Virtually every school district in the United States has a way for substitute teachers to work while waiting for a job. The most basic background for some of these positions simply requires a high school diploma. You may also need to attend a one- or two-day training session after which you'll be awarded a substitute teacher certificate. Pay scales for these jobs tend to correspond with a prospective employee's educational background. People with college degrees receive more money, for example, than those who do not possess post-secondary schooling.
Employment agencies that specialize in temporary jobs often have short-term work it can offer. Agencies such as Randstand, AppleOne, Adecco, Aerotek and even Manpower provide prospective workers with jobs in such fields as office administration, computers and technology, accounting and general labor. These companies often fill positions on a daily and weekly basis. You simply fulfill the terms of the job placement (i.e., you work however long the position requires -- one day or one week, for example). You can work multiple short-term positions while waiting for a job, too.
Bartenders and servers tend to have a lot of opportunity to make cash with short-term training (usually one to two weeks). Service occupations and cash-oriented jobs such as these may also afford a lot of leeway and freedom. Servers with very little formal education who work in high-end restaurants may even make hundreds of dollars a day, but they often must have years of prior experience. According to the U.S. Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment is "expected to be abundant for food and beverage workers through 2018." While the job outlook and earning potential are favorable for bartenders and servers, it offers little long-term security in contrast to other full-time employment -- the work is also physically demanding, too.
Many working parents need a babysitter or tutor for their children. Babysitting may not afford you too much money right away; once you establish a reputation among a community, you could see some increase in revenue. Tutors may make a better wage per hour, but the employment is often sporadic. In many circumstances, you do not need a formal certification to become a tutor; most communities require a prospective tutor only have a college degree. According to Payscale.com, annual salaries for tutors range from $18,234 to $75,428, as of April, 2011.