I work part time for a staffing agency. There is no safe job, as far as I can tell. People who bought into the "diploma mill" schools to ride out the downturn are now finding out that most medical billing is outsourced, and jobs for massage therapists are nearly non-existant, adding to the competition for any existing jobs. Unemployment is running out for the people who have had it for two years straight. Some days the desperation is nearly overwhelming.
If you have a job, hang in there. You can still update your resume and start looking, but if you quit or resign, chances of getting unemployment are slim to none. How long can you afford to hold out? The savings goes, the 401K gets cashed in for living expenses, and there are no assurances of economic recovery coming soon (where I am).
Part-time jobs do not pay enough for full-time bills, but subsistance is a big step up from some of the alternatives. The fact that they are keeping you means you must be doing something right!