AIBU?
AIBU to rant about the lack of quality part-time jobs and the ignorance of managers
nickEcave · 23/06/2017 11:45
I work part-time for University in an administrative role and I am at the top of my pay scale. I've been waiting several years for a part-time job at the next level to come up. Every time a full-time job comes up I contact the Manager for that job and ask if I can apply but do the job part-time/flexibly and each time they say something along the lines of "this post needs to be full-time because we are a busy department etc etc.".
Last week I had an interview for a part-time job at the next level. I didn't get the job but the feedback from the recruiting manager was that I gave an excellent interview but that the field was outstanding. He then went on to express his surprise at the quality of the field and admitted that he hadn't want to create a part-time role because he couldn't be sure of the quality of the applicants. This is a senior manager in a world-class university who cannot see that there might be a pool of talent out there that can't work full-time. I fucking despair!
HollaHolla · 23/06/2017 12:42
I'm a senior manager in University professional services, and have regularly made P/T roles available (in fact, I have two out to advert at the moment!)
However, some roles really do need F/T cover. For example, if there is enough work to fill a full week, then that is what the role requires. I do have two people working F/T flexibly, however - compressed hours/9 day fortnights/early starts & finishes to fit with caring responsibilities, etc.
I think the issue is potentially more about the roles you're possibly going for? It might be more flexibly received if you're looking at roles in a team, where others are also doing a similar job - there's more chance of some flexibility in those. Also, how P/T are you looking for? If it's 3-4 days, then there's nothing to stop you asking if F/T roles would be considered on a P/T basis. Even better, if you knew someone else in the same situation who was seeking a job-share, then there's another option.
Maybe time to think slightly more creatively. Good luck!
nickEcave · 23/06/2017 12:58
The roles I am looking for are all in teams - they are generally Programme Administrator roles in large academic departments. Unfortunately only one or two a year are advertised as part-time and the competition is extremely high as there are large numbers of highly (often overly) qualified women with caring responsibilities working in HE admin. I do think it's a particular issue with my university as I have seen more part-time administrative roles advertised at other universities. I am also aware that managers are unwilling to offer a role as part-time if they have funding for a full-time post as the unspent funding will be clawed back and then the post will have to become permanently part-time.
Scentofwater · 23/06/2017 12:59
Yanbu. I'm in the process of leaving a ft job at a university because I just can't do ft any more (physically, mentally, childcare etc).
I've suggested job share, all sorts of things, everyone else in team is part time and so they use that as an excuse for why my job can't be pt. I can't even have any of the flexible working arrangements the rest of the team have.
It's a joke. A new pt role in my team has even been recruited for while I was on mat leave but no one thought to tell me.
I don't know what I'll do, but thanks to having a baby I've now been forced out of a job I've worked hard at for many years and realistically I'm not going to be able to find a pt equivalent.
Groupie123 · 23/06/2017 14:05
Are you a PMO? If so many large change programmes don't like to recruit key timers for visible roles simply because it gets political when they aren't there (remember nobody really likes change, they endure it, and so very senior people will often pick on or create issues with the change team itself - telling the manager that his staff are never there is a good one). It's not fair but that's what happens across project/programme/change management. Also the most important PMO skills can't be taught and are often innate, so often it's a field dominated by cheap graduate/off-shore labour.
My advice is to either get upskilled and move towards a bau role. Or start looking at building up your hours with the view to moving part time.
nickEcave · 23/06/2017 14:19
I hear you scent. The same thing happened to me when I worked in local government 10 years ago. I went on maternity leave with my first child, having informally discussed part-time working with my manager. When I returned from maternity leave there had been a restructure and my new manager wouldn't consider anything other than full-time working so I felt forced to leave. I was fortunate to get an equivalent level part-time job elsewhere although I was later made redundant from that during my second maternity leave (that's a whole other story!)
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