to grow your role within the company or you think you'll learn a lot during your time there
2. Keep looking for a full-time job when you aren't in the office if your heart is set on it, or take a second part-time job to fill in your hours
3. If you have two part-time jobs, set boundaries with each employer and let them know when you can and cannot be in the office, when you aren't on email, when its okay to call you, etc. Also try to set up a static schedule every week, so you know when you're expected at each job and how many hours you'll be putting in at each
4. Keep up the good work! Outshine your full-time counterparts and hold no resentment over them or your employer. Be thankful you got some kind of paying position and demonstrate your attitude by giving it your all
5. If you end up working at home to catch up on assignments, don't lord this over other people, but do mention it to your managers so they know you're putting in overtime (they'll be impressed with your work ethic and will hopefully realize they need to put you in a full-time position- but don't expect to get paid for your extra time especially if you're salaried)
6. Keep networking! Talk to everyone you come in contact with, you never know when you'll impress a higher up, find a new position at another company or be given the opportunity to take on an expanded role full-time