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Original poster

I shouldn't apply for jobs with hours I don't want ...

58 replies

pleasejustgotosleep · 13/01/2023 15:52

Hi all
I've been job hunting for ages. I see a few jobs that I'm interested in but a lot of them are full time and I can't afford full time nursery and after school club so would ideally want a part time post.

My point is. I have been told by quite a few people (even Jobcentre staff) to still apply for these jobs and if/when I get an interview or offer that I should say what hours I want to do and if they like me enough they will negotiate

IMO I don't feel comfortable doing this because I feel like Im wasting the recruiters time.

What do you think? Has that ever worked for you?

OP posts:
GoodVibesHere · 13/01/2023 18:15

TheEverdelightfulsamantha · 13/01/2023 17:32

I applied for a full time job, asked about working three days when they offered me the job, three days wasn’t possible due to volume of work, so we agreed four days compressed into three and a half so I can two two school pick ups - it’s Definitely worth applying and asking

Ah see I would not want to do 4 days compressed into 3, that would be way too much for me to take on. I work very part time so perhaps I'm looking at PT versus FT a bit differently.

Original poster
pleasejustgotosleep · 13/01/2023 18:23

Yes @Ursuala I am a single parent to DS 11 and DD 2.
I get the free 15 hours for her at the moment.

Ideally I would like 3 days 10-4 so I can take DS to school and not have to pay for breakfast club
I'm mostly looking at NHS admin roles which I've had 18 years experience in

OP posts:
Emmalou0607 · 13/01/2023 18:34

Personally I wouldn't. This is based on my own management experience which is in a call centre environment, I appreciate other types of work may be different.

We are open a Monday to Sunday, 24 hours, although the day shifts run 7 - 2300 This is repeated in the job description, during the initial phone interviews with recruitment and then again in the face to face interviews with the managers and explained that shift allocation is based on performance. So every 3 months we stat rank all our colleagues, say there's 100 of them, and our scheduling team produces shifts to cover all the need over the 7 - 2300 Monday - Sunday requirements. If you are top of that star rank based on your results, you'll get the first shift you pick, if you are bottom you will get the last one that's left.

If you've been with the company for 6 months you can then apply for flexible working where you have fixed shifts but the approval of these shifts still have to cover the business needs so always include a portion of weekend and evening hours.

Long explanation to get to the point, the amount of time we spend interviewing and telling people this, investing in getting them trained and onboarded only for them to get their first lot of shifts which are not sociable hours and quit because they can't do those hours is infuriating.

I'd be upfront prior to the interview if you need certain hours. If they don't want part time don't waste their time

Catlover77 · 13/01/2023 21:17

I work in recruitment, do not do this does if the advert does not reference flexible hours. Roles are advertised for the required hours.

bumpytrumpy · 13/01/2023 21:31

pleasejustgotosleep · 13/01/2023 16:08

Oh wow ok. Thank you. I never thought of it like that.
I feel a bit more confident in applying now.
I'm sat in front of the laptop about to apply and just thought oh gosh it's full time but I love the JD and want to apply.
Think I will now 😊

All my jobs have been advertised as full time. Every time I've said at interview I only want 3 /4 days or whatever. It's been fine!

bumpytrumpy · 13/01/2023 21:33

pleasejustgotosleep · 13/01/2023 18:23

Yes @Ursuala I am a single parent to DS 11 and DD 2.
I get the free 15 hours for her at the moment.

Ideally I would like 3 days 10-4 so I can take DS to school and not have to pay for breakfast club
I'm mostly looking at NHS admin roles which I've had 18 years experience in

Ok that's VERY part time, I've never said I can't work full days.

Could you WFH? That would help with school drop and you can still work 9.05-5?

familyconflict · 13/01/2023 22:07

I applied for a FT job about 13 years ago returning to work after kids. Did the interview and then said actually I wanted PT. I was the best candidate so they agreed to 4 days equivalent & I split hours for school runs. At end of day they could say no. I then dropped another half day for a while. Circumstances changed and I was able to go FT. To be honest they got great value, and I achieved FT targets PT anyway. I would always suggest you apply - nothing to lose.

TheMagicSword · 13/01/2023 22:19

Interesting discussion, I’m looking for a part time role at the moment. For one role I contacted them in advance to ask if they would consider a part time application and they said they couldn’t for that role. I’d like 3 days, but thinking I may need to consider 4. I feel like I could ask for 4 days at interview, but 3 would be pushing it!

Fizzadora · 13/01/2023 22:20

Emmalou0607 · 13/01/2023 18:34

Personally I wouldn't. This is based on my own management experience which is in a call centre environment, I appreciate other types of work may be different.

We are open a Monday to Sunday, 24 hours, although the day shifts run 7 - 2300 This is repeated in the job description, during the initial phone interviews with recruitment and then again in the face to face interviews with the managers and explained that shift allocation is based on performance. So every 3 months we stat rank all our colleagues, say there's 100 of them, and our scheduling team produces shifts to cover all the need over the 7 - 2300 Monday - Sunday requirements. If you are top of that star rank based on your results, you'll get the first shift you pick, if you are bottom you will get the last one that's left.

If you've been with the company for 6 months you can then apply for flexible working where you have fixed shifts but the approval of these shifts still have to cover the business needs so always include a portion of weekend and evening hours.

Long explanation to get to the point, the amount of time we spend interviewing and telling people this, investing in getting them trained and onboarded only for them to get their first lot of shifts which are not sociable hours and quit because they can't do those hours is infuriating.

I'd be upfront prior to the interview if you need certain hours. If they don't want part time don't waste their time

What a horrible way of working, sounds worse than a zero hours contract. How on earth can you expect people to constantly change the hours they work.
Maybe you would have better staff retention if you offered fixed shifts from the start with a premium being paid to those who actually want to or can work unsocial hours.

PurplePastaBake · 13/01/2023 22:27

I wouldn’t be happy if I was interviewing someone and it came up that they couldn’t/wouldn’t work the hours advertised.

If it was mentioned in their application or at the screening stage I’d be more inclined to consider it. Especially if more than 1 applicant was requesting it as 2 people sharing the role usually provides more flexibility.

LifeIsHardAlways · 13/01/2023 22:36

My current job was listed 37hrs, but I was honest on my application about what I could do and I was offered the job on 30hrs 😁

Original poster
pleasejustgotosleep · 13/01/2023 22:43

@Emmalou0607 oh right. Thanks for explaining. I understand your point 🤗

OP posts:
Original poster
pleasejustgotosleep · 13/01/2023 22:46

@bumpytrumpy those would be my ideal hours.

If I find something closer to me then 9-5 wouldn't be too bad but still only 3 days. Could stretch to 4.
WFH would be doable too

OP posts:
Kitcaterpillar · 13/01/2023 22:53

Emmalou0607 · 13/01/2023 18:34

Personally I wouldn't. This is based on my own management experience which is in a call centre environment, I appreciate other types of work may be different.

We are open a Monday to Sunday, 24 hours, although the day shifts run 7 - 2300 This is repeated in the job description, during the initial phone interviews with recruitment and then again in the face to face interviews with the managers and explained that shift allocation is based on performance. So every 3 months we stat rank all our colleagues, say there's 100 of them, and our scheduling team produces shifts to cover all the need over the 7 - 2300 Monday - Sunday requirements. If you are top of that star rank based on your results, you'll get the first shift you pick, if you are bottom you will get the last one that's left.

If you've been with the company for 6 months you can then apply for flexible working where you have fixed shifts but the approval of these shifts still have to cover the business needs so always include a portion of weekend and evening hours.

Long explanation to get to the point, the amount of time we spend interviewing and telling people this, investing in getting them trained and onboarded only for them to get their first lot of shifts which are not sociable hours and quit because they can't do those hours is infuriating.

I'd be upfront prior to the interview if you need certain hours. If they don't want part time don't waste their time

Well, what a shit system. No wonder people don't want to do it!?

Surely a normal rota or employing people specifically for evenings/nights/weekends would solve this problem. And that's without the absolute minefield of the 'stars' getting their pick of the shifts...

MrsSkylerWhite · 13/01/2023 22:55

Sounds fair. You don’t know until you ask. Thankfully, potential employees are in a strong position atm,

GameofLifer111 · 14/01/2023 08:40

The call centre up thread sounds like hell!!

Original poster
pleasejustgotosleep · 14/01/2023 16:41

No problem @Thatiswild good luck on your search too

OP posts:
Original poster
pleasejustgotosleep · 14/01/2023 16:42

@LlynTegid thank you very much x

OP posts:
Original poster
pleasejustgotosleep · 14/01/2023 16:42

@BooCrew 😊 thank you. That's very encouraging

OP posts:
Sartre · 14/01/2023 16:45

I always applied for any job irrespective of hours then would negotiate hours if I got the job. I’d say that’s fairly commonplace.

Tangled123 · 14/01/2023 17:32

The biggest thing I hated about call centre work was the horrible scheduling. People put it preferences for daytime shifts to work around buses but never changed it when they started driving instead. That meant the rest of us were stuck with later shifts that meant having no social life because we couldn’t plan anything in advance and didn’t know if we’d be working or not.
The supermarket I worked in was better as we applied for a specific shift pattern that we then did every week, but they were still flexible with changing them around for university classes when I needed to every semester.
I would apply for a full time job if I wanted part time but I wouldn’t really expect to get it, and would continue looking for something else.

Oysterbabe · 14/01/2023 17:44

I did this. Job was advertised as full time. I told them during the interview I only wanted part time and they still almost bit my hand off. Start next month 😃

Misty999 · 14/01/2023 17:51

I have a job advertised at the moment it's fixed term for 6 months and out as full time but I will consider part time if there are good candidates and we can make it work. I've never done this before but it seems to be standard practice now In some sectors.

OriginalUsername2 · 14/01/2023 17:51

Recruiters do exactly the same to interviewees!

woldsma · 14/01/2023 17:56

Another just to say the last two jobs I applied for was full time, I was offered both and stated clearly in interview that I was interested in part time. Offered both and successfully negotiated part time for both.