Job interview- when to ask about home working?

[icebearforpresident]

I’ve got a job interview next week, the role is full time and ‘predominantly’ office based. I applied as I’m available for full time work but with childcare etc could only do the commute 3 times a week, so would be looking to work from home the other 2 days.

I’ve now been invited for interview and want to discuss what predominantly actually means, I don’t want to waste their time or mine if they mean you get to work from home for a few hours on a Friday afternoon but neither do I want to put myself on the back foot before I’ve even met them. Should I ask the question now, I need to respond to the email with my appointment, or wait until the interview and have hopefully impressed them?

I don't know but am applying for a job and will be in the same situation if I get offered an interview!

Wait for interview, it will come up naturally or when they ask if you have any questions. If the hours don’t work for you you haven’t wasted time, you’ve made a connection and could ask them to keep you on file if things change and you’ve had interview practice.

I would wait until the interview. They might explain it, and if not you'll have the opportunity to ask what they mean by "predominantly" office based in their advert. But I wouldn't say then that you can only do 3 days a week. Wait and see if they offer you the job and then negotiate if 3 days is less than they expect. But be willing to be more flexible when you first start as there might be training and meetings etc that you need to attend in person.

I would understand that to mean they want you in the office most of the time tbh, with maybe one day a fortnight at home. I think 3 days in the office and two at home would be called hybrid working.

I agree with this 'predominantly' means 'mainly, for the most part'

I wouldn't consider this as a potential hybrid role.

You can definitely ask though. I'd do it before interview and make sure I'm not wasting anyone's time.

There's no point trying to second guess what they mean by this, everyone has different definitions and what happens in practice can often vary from official policy.

It could also be the case that you'll need to be in the office full time at the beginning, before being able to WFH more when you're up to speed with the job.

Agree with PP; ‘predominantly’ would be mostly office based.

3 days in the office, 2 days at home would be ‘hybrid’

It’s a completely acceptable question to ask though, good luck!

• at my organisation, this should read

Just say, I'm ideally looking for 2 days per week wfh (can offer examples how you have made it work , kept up productivity etc) can you see that working ?

An interview is never a waste of your time because it's good practice no matter how many you've done before.

It may come up naturally in conversation so you can bring it up then or you can do really well and they want you enough to offer and you can negotiate it in.

I'd wait until you're offered the job. If they offer you the position then they obviously think you're the best person for role so may be willing to be more flexible in order to secure you. Good luck!

Not many places allow work from home for childcare. My work is fully from home, but they require evidence / confirmation of childcare for children younger than junior school age.

Absolutely wait and ask when it's any questions time. I assume wfh need is more about the commute time than working while looking after children.

Hi OP

Wait until questions time and ask a few questions regarding benefits and working culture - ask them what their flexible working policy is. DO NOT say 'Oh because I have childcare and can only do 3 days'. Let them tell you it and then you can decide if it will work for you or not. For me, its not just about being able to work from home to save commute time but also about having autonomy with my working hours.
It shouldnt be a barrier but all it takes is one uppity recruiting manager to silently mark your card for potential childcare issues.

Wait until the interview- likely they’ll bring it up, or you can ask at the end along with any other questions.

totally agree with PP, don’t say ‘I can only do this because of kids’, just ask what the hybrid working arrangements are in the company / team

I'm pretty sure this isn't what the OP is implying.

I imagine the child is in nursery/school 5 days a week. But the length of the commute means the poster can't make it to pick up in time. Maybe their OH can cover the pick on 3 days a week but on the other two they need to WFH so they can make pick up on time

Go to the interview.

If they don't mention it then when they ask if you have questions say 'What the teams working set up like? Is everyone in the office on the set days?'

That way it is not phrased as 'how often can I work from home?' and you might get some insight into if anyone else in the team has a flexible working arrangement.

If their answer doesn't work for what you need, and they want to proceed with your application, just explain.

Personally, I've been 100% honest and said that I have childcare until 6pm, I've got family that can cover 3 days. But on the other 2days I'd need to either work from home or leave the office at 4.30pm to make sure I'm there for pick up.

Ask at the interview and make a decision from there. Absolutely don’t wait until you’re offered the role, that is appalling advice. I sense that if the wfh arrangements don’t suit you then you wouldn’t be able to take the role so best to know that rather than waste people’s time.

Definitely wait until a suitable moment on the interview.

When I had my current job interview a few months ago, I phrased the question as "how has office attendance been since Covid", and let them do the talking.

I now work from home 1 or 2 days per week, and in the days I'm in the office I leave at 4.30pm, and complete a bit of extra work once the DC are sleeping.

Our local authority advertise roles as "predominantly office based" - they've twice offered me a role then refused WFH completely. I only asked for half a day!

just tread carefully OP! You'll gauge a good time to ask in or post interview 😊

I would ask at the interview "when you say predominantly office based. How much wfh were you anticipating"

You need to set your job search for hybrid roles because that will involve a mix of few days wfh.

There's loads of hybrid jobs in the charity sector, just set the the filter to hybrid.

https://www.charityjob.co.uk/

Wait until the interview.

See if they mention it.

If they don't, ask during the question period.

Say it nicely, how does the WFH approach work??

If the conversation goes further, you could say that flexibility on occasional WFH is a priority for you.

Thanks all, I will wait until the interview and go from there.

To be clear, my kids are in school so I’m not having to look after them and work at the same time, it’s between 3-5pm 2 days a week where I have an issue. I currently work 2 half days a week so it would be someone to pick up that extra time. We live around the corner from the school so if I was able to do some home working the kids could walk themselves home and keep themselves entertained with minimal supervision while I work to 5pm. There are no external childcare alternatives (and I do mean no alternatives not just I haven’t look hard enough at childminders etc, they physically aren’t here) so if I have to commute 5 days a week then my mother in law is the one picking up the slack, which means she would be in her 70’s and looking after 4 kids under 10, including a 2 year old, 5 days a week (she also cares for my niece and nephew).