Approximately 27.52 million people (around 17 percent of the workforce) work part-time in the United States.
Hiring part-timers in the US can be a good option for many companies, especially small businesses and those that can’t afford to pay a salary and benefits to full-time employees.
Are you ready to hire part-time employees in the US? If so, this guide outlines everything you need to know, from part-time employment regulations and the pros and cons of part-time hiring to the best job sites to use to find part-time employees.
How to Hire Part-Timers in the US
The process of hiring part-timers in the US is pretty straightforward. Here are some essential steps you’ll take when looking for part-time employees to join your team:
- Write a specific job description (including details about expected hours, wages, and job responsibilities)
- Share job listings on multiple platforms to connect with a larger audience
- Use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to help you keep track of candidates
- Schedule interviews to meet in person or via video chat
- Consult with multiple team members to ensure everyone is on board with the new hire
- Stay in touch with candidates to let them know where they are in the interview/recruiting process
Once you’ve made a final decision about whom you’ll hire as a part-time employee at your company, you can send a formal job offer to let them know.
Part-Time Employment Regulations in the US
In the United States, someone who works less than 40 hours per week is generally considered a part-time employee. However, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not include a clear definition of part-time employment.
The lack of a concrete definition provides employers with flexibility when it comes to deciding what constitutes full-time or part-time work. In many cases, your decisions regarding full-time vs. part-time work will likely have to do with the benefits you want to offer.
Full-time employees are entitled to certain benefits in the United States, including Medicare and social security benefits, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, health insurance, family leave, and medical leave. Some employers also offer these benefits (and others) to part-time employees, but it’s not legally required.
Pros and Cons of Hiring a Part-Time Employee
Hiring part-timers in the US comes with some unique benefits and some potential downsides.
If you’re on the fence about hiring full- or part-time team members, consider these pros:
- Lower costs for wages/salaries
- Fewer benefits mandated by the government
- More flexibility for employers and employees
- Reduced workplace stress for current employees (part-time workers can take some weight off their shoulders)
- Better work-life balance for part-time employees
Before you decide to hire part-time employees in the US, factor in these cons as well:
- Potentially less-engaged or committed workers
- Potential for increased turnover, especially if part-time employees decide they want a job that offers higher pay or better benefits
- Potential for decreased work quality/consistency since part-time employees spend less time on the job
- Fewer opportunities for employees to build strong relationships (since they’re on-site less often)
- Potential co-employment issues (if your part-time employee has another part-time job)
Ultimately, the decision to hire part-time employees in the US instead of full-time employees will come down to your company’s unique needs, goals, and budget.
20 Best Job Sites for Part-Time Job Seekers in the US
If you’ve decided that the benefits of hiring part-time employees in the US outweigh the drawbacks, it’s time to start searching for new team members.
You can use many websites to post job ads and connect with candidates. Here are 20 of the most popular options:
GrabJobs is a recruitment platform that allows you to post jobs to multiple platforms (over 20) in just one click. It also provides you with a centralized location to store all your applications and keep track of candidates.
With GrabJobs, you can connect with millions of job seekers from across the globe. You can also automate repetitive and time-consuming aspects of the recruiting process, giving yourself more time to focus on other aspects of your business and get more done.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Paid plans start at $125 per month
- All plans come with a free 14-day trial
Indeed is designed to guide you through all aspects of the recruiting and hiring process, from posting job ads and reviewing candidates to scheduling interviews and making final decisions. It centralizes all your recruiting activities in one convenient dashboard as well.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Sponsored jobs allow you to reach people faster, get ads in front of a larger audience, etc.
- Sponsored ad pricing varies based on factors like location, job title, and the number of active job seekers
Snagajob is one of the most popular job sites for those seeking hourly work. It features plenty of ads for part-time jobs because most part-time positions in the U.S. pay hourly. All kinds of companies post ads on Snagajob, but it’s especially popular among small and medium-sized businesses.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
If you’re interested in the cost-saving benefits of hiring a part-time employee but also want more flexibility, working with freelancers can be a better option. Sites like Upwork allow you to connect with freelancers from across the globe in numerous fields, from writing and editing to web design.
Subscription: Free
Craigslist is an online classified ads site and an excellent place to connect with part-time job seekers in the US. Many part-time and freelance workers use Craigslist to search for opportunities, so there’s a good chance you’ll get a response quickly if you post an ad here.
Subscription: Paid
- Job ads cost $25 per category (accounting, healthcare, writing, etc.)
CoolWorks is a job platform dedicated to seasonal work.
If you need part-time help during the holidays or a hectic season, advertising on CoolWorks can help you connect with job seekers who aren’t looking for long-term commitments. You can use this site to promote job openings all over the country and in numerous industries.
Subscription: Paid
- Single-position ads cost $159 for 30 days
- Multi-position ads cost $139 for seven days
If you want to hire part-time remote or hybrid employees, FlexJobs can help you connect with people interested in this type of work. This site features ads for all kinds of positions, from entry-level administrative work to highly skilled web development tasks.
Subscription: Paid
- Plans start at $399 per month
Some CollegeGrads may be interested in part-time work while they look for a long-term position that better aligns with their degree and career goals. They may also seek out part-time jobs to get their foot in the door and start building connections.
In either case, CollegeGrad is one of the most popular job sites for people seeking entry-level jobs, including part-time positions. It gets double the traffic of its nearest competitor, meaning you’ll have lots of opportunities to get your job ad in front of your target audience.
Subscription: Paid
- Prices start at $99
Skip the Drive is another good job posting site to use when you want to cater to remote job seekers. It features numerous remote, hybrid, and flexible job listings and receives over 157,000 page views per month. Skip the Drive also offers a satisfaction guarantee for employers.
Subscription: Paid
- Prices start at $99
Inkwell is a unique recruiting site that specializes in helping women (particularly those with highly specialized skill sets) find part-time work and short-term contracts. This site is used by some of the world’s leading companies and is an excellent option for employers that want to connect with skilled professionals and a diverse array of candidates.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
Catalant is an online job marketplace designed to help you solve problems and fill skills gaps fast. It’s an excellent place to go when you’re looking to hire a part-time or short-term consultant for your company. Whether you run a small, medium, or enterprise-level business, Catalant has options for you.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
For employers seeking help from creative individuals, such as designers and developers, Behance is one of the best job sites to check out.
Behance helps you connect with creatives from across the globe and get help leveling up your products or enhancing your brand. It’s also highly affordable, especially for those that already have an Adobe Creative Cloud membership.
Subscription: Paid
- No platform fee with Creative Cloud membership; prices include a Stripe process fee of 2.9% + US $0.3.
- All plans come with a 14-day free trial
Remote Work is quickly becoming the norm throughout the U.S., meaning there are plenty of job sites that cater to remote job seekers and companies that prefer this format. We Work Remotely allows you to find and connect with over 4.5 million remote job seekers in various fields.
Subscription: Paid
- Ads start at $299
Similar to CoolWorks, Backdoorjobs is a place to advertise short-term jobs for those who enjoy seasonal work and more adventurous, active tasks.
This site features numerous job types, including education, farming, hospitality, and wilderness therapy. Regardless of the short-term help you need, you can likely find someone who’s interested in assisting you on Backdoorjobs.
Subscription: Paid
- Subscriptions start at $175 for three months
Glassdoor is a popular site for all kinds of people, including part-time employees and part-time job seekers in the US. It allows for easy and affordable posting, as well as opportunities for employers to build their brand and attract a larger audience.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- Pricing available upon request
LinkedIn is an excellent place for employers to advertise job openings, share information about their company, build their brand, and connect with potential candidates who seem like a good fit (even if they’re not actively seeking a new job). This social networking site is essential to growing businesses.
Subscription: Free & Paid
- LinkedIn uses a pay-per-click model for promoted listings
ZipRecruiter is an AI-powered recruiting platform used by over 12 million job seekers. It allows you to post jobs in just a few minutes, and it has a strong track record of helping employers fill vacancies fast (four out of five find a qualified candidate within the first day).
Subscription: Free
Simply Hired allows you to quickly and affordably post job ads to over 100 boards from one convenient location. It also makes it easy for you to communicate with candidates and ask screening questions to choose the right person for the job.
Subscription: Paid
- Prices start at $4.99 (only pay when you contact a candidate)
Monster is one of the world’s most well-known and popular job platforms. It allows employers to post job ads, search resumes easily, promote their openings on social media, and develop a stronger brand image.
Subscription: Paid
- Pay-as-you-go plans start at around $10 per day
- Subscriptions start at $399 per month
If you need to find a new employee or part-time job seekers in the US, Robert Half is a staffing agency that assists you in your efforts to find talent, including contract talent and permanent placements. For a solution that does most of the heavy lifting for you, Robert Half is an excellent choice.
Subscription: Paid
- Pricing available upon request
Start Hiring Part-Timers in the US Today
Hiring part-timers in the US is an excellent choice for companies that want to save money while expanding their workforce and maximizing productivity.
If you want to connect with part-time job seekers in the US, GrabJobs’ online platform can help. Check it out for free for 14 days (no credit card required) starting today.
