Part Time Jobs in Iowa

How to Get a Part Time Job in IA


Working moms, students, retirees and many other people have been taking on part time jobs for years. These days, part time jobs in Iowa have become more common as employers reduce work hours in order to lower overhead expenses in the wake of the great recession.  

Whether you need extra cash, are making a career transition or prefer a job that does not ask you to work a full week, a part time job is probably what you're looking for.

Popular Part Time Jobs in Iowa

Service industry – The service industry provides a lot of part time opportunities. Bars and restaurants have a wide range of positions and several shifts throughout the day which lends well to those needing to pick up extra work.  

Creative work – Many businesses have to have creative work done, but not many require it on a regular basis. That is why creative jobs like logo design, video production and copywriting are typically contracted out. Though these aren't long term, they are part time jobs that can oftentimes pay well.

Retail – Like the service industry, many retail stores have multiple shifts throughout the day. If you have a full-time job already, a retail job may well be a good choice since many are open for business later in the afternoon and evening.

In July 2010 Forbes used BLS data to compile a listing of 10 popular part time jobs which include:

  • Accounting/Bookkeeping
  • Customer Service
  • Office Clerks
  • Laborers
  • Janitors
  • Stock Clerks
  • Retail Sales Workers
  • Cashiers
  • Servers
  • Food Prep/Serving Workers

Babysitting/Nanny services, dog walking and petting sitting and lawn care services are also popular part time jobs in Iowa that didn't make the list.

Finding Part Time Jobs in Iowa

Iowa employment agencies – The principle goal of an employment agency is to get you work. They place people in all kinds of jobs, including part time and temp work. Just let your case manager know the type of work you are looking for, the hours you can work and the number of hours per week you would like to work.

Guidance counselors and career offices – High school and college students can take advantage of services supplied by their schools to get help finding a part time job. If you're in high school visit your guidance counselor to talk about part time job options. College students should have an entire office dedicated to helping them find part time work throughout the school year, summer and after graduating.

Local newspapers – Local newspapers are still a good resource for locating work in Iowa. Many papers will even separate part time jobs into their own section.

Internet – The web, of course, is the main resource used to find jobs today. In fact, if your local newspaper has a sister website it’s better to look online than in the paper. This way you get the most up-to-date information. Some job websites are more niche covering job opportunities for a specific area or industry while others are very broad, with thousands of part time jobs in Iowa and all over the country.