When to raise part-time request in recruitment process?

[EndlessDust]

Hi all,

I’m applying for a role, and hopeful I’ll get an interview. It’s very similar to my current role which I do as 4 days, but the new role is advertised as full time but I am fairly confident it could be done in 4.

Assuming I progress through the recruitment process, at what stage would you ask if it can be structured as 4 days per week?

I read on here once about asking for p/t in the cover letter so as not to waste your or the employers time. It worked for me.

I would email separately and ask whether they would consider it. When I was looking for a new job I did this and did get a few people say no, so I didn't waste my time applying. I did ask at interview stage once and was swiftly rejected!

Before interview so as not to waste anybody's time.
Tbh, whether you're confident the job could be done in 4 days or not, please don't word it like that or you'll raise more than one eyebrow.

Yes agree! I would definitely be more diplomatic than that when asking! I obviously can’t assume it is definitely the case until I know more.

I just wondered if if was better to get them invested in me first if this isn’t something they’d considered before

It is a full time job so recruiter will want person full time. They may consider part time job share but that is more likely to be 3 and 2 day or x2 2.5 day share. Some jobs aren't about getting everything done in a certain timeframe, they're also about being there if needed for other matters that might arise.

I have only worked part-time for the last 15 years. None of the roles I've been offered in that time were advertised as part time. If you ask pre-application it's really easy for people to dismiss the request out of hand.

I have never asked prior to being offered an interview at the very earliest, and the last time was during the interview. IMVHO it's worth showing the employer through your application or interview that you're an outstanding candidate that they might just wish to be flexible for. I've never insisted on a particular work pattern or suggested that the job can be done in less, but highlighted that I'm currently working part time and would be very interested to discuss what level of flexibility might be available.

I'm aware that it might be annoying to some recruiters when a job really cannot be done other than as advertised, but the degree of success I've had in carving out part time posts suggests that some recruiters need a bit of a nudge to think more creatively.

We had someone join as a full timer in a full time role. Very quickly she wanted part time which was not an option in the role. She tried to claim discrimination as she was a parent but that failed as she had accepted a full time role. It was horrid and a big waste of everyone's time.
Please ask at the outset.

If those are the hours and working days they want I don't think being invested in you will change that. Unless you have a very niche expertise and it's that kind of specialist role, or they are really struggling to fill the role and have been attempting to for a while, then maybe but still unlikely and also unlikely the interviewer will have the authority to change the role without consulting with his/her senior managers if it is a larger business or a company.

I would just have been clear up front and asked that they retain my CV and interest should they change their mind or have a rethink on the contracted hours. There's no point wasting people's time and interviews do soak up a lot of time. I'd be unhappy and have a negative impression if someone went through the interview process and suddenly revealed they couldn't or didn't actually want to do the advertised hours all along, especially if they thought they knew better than me/us how long the task takes. I'd feel I'd dodged a bullet I think!

Not saying you'll present it quite that way OP and I hope you get what you're after but I still think it's best to be honest or look for a job with hours offered that you have availability for.

To add slightly more context, it’s a tiny company (c.12 people) and the role is quite niche and very senior, and being recruited for and will report to the Board of Directors, so they will definitely have the authority to make this decision. This is the same setup as my current situation and without wishing to be outing I don’t think it needs to be full time necessarily (although I could be wrong).

I am surprised so many people have encountered roles which are impossible to do flexibly/part time.

So many people haven't.
There are lots of part-time and flexible jobs out there. Advertised as such.

My question wasn’t ‘can this role be done part-time?’ because none of us can answer that.

It was simply when to raise it and I have had some helpful advice. I also found this guidance which suggested waiting until at least interview or offer stage to avoid being written off:

Working mums guidance