To ask about flexible working hours at an interview?

[lilyb84]

At my current job I work through lunch so I can fit in my 7-7.5 hour day and still do childcare drop offs and pick ups. I have an interview this week - is it appropriate to ask then about the employer's flexible working arrangements or is that something you bring up if you're offered the role?

I wouldn't be able to do the job if I didn't have some flexibility as I live and work in London and the commute is too long and unpredictable. It's an office job, so no shifts, 35 hours a week.

I would expect to ask questions about flex time, core hours, compressed work week, etc at an interview. This is your chance to see if the job is a good fit for you as well as them seeing if you're a good fit for the job.

Interestingly in a career development talk by a senior leader (male) addressed at women, his advice was not to bring it up st his stage.

He commented that it's something he generally sees as one of the main differences between men and women in recruiting. Women will often get in touch in advance and be almost apologetic about needling flexible hours whereas men view it as a detail to be worked out in negotiation.

I think the legal requirement is 20mins after 6hrs non stop. I work 8am til 2pm with no breaks and as i sit in an office can still eat lunch but work while doing so.if i went for a job now it would def be something id ask.

I can work while eating soup. I read stuff. I put my spoon down to type if required and when it's cool enough I drink it. It's not really that much more than drinking tea or eating a sandwich.

People are entitled to comfort breaks and if you are using a PC you are supposed to get away from your desk regularly.

I'm sure there are people that take the piss, but eating whilst working isn't impossible.

I've been told the same cazzyg, by senior women!
Currently trying it...

Though atm I'm getting people asking me if I'd consider X job on Y salary and I'm saying "depends how many days you want me for, but I could do that job in 4 days a week and we'd all be happy"...fingers crossed...

My working hours are 7.5 per day and we have to swipe in and out at the start/end of the day and for lunch. We get 30 mins deducted for lunch if we don't swipe out. Legal requirement.

The legal requirement is 20 minutes.

I work flexibly in a male dominated environment. I absolutely agree with cazzyg

Women will often get in touch in advance and be almost apologetic about needling flexible hours whereas men view it as a detail to be worked out in negotiation.

Flexible working is a negotiating point when they already want you. Unless your job is somehow time critical then it's always up for negotiation. You don't mention it unless they do or they've already decided they want you and you are negotiating T&Cs.

Don't explain why you need it either. They don't have to know that it's for childcare. It could be for your band rehearsals or study time for your masters or mentoring disadvantaged children or for your pro bono work with startup companies or charities.

Think like a man on this one. How much time is your DH spending agonising about how he will negotiate flexible working when he's going for his next job?

Be prepared to do the official full time hours in the office with lunch break at first while they get to know you. DH being out of work is perfect for you here. Once they know you aren't a pisstaker then flexible working will be easy to arrange, it has always been for me anyway (within a matter of weeks). It can be easier to sort with your line manager than HR anyway.

I bring something easy to eat, or have a simple soup to heat (takes me 2 mins to do that and 2 mins to wash up, not half an hour?!). I've always eaten lunch while working, it's just now I'm not giving an hour of my free time to do so

Interesting to know cazzy!

*I think the legal requirement is 20mins after 6hrs non stop.
You're wrong. If you work more than 6 hours entitled to a 20 minute unpaid break at some point during your working day. Doesn't have to be after 6 hours.

Be prepared to do the official full time hours in the office with lunch break at first while they get to know you. DH being out of work is perfect for you here. Once they know you aren't a pisstaker then flexible working will be easy to arrange,

Not always. I've just taken a job in a business which is 9-5:30. I get a 1 hour lunch. As I'm a HR manager responsible for 700+ staff I have to be there when they are!

Isn't it - completely changed my perspective!

There's a difference to being legally entitled to a break and legally obliged to take one. Your employer has to allow you to take it, and should encourage you to, but you don't have to. Some contracts might say you do though.

I've asked twice in interviews, for a 4 day week when job was full time. Both times they agreed. I'd ask at the interview.

fiorentina that's good to know!

My current job was full time, after they'd offered it to me I asked if I could do it 4 days a week. If they'd said no I might still have taken it but I always wait until they've decided they want me before I start being all awkward and demanding!

OP, I really think it depends on the organisation. I got a new job at the end of my first mat leave, and I asked for flexible working at my interview. They wanted me badly enough that I got offered the job and then we negotiated on the details and we both came away happy. During my second mat leave I got a completely new boss, and again he agreed to my requests. However in both cases I did my research - I talked to people I knew in the company and who knew my new boss so I could pitch my requests properly. If you don't know anyone at this company then I would definitely ask a 'what's the work culture like" type question at the interview stage, and if they look like they may be receptive then just go for it.

However I also agree with cazzyg to a certain extent - some companies and industries are pretty rubbish at flexible working and asking for it at interview stage could mark you down.

The thing to remember though is the interview is also YOUR chance to find out whether you'd want to work for them, so unless you're pretty desperate for a new job at all costs, then use it to find out as much as you can about them.

Good luck!

My DH recently got a new job. I work shifts so he can't really do so too because of childcare difficulties (part of the reason he left his old job was shift work). Whenever he was invited to an interview he clarified the working hours beforehand and asked about flexibility for childcare. It never seemed to put employers off and he was lucky enough to be offered several jobs.

I'd ask only after I was offered the job. Like a PP said it's a detail to be negotiated. Find out if they want you first, and get the interview practice in too.

If you ask for flexible hours and don't get the job you'll never know why. If you don't get it you can at least hopefully get some honest feedback to help you for the next job.

If you do get offered it then start negotiating!

Re: lunch I am forced to take an hour as my employers want me there at the beginning and end of the day. So I am told 9-4 with an unpaid hour for lunch. If it's a horrible wet day and no one is around to have lunch with or if I have a rush on I often go back to my desk only having had half an hour and start working. When I was training this new employee the other week I had a dental appointment at 12 so I left at 11:50. She was going out the office to heat her soup as I left. When I returned at 12:40 and started working as my phone was ringing she was nowhere to be seen, she came back into the office 2 minutes before 1pm. I am not a jobs worth but a little pissed off at her antics (that was day two). Fortunately I haven't spent a full day with her since.

Agree. Get the offer then negotiate. If they like you they should consider it. Mentioning at interview weakens you. You only need one person on the panel to mark you down for it (they'd use another excuse).

I love people who work flexibly and I'm in arts marketing. Though sexism is everywhere. Put yourself in the driving seat by being offered the job first! Good luck.

All depends on on the employer I suppose. In my current job I did ask at interview for flexible hours and was quite honest about what I could and couldn't do. This was because I thought my house sale was going to fall through and I would only take this job if I did move. Turns out I did move and got exactly the hours I wanted.

I'd suggest that you get the job, use your husband's current flexibility to make it work for the first couple of months and then ask. Asking when you've wowed them in the role is a million times easier.

Talk about it after the interview. Or ask obliquely about hours and flexibility at the end of the interview.

If you have a partner you surely only need flexibility at the start or end of the day anyway? Unless there's a specific reason why you need to be there for 8.30 I can't see why it would be an issue tbh.

I've always asked at the end when there's questions 'so you've asked a lot about what I can offer you, could you tell me, what your company offers to its employees and why I should take this job if offered it?'. It's a chance for them to sell themselves to you as an employer and will hopefully open up comments about flexible hours etc. I also like to see them in the hotspot for a bit! Employment it a two way street as far as I'm concerned. You need to see if they suit you as well as the other way around.