Should I apply for this job? Cover letter help if so

[Peanutbutterblood]

Morning everyone. I was made redundant at the start of covid. I've been training so that I can enter a new role.

I've seen a job advertised which would be great but it's full time and right now I can only work part time due to my children. I'm definitely not considering full time work. However, these rules dont come up very commonly (I'm northern, rural) and this firm has advertised this role twice in the last year which makes me think they haven't found the right person or their workload is increasing.

I'm thinking of applying anyway and mentioning in my covering letter that I'm looking for part time work even though the advertised role is full time

Is it pointless me applying? If I was to give it a shot could someone here please help me with the wording re part time for my cover letter?

Apply but ask if there is an option for part time or condensed hours?

How part-time? You can generally negotiate 4 days but 3 or less I would say in your covering letter that you are looking for a job share

Thank you for the replies, it would be for 3 max right now, until next Sept. Job share sounds like the right route to go down. I'm generally good with cvs and cover letter so I dont know why I'm stressing so much about the wording of this

I think it is fine to write and say you’re part time - worst that can happen is they say no!

I am a recruitment manager and wouldn’t bat an eyelid at this. I have also done this before myself, including the job I am in today. I think some people will probably say no, you should never do this... but you don’t want to work for those people, as you need some flexibility, so it could be a good thing to get it out of the way early here and as you say, maybe they’ve not found someone if they are readvertising. In my current job I didn’t tell them I was looking for part time till after the offer, because the employer was clear they don’t want anything related to bias/discrimination brought up in the early stages, but I think some people see this as cardinal sin type time wasting. Hardly any jobs are advertised as flexible so you have to take the punt, in my opinion.

If you don't ask, you won't get.
Go for it.

Sell yourself strongly in the first part of the letter and mentioned the part time later. Dont start your letter with "i am writing to apply...". Keep it to one page.

Dear Hiring Manager

I am an experienced and skilled ADD PROFESSION HERE with X years of experience delivering outstanding work in ADD RELEVANT STUFF FROM JOB DESCRIPTION HERE.

ADD A PARAGRAPH OR TWO HERE LINKING YOUR EXPERIENCE TO THEIR JOB AD. USE THEIR WORDS FROM THE AD FOR YOUR SKILLS.

The JOB ROLE NAME role is an excellent match for my skills and I'm would be very interested in having a discussion on how I could add value to COMPANY NAME. I am immediately available and could fill this role on a part time or job share basis. I would be happy to explore how we could fit this working pattern to your requirements.

Yours faithfully

I would call to ask 'informally' rather than mention it in a cover letter.

That way you can (hopefully!) make a good impression which might make them more inclined to look on your application positively. If they're not willing to take someone PT, ask to be considered if anything else comes up and save yourself the time of applying for something you're not going to get.

I'd also consider that they might remember you negatively in the future of you applied again, "I remember that name, wasn't she the one who asked for PT even though the role clearly said FT?" etc