like retail or food service but you can sit down
April 3, 2019 6:18 PM Subscribe
I need a part-time (weekends or a few evenings-but-not-overnights a week) job where I won't need to spend most of the time on my feet.
Some walking around is totally fine, I just need to give my body a break from doing retail on my feet for 5 years while I'm attending a yearlong school program that will itself be physically demanding. I don't want to do driving (Lyft/Postmates/etc) and I can't handle phone jobs (telemarketing/call centers.) I have a bachelors degree. I don't need to make a lot of money, it's more important that it's the kind of job I can probably find and start reasonably quickly, in the way you often can with things like retail or food service. I am in the US.
What kinds of jobs are likely to fit these criteria?
Also, do front desk people at hotels usually get to sit or are they standing behind those counters? How about library workers when they're not shelving books?
Some walking around is totally fine, I just need to give my body a break from doing retail on my feet for 5 years while I'm attending a yearlong school program that will itself be physically demanding. I don't want to do driving (Lyft/Postmates/etc) and I can't handle phone jobs (telemarketing/call centers.) I have a bachelors degree. I don't need to make a lot of money, it's more important that it's the kind of job I can probably find and start reasonably quickly, in the way you often can with things like retail or food service. I am in the US.
What kinds of jobs are likely to fit these criteria?
Also, do front desk people at hotels usually get to sit or are they standing behind those counters? How about library workers when they're not shelving books?
Tutoring? You could do 1:1 freelance and set your own schedule, or a company like Kaplan.
posted by basalganglia at 6:37 PM on April 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by basalganglia at 6:37 PM on April 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Library workers can often sit down, but don't expect to be able to quickly find a job.
posted by kbuxton at 6:37 PM on April 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by kbuxton at 6:37 PM on April 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Does your school staff its computer labs, libraries, etc with students? I used to supervise a computer lab when I was in undergrad, and I was definitely sitting down most of the time unless somebody had a question or needed help with printing, accessing software, whatever.
Hotels it depends on the setup - large hotels almost always seem to have large front counters with people standing at them, whereas smaller motels are more likely to have sit-down desks.
Also, it may be possible to get a medical accommodation that would permit you to sit on a stool rather than having to stand all the time, but that probably depends on your specific circumstances.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 6:42 PM on April 3, 2019
Hotels it depends on the setup - large hotels almost always seem to have large front counters with people standing at them, whereas smaller motels are more likely to have sit-down desks.
Also, it may be possible to get a medical accommodation that would permit you to sit on a stool rather than having to stand all the time, but that probably depends on your specific circumstances.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 6:42 PM on April 3, 2019
Data entry.
posted by kevinbelt at 6:54 PM on April 3, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 6:54 PM on April 3, 2019 [7 favorites]
Aldi checkstands (at least at all the ones I've been to) have stools for the cashiers.
Data entry would definitely do it. There are also monitoring/security-ish jobs that require you to watch monitors or review camera footage, but I don't know how you find those.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:59 PM on April 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Data entry would definitely do it. There are also monitoring/security-ish jobs that require you to watch monitors or review camera footage, but I don't know how you find those.
posted by Lyn Never at 6:59 PM on April 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Late night/date night babysitting (especially for infants) tends to be “be there while parents put child to bed and then hang out until they get back”
posted by raccoon409 at 7:51 PM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by raccoon409 at 7:51 PM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
Work in a box office.
posted by NotLost at 7:52 PM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by NotLost at 7:52 PM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Is part time evening/weekend data entry a common thing? I feel like most of that is limited to more typical office hours but maybe I haven’t looked in the right places or industries.
posted by needs more cowbell at 7:56 PM on April 3, 2019
posted by needs more cowbell at 7:56 PM on April 3, 2019
My research group hires students to do data entry for our studies, so seconding the recommendation to look around at your school.
posted by eirias at 8:28 PM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by eirias at 8:28 PM on April 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
I had a classmate who had an evening security desk job. He said usually it was quiet enough that he could just sit and read his textbooks.
posted by Secret Sparrow at 8:40 PM on April 3, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by Secret Sparrow at 8:40 PM on April 3, 2019 [5 favorites]
Check IDs outside of a bar?
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 10:35 PM on April 3, 2019
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 10:35 PM on April 3, 2019
In a large chain hotel, the desk staff would usually stand through the day shift but might sit on tall chairs for the night shift. In a small hotel, they'd probably be seated for all shifts.
Lower-level library workers (called "pages" in my city) sit on tall chairs while at the front desk, but there's generally a lot of re-shelving / walking involved.
Childcare for a non-mobile baby?
posted by pseudostrabismus at 11:30 PM on April 3, 2019
Lower-level library workers (called "pages" in my city) sit on tall chairs while at the front desk, but there's generally a lot of re-shelving / walking involved.
Childcare for a non-mobile baby?
posted by pseudostrabismus at 11:30 PM on April 3, 2019
WeWorkRemotely.com often has remote, online jobs teaching English to Chinese students. Also customer support gigs, etc. You might find something there.
posted by Bella Donna at 12:43 AM on April 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Bella Donna at 12:43 AM on April 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Are you sure about working in a Call centre? I know you said not, but it fits all the criteria.
posted by Middlemarch at 3:01 AM on April 4, 2019
posted by Middlemarch at 3:01 AM on April 4, 2019
Is part time evening/weekend data entry a common thing? I feel like most of that is limited to more typical office hours but maybe I haven’t looked in the right places or industries.
This work is usually staffed by temp agencies. I'd get in touch with all of the local ones; don't just email in a resume -- call them!
posted by DarlingBri at 3:18 AM on April 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
This work is usually staffed by temp agencies. I'd get in touch with all of the local ones; don't just email in a resume -- call them!
posted by DarlingBri at 3:18 AM on April 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Parking lot cashier, ideal is a garage that's open late but not all night. Security desk, or Info-desk; trick is finding a business that closes long enough after your day job that there's a decent shift non-overnight length that you're available for.
Agreed to talk to a temp agency, that would be a good way to try a few things, and can have a lot of flexibility
posted by aimedwander at 8:18 AM on April 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
Agreed to talk to a temp agency, that would be a good way to try a few things, and can have a lot of flexibility
posted by aimedwander at 8:18 AM on April 4, 2019 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by wats at 6:21 PM on April 3, 2019