Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To apply for a full time job knowing I only can work part time?

70 replies

Dinoswearunderpants · 07/12/2022 10:43

I'm curious to hear your opinions. I work in finance and working four full days per week with a Monday off work.

I'm considering looking for a new role however all are advertised as full time.

It's a candidates market right now and I wondered whether to simply apply for roles that are FT then after the interview, explain I need PT.

I feel a lot of roles could be done over 4 days instead of 5 but it's just easier for companies to advertise FT.

I could speak to some recruiters and explain I'm looking for PT. I'm just wondering whether to be upfront from the start or go through interviews with a hope of being successful then explain I'd like four days.

WWYD?

OP posts:
kegofcoffee · 07/12/2022 10:59

Have you applied directly or through a recruiter?

If it's directly then bring it up before the interview, if it's through an external recruiter then wait until the first interview and bring it up then.

From my experience external recruiters will just say 'sorry it's a full time role' and not even bring it up with the company. Whereas internal recruiters are much more open to putting it forward

ReviewingTheSituation · 07/12/2022 11:01

I don't see why the sector makes a difference - but it's in marketing.

We work VERY flexibly. We did before covid, and even more so now. But we know what the needs of the business are, and how they need to be managed. My point is that a candidate can't look at the JD and decide (as some posters have suggested) that 'it can be done in 4 days'. No, it can't!

By all means ask the question before interview. But don't waste the time of the interviewer(s) (and your own time as well) and get to the end of the process before asking.

RandomBanto · 07/12/2022 11:01

OP you work in finance as do I, jts totally normal in our sector unless you're applying for a really small business role or something that does require an input every single day which is rare.

ReviewingTheSituation · 07/12/2022 11:03

KatyN · 07/12/2022 10:58

It's a legal requirement that they have to consider your application to work part time once you are employed and the responsibility lies with your employer to say why it's not possible.

There was a news article yesterday that the unions are pushing for this at application, with the same reliance on the employer not the employee.

I've also done it multiple times. I work in a very specialised field and part time roles aren't advertised. I'm also brilliant (!!!!) so once recruited it's better to have me 4 days than no days!!
K

The difference here is asking for it at APPLICATION - not at the point of a job offer. 2 different points in the process.

I also get the asking to go PT after starting FT. This has been the case in our organisation. But not every role can support this, and at the point of advertising a job vacancy, the employer knows better than the candidate what they need.

charlotteapples · 07/12/2022 11:05

Having recruited, and also applied for full time jobs but wanting 4 days, I'd say phone the contact at the organisation before application, ask a few questions that shows that you are a viable candidate, then ask about the 4 days. I did this on my current job, and my boss said he'd advertised as full time as he didn't think he'd get someone part time!

ThreeFeetTall · 07/12/2022 11:09

I did this, got offered the role, said I wanted to work 5 days in 4. They said no, I said ok. Walked away. Then they called me back the next week and said yes. It worked fine.
I'd say go for it. People are happy to negotiate for higher salaries but not for different hours.
But obviously they might say no!

OnlyFannys · 07/12/2022 11:09

ReviewingTheSituation · 07/12/2022 10:54

I'm interviewing for a FT role at the moment. And it's FT because I need someone 5 days a week. Just because you think 'lots of jobs can be done in 4 days' it doesn't mean you can look at a job description and decide you know best.

It is taking a lot of time out of my already busy day to interview people (inc all the prep), and then I'll shortlist and do it all again for second interviews. If someone turned around after the interview and said they wanted PT, I'd be mighty pissed off that they had wasted my time.

If you want PT, ask them beforehand if they'd consider it. For the right person, I might consider a couple of shorter days, but I'm advertising for a FT role for good reason.

Rant over.

Completely agree with this (financial services sector)

DarkShade · 07/12/2022 11:11

What about saying at the interview that you would be open to part time or job share? That way if it's possible or convenient then they might offer.

Suedomin · 07/12/2022 11:12

I don't see why you shouldn't apply but you should include on the application form that you can only work 4 days. Most Jon's can be rejigged for the right candidate. And all organisations would prefer to get the best candidate

AtomicRitual · 07/12/2022 11:26

I work in the same sector and agree that it is a candidates market right now.

If you think you would otherwise be excellent for a role, I don't see any issue with applying, but I would suggest being up front and saying "I appreciate this is advertised as a full time role, but I am looking to match my current role of X hours over 4 days per week. I am otherwise very interested in this role and would welcome the opportunity to meet you to discuss it."

It gives the employer the option to consider it, rather than them feeling hoodwinked in to it.

catmum88 · 07/12/2022 11:31

I work in HR and we get this quite a lot. We are a flexible company so try to accommodate people as best we can, to ensure we get the best candidates. I wouldn't drop it in at the end of a process though, be upfront during your first call with them and ask if it's something they will consider.

Picklewicklepickle · 07/12/2022 11:40

It depends on the sector but yes this is how I got my 0.8 FTE job, p/t roles are never advertised in my industry. They are only negotiated at the start or after significant time in the role but still pretty rare and never less than 0.8 in the uk (my German colleague works 0.6).

JonSnowedUnder · 07/12/2022 11:44

I've just applied for an f/t role but put in my covering letter I was only looking part time. I wouldn't wait until interview, having been on the other side it's frustrating not to know prior to the interview so the hiring manager has time to consider whether it's possible. You don't want them to feel like they have wasted their time, even if p/t is a possibility nobody likes being put on the back foot.

Merrow · 07/12/2022 11:47

My DP has successfully done this. Nothing in her industry is ever advertised as part time. One place they were happy with her doing 4 days from the start, another she did 4.5 in 4 and they wanted to review where it was working for everyone after 3 months, and were very clear that it would be a full time role if it wasn't working.

whoamI00 · 07/12/2022 11:57

Go for it. Who knows if the company will accept your suggestion. Good luck.

Silvers11 · 07/12/2022 12:04

Backtoreality1 · 07/12/2022 10:45

Contact them and ask if they would consider part-time or job share. If not then you are not wasting their time. I would be incredibly annoyed to interview someone, find they are the ideal person, and then be told they cannot fulfill the role. It just wastes everyones time.

Totally agree with this. Do not just go for the interview and hope for the best OP. I have interviewed people for jobs and I have put a lot of work into reading their CV's and interviewing them. It's very disrespecting by you of the folks doing the interviewing for one thing

123rd · 07/12/2022 12:09

I applied for a ft role but stated on the application that I would only be able to work 30 hrs. They interviewed me, offered the job and I got to choose my days etc. ( LA so do tend to be flexi)

TheTeddyBears · 07/12/2022 12:16

If it's only to drop a day then it might be ok. If you say at the beginning when applying before interview stage then I think that's ok. I don't think my employer would interview you though when they have candidates that will work 5 days. Maybe it's better to negotiate once u have been offered the job, although I wld be really annoyed if this happened when I was trying to recruit!

One friend went full time and got a new job. Then once she was there for a few months and had proved herself and showed she cld work quickly and therefore had capacity so cld reduce her hours and they let her. She then had 1 day off a week and worked a bit longer on some days but overall still reduced her hours by about 5-6 hrs a week. I think there's a better chance of that but not guaranteed.

WimbyAce · 07/12/2022 12:19

People do this a lot in my place of work so I did it for another company and got an interview. They weren't too pleased at all though in the interview when I said I wanted part time. I guess you need to be very clear on application.

sukiwh · 07/12/2022 12:22

Definitely apply! Organisations are happy to offer higher salaries pro rata to those on fewer hours, which is an added benefit. You can be just as productive in four days as you’ll take full advantage of the natural downtimes where you’re less busy. Also, 4 days is hardly considered PT.

I know my company are happy to consider compressed or fewer hours. All you can do is ask. Definitely wouldn’t consider you a time waster but someone who is ambitious and flexible.

Original poster
Dinoswearunderpants · 07/12/2022 16:08

Really appreciate all the replies.

Mainly it's going through recruiters so I will mention to them my requirements upfront.

OP posts:
Purplechicken207 · 07/12/2022 16:22

Advice I was given by an expert was to do the interview, tell them you can do everything they need in a 4 day week (if you believe that's so) and say you're flexible on which day not to work (assuming it's the same every week iyswim). Confidence, but not arrogance, is the key. Unless of course they need someone available to answer queries every day, in which case not reasonable

Blueyismylife · 07/12/2022 16:29

As an employer if I definitely needed someone full time it would be an annoying waste of my time to interview someone who didn't want FT.

BUT as a candidate I would ask beforehand if it would be considered, nothing to lose.

Also, I've recently gone through a recruitment agency putting out feelers for a new role and told them my ideal days etc and they had a pretty good idea of which companies would be open to changing the role to part time. So that might be worth looking into?

fUNNYfACE36 · 07/12/2022 16:30

I have done this loads of times.Wait till they offer you the job, maybe work a few weeks to prove yourself then discover you can only do PT

Gazelda · 07/12/2022 16:34

Purplechicken207 · 07/12/2022 16:22

Advice I was given by an expert was to do the interview, tell them you can do everything they need in a 4 day week (if you believe that's so) and say you're flexible on which day not to work (assuming it's the same every week iyswim). Confidence, but not arrogance, is the key. Unless of course they need someone available to answer queries every day, in which case not reasonable

That approach would wind me up. How does an applicant know better than the recruiting manager how many hours the role needs. ni twice about offering an interview to someone who I thought had a cocky approach.

Having said that, I recently advertised a FT role. One applicant stood out on paper. I called her to offer an interview and she asked at that point whether PT would be considered. I kept an open mind and we interviewed. She was such a strong candidate that I was prepared to compromise on the hours and she's proved a real asset since she joined the team.