Part-time Employees

[mum2chalkandcheese]

I'm interested in hear where other part-time working parents work - what types of jobs/roles/industries etc.

I currently work part-time (28hrs per week) in a job that I truly hate. I've recently started job searching with a view to doing something more serious about it in the next month or so. My difficulty is that it seems almost impossible to find part-time work which is a similar grade/salary to my current situation. I don't mind taking a bit of a pay cut to get a foot in the door of a different company and would be happy to up my hours a little but all I seem to see is adverts for retail, call centres, receptionists, teaching assistants etc. Absolutely nothing wrong with any of these areas but I know I'm capable of more senior roles and have spent the last couple of years working towards my Masters.

It would be interesting to hear how others have found their part-time jobs and whether some industries or employers consider part-time hours more than others. I know there are some websites who concentrate on part-time, more senior, positions but these seem to concentrate on the South East locations and bigger cities which isn't an option for me.

[chanie44]

I work in the public sector and pretty much all of our jobs are advertised as full time.

Part timers generally are staff who have previously been full time and asked for flexible working.

If you see an interesting full time role, you could always ask I'd they would be willing to consider part time hours.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I work for a small business (10 people) on a 1/4FTE contract, hours flexible. My DH knows my boss and put a word in for me. Nearly everyone I know who managed to start a job as a p/timer works for a small business and/or found the job via networking rather than advertising. I have noticed amongst friends that once they get established in p/t roles their bosses quite often start leaning on them to do more hours though.

[EthelredOnAGoodDay]

Same as chanie, I work in public sector (local govt) and my job was full time but asked for PT hours after DD was born. Because this coincided with my department looking to make cost savings my post was reduced on the establishment to a .6 job. So now if I wanted to return to FT working, I would need to look for another job.

[kirrinIsland]

I'm also public sector and dropping from F/T to P/T is pretty common and widely acceptable - especially in the current climate. It would be harder to get those hours back though.

I have just got a job that was advertised as F/T and then requested P/T hours, which was accepted. There were some circumstances around that but it's probably worth a try - especially in Public Sector or companies that make a big deal of their flexible working policies.

[MrsHiddleston]

Same as chanie (NHS)... I was a full timer and asked to return 3 days a week. I did then change hospitals and applied for an advertised full time position (I phoned first and explained that I wanted part time and would only apply if they could consider this) and they happily also accepted my application and took me on part time.

[Summer115]

I found my part-time job near my colleague. It's very convenient for me.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I should add to this, that my job is one requiring a degree and many years experience and is paid accordingly (I have no managerial responsibility though). I do have other friends that have managed to find p/t jobs in their former professions (scientist, accountant, journalist etc). However as I said in my first post, they are generally found by networking not advertising, it's a case of small businesses needing a bit of specialist help in an area and knowing somebody who would fit the role.

My boss never advertises vacancies as part time even though he is amenable to p/t work. Most job-hunters do still want full time work and to advertise for p/t might put a lot of people off, also there is a perception that the people who would apply for a p/t advert are just people who are desperate for part time work regardless of suitability (frrom my own experience this is probably true).

[CreatureRetorts]

Yes apply for full time but check if they'd take full time.

[mum2chalkandcheese]

Thanks for all your comments. As I expected it seems those positions which are part-time and are heading in the direction of senior roles come about by chance rather than someone actively advertising the fact they could be part-time.

I guess it's worth asking if advertised full-time positions would be considered as part-time. As they say "if you don't ask you don't get".