Time means money

Waiting for the dream job? Use your down time productively, writes ALICE SHOPLAND.

Your dream job doesn't always fall into your lap straight away. Rather than just waiting around if you're between jobs or waiting on "The One", make use of the time to try something different.

You'll broaden your skills and experience, keep earning and occupied, and maybe discover you'd like to strike out in a whole new direction.

Cathy Klouwens went off to England with a graduate diploma in parks, recreation and tourism management and two years of work experience.

Because she wanted to be free to travel, she enrolled with an agency caring for older people.

Her first job was just for a weekend, minding a woman called Molly at Hampton Court Palace.

When she returned from travelling, Molly needed a new full-time caregiver.

Klouwens lived in for eight months, until Molly needed to move into a nursing home.

"It was hard work", Klouwens says. "You only got one day off a week, and then it was only until about 8pm. But being with Molly gave me a new perspective on life, and I saved money because I didn't have time to spend it"!

Klouwens did manage to fit in some volunteer work, showing tourists around the palace and taking children around environmental trails at a nearby park.

And she says those experiences helped her secure a job at London's Museum of Natural History. Now she is environmental care coordinator for the Auckland Regional Council, liaising with voluntary groups in the community.

Theresa Jones had done office work before her two children were born - but that wasn't an option when a difficult marriage break-up meant she suddenly needed work flexible enough to accommodate her children.

For the past three years Jones has worked as a merchandiser for Fieldforce, a recruitment agency specialising in retail.

Merchandisers visit stores on behalf of suppliers, ensuring their products are tidy, topped up and making the most of their allotted shelf space.

Jones says she works a minimum of five to 10 hours a week, and up to 30 hours - and she's always able to take school holidays off.

"I like the independence this gives me - so long as the work gets done, the timing isn't vital", she says.

"I've learned to deal with a huge range of people in a tactful way, and it's given me a good insight into retail. My next step will probably be becoming a sales rep".

You could be:-

* A bus driver.

All Stagecoach drivers are initially employed on a part-time basis.

You need good English, and to have held a full Class 1 car licence for at least two years. Stagecoach trains successful applicants to gain the required Class 2 bus-driving licence and Passenger Endorsement licence.

You should be: well-presented, friendly, able to handle money, service-oriented.

The current hourly rate is $12.69 and there are vacancies throughout Auckland

Contact: Stagecoach recruitment training coordinator, phone 373-9089, email work@stagecoach.co.nz or visit the Stagecoach website.

* A call centre worker.

Call centres are experiencing huge growth thanks to companies shedding staff and outsourcing work wherever possible. Most casual work is outbound (telemarketing, telesales and surveys).

Barbara Joyce of specialist agency CallCentre People says many people don't like the idea of selling, but it's a real life skill.

You need: computer literacy and easily understandable New Zealand English. You should be bubbly, talkative and confident. The current hourly rate with CallCentre People is $12.50, but if you're good at sales, get commission work. A huge amount of work is available.

Contact: CallCentre People, phone 913-4444.

* A courier.

Requirements vary from company to company, and according to whether they offer a point-to-point (sprint) or depot-based service.

Mike Marsters says to work with his Under Hour Xpress you need a white hatchback, stationwagon or van registered no earlier than 1993, an radio telephone, pager, uniform and some stationery.

If you buy the RT and pager second-hand that all might set you back about $700.

You need a goods and service drivers' licence.

You should be organised - drivers are paid according to the number of jobs they do and the number of zones, similar to bus fare stages.

You could earn an average of $3500 a month, up to about $5500 a month. There's plenty of work.

Contact: Under Hour Xpress, phone 813-4687.

* A merchandiser or demonstrator.

Anne Barrowclough, managing director of retail support agency Fieldforce, says hours are flexible, demand is high, and many people have found it a good way of easing themselves back into the workforce and gaining confidence.

For product demonstration you need excellent communication skills, empathy and credibility with the target market, and for merchandising, an eye for detail.

Both require high standards of personal presentation. You could earn $10 $12 an hour.

Contact: Fieldforce, phone 815-5903.

* A postie.

Peter Fenton, general manager of postal delivery for NZ Post, says he's always on the lookout for posties, especially in Auckland. You need a reasonable command of English and good customer focus. You should be honest, reliable, fit and able to ride a bike. You could earn $10.76 an hour base rate, plus allowances.

Contact: NZ Post, Auckland deliveries recruitment, phone 367-9646

* A taxi driver.

Setting yourself up as a taxi driver could cost at least $1500, but if you put the hours in you can earn good money, says a spokesperson for the Taxi Training Centre. You need to have held a New Zealand drivers' licence for two years and gain a P class licence - the area knowledge certificates you gain will determine which companies you can drive for. To own your own taxi you also need a Transport Service Licence.

You could earn $500 - $1000 a week, depending on how hours you work. Companies are screaming for drivers at weekends.

Contact: Taxi Training Centre, phone 520-4776.