How to score that last-minute Christmas gig

 

You’ve been so busy working on school projects, trying out for the spring play, and living your overall fabulous life that you totally forgot to apply for a Christmas break job—whoops! Don’t sweat it—you can still snag an awesome job and get plenty of extra cash for those perfect prezzies. Just follow these tips to land that last-minute job, tomorrow!

Ask around

One of the greatest pieces of advice you’ll ever get is to make connections: it’s all about who you know. Are you desperate for money but have no clue where to start? Tell people. Maybe your dance teacher will pay you to babysit her dog and kids when she and her husband attend that neighborhood holiday party. Dying to get a job at your local makeup shop but they aren’t hiring anymore? See if you know anyone that works there. You never know, maybe your cheer captain’s older sister works there and can put in a good word for you! If you let people know you’re eager and willing to do whatever it takes, you’ll be sure to land one soon enough.

 

Ask for a letter of recommendation

You’re the star student in your French class, so why not use that to your advantage? Ask your teacher if she’d be willing to write you a letter of recommendation that you can attach to your application. For most part time jobs, you don’t need letters of rec, so your application is sure to stand out from the rest. Who knows? Since you were a little late getting your app in, that letter could be just the thing to land you that dream gig.

Introduce yourself

When you go in to drop off your app, ask to speak to the hiring manager and introduce yourself. Even if the application process is online, go in to show who you are anyway. Let the head boss know that you’d love to work there and give them your printed application in-hand. This is especially important with a last-job. Management wants to staff as quickly as possible and you coming into the office makes their job much easier. Smile, be friendly—let your personality shine! Hiring managers love to match an application to a face, and the fact that you actually came in and introduced yourself will show management that you really want the position and are willing to go the extra mile. Plus, it shows you’re a people person—every boss loves that.

Dress to impress

We’re not telling you to wear your sequined homecoming dress to your interview, but ditch the yoga pants and hoodie combo and opt for something a little bit nicer. If you’re interviewing at a fast food chain, don’t feel the need to wear a business suit, but throw on a casual dress or some dark jeans and a conservative top. Tip: Make sure you feel confident in what you’re wearing. When you feel good your confidence shines. When you feel confident, you’re sure to rock that interview and score the gig even if it is last-minute.

Be flexibile with your hours and availability

In order to get that gig ASAP, you’re going to have to be flexible with your availability. Clear your schedule so you’re available to work as much as possible, including Friday and Saturday nights (no one wants to work on weekends!). Also, be prepared to fill in for people when they call out sick. If you’re not on the schedule but don’t have any major plans, tell your boss that they can feel free to call you if they need an extra hand. No matter what you’re doing for a job—whether it’s taking your neighbor’s dog for a walk or working as a receptionist in a dentist’s office—your boss will love to see an open schedule.

 

Got any tips of your own? Share with us in the comments below!

POSTED IN ,

by Melanie White | 2/1/2016
share