Job interview

[eatsleepwinerepeat]

Have an intro call (on teams) with a company based in London for a fairly senior role. The job description did not mention remote/hybrid/onsite working and I have no desire to go into London 5 days a week. Would you bring up home working at the call stage or as others have suggested wait until further along in the process, on the basis that if they want me they'll be flexible?

Would it be a deal breaker if they need you in the office 5 days a week? If so, I think it's worth asking early. You don't have to come straight out with asking if you can WFH. Maybe try asking how they've managed returning to the office since the disruption of covid? Or just an open question like Do most employees work full-time from the office or are there still people working from home some days? Slot it in with a few other questions about company culture if you're worried it will put them off.

Thanks for your reply. Yes, sadly it would be a dealbreaker; I'm a single mum, and my daughter's child care ends at 6pm so I'd never get back in time. A couple of times a week I could arrange for further care but wouldn't want her in childcare until 7pm 5 days a week. There's also the travel costs to consider. I'll approach it in the way you've mentioned, and then start looking nearer to home if it doesn't work out. Thanks again.

I would have asked if it was an option at application stage to be honest. If it's not mentioned on the ad/job description I would assume it's office based.

However, as you haven't already asked I'd probably wait until offer stage now. As you say, if they've already decided they want you they might be more open to it. Most people normally advise asking about flexibility at offer stage or this reason. But this is normally in terms of reduced hours/flexible start and finish time. I think asking for a role to be fully remote, when they've not indicated it as an option might be a bit much.

If after the process, they want you, and you want the job, you both might be more open to finding a way to make it work. 1-2 days in the office and the rest from home.

glassfully's suggestion of asking about how they've managed the return to office and whether the wider team is home/office based could be a good idea.

As someone who works in HR I am experiencing that it is more and more common for it to be a deal breaker if there is no WFH included in the role. We also have candidates simply asking is there any WFH included or what is the balance of hybrid working. We aren't finding this a 'strange' thing for people to be asking so you don't need to worry about framing the question in a long winded way if you don't want to.

I would mention at the end of the first interview over teams as a question, if it hasn't been mentioned already. Please do not wait until the offer stage if hybrid/wfh is a deal breaker for you. It just wastes everyone's time and the interviewer/company end up frustrated if it doesn't work out because of things that could have been cleared up earlier in the process.

I would be trying to network with someone in the business to find out what their working culture is like? Do you have any third connections, ie a connection that can intro you to someone to find out?

Is this call an intro call with HR or the hiring manager? I'd at least be sounding them out about working culture/flexibility but not at this stage state what your needs are.

You should get the jist based on if they are 'bums on seats' 5 days per week or work hybrid.

Aside from your specific needs as a single parent, a lot of candidates are asking about this atm. I don't think it will make you stand out in a negative way if you word things well.

It's unusual for a job advert / description not to have a location on it?

@poopaloobop it's a very well known venue. I work in marketing, so no real need to be on site, and it wasn't indicated.

They do want all staff onsite full time (possibly 1 day WFH) regardless of position or function. I didn't bail, but I will do if I'm offered a more formal interview. Shame, would have been a great move for me and one I could have added a lot of value in.

Thanks for all your replies.