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Original poster

To think employers are put off by part time applicants

50 replies

Havanawinter · 20/02/2023 19:10

I’m job searching right now and due to childcare costs I can only really justify working 3 days a week until my youngest is in school in 2025. I would go to 4 days a week for the right money. But I’m finding so much push back from prospective employers over wanting part time hours, even if the job ad specifically says they welcome part time/job share applications.

I am a senior manager currently but bored and unfulfilled so looking for a sideways or upwards step elsewhere. I’m open to public and private sector but can’t seem to get a foot in the door; I’ve had feedback from several hiring managers that they only really want full time. Am I just being unlucky or is that the way it is and I have to suck it up until I can go full time in 2.5 years?

OP posts:
kegofcoffee · 20/02/2023 19:15

I'm also job hunting and finding the same.

I'm willing to do 4 days a week, either normal length days or 5 days of hours over 4 days. I'm even happy to be flexible on what day I'm off.

So many adverts have the spiel about 'family matter... we're flexible... it's about getting the job done not showing face... blah blah blah'. Then when you mention 4 days they say 'no sorry it's a full time role'.

I had one job where they told me I was perfect for the role, but senior staff had to be 5 days a week. So, they could only offer me the junior role, which was 50% of the salary.

GoodVibesHere · 20/02/2023 19:17

Personally I find it a bit odd to apply for a full-time job if you want part-time work. There are part-time jobs out there. If an employer is seeking a full-time worker then that's what they need.

Original poster
Havanawinter · 20/02/2023 19:19

@kegofcoffee sorry you’re finding the same! All the guff about flexibility seems to be just that - a load of rubbish. Really hope you find something soon.

@GoodVibesHere I’m only applying for things that explicitly say they would welcome part time/job shares. Sorry if that wasn’t clear.

OP posts:
Merlott · 20/02/2023 19:21

Get the job offer first and negotiate from there. Think and act like a man.

Talk about the total package, not just days or hours worked. So. Pension, pay, leave, flexi, holiday allowance, car allowance etc.

Be upfront about how amazing you are as a candidate and how amazing you will be in the job. The rest is details only.

Rugbyballhead · 20/02/2023 19:23

I found one eventually but did have to keep applying and interviewing. It's a real pain! I guess try to put a positive spin by thinking of it as good extra interview experience?! Wish jobs wouldn't advertise as part time if they're not really ok with it though.

GoodVibesHere · 20/02/2023 19:24

Havanawinter · 20/02/2023 19:19

@kegofcoffee sorry you’re finding the same! All the guff about flexibility seems to be just that - a load of rubbish. Really hope you find something soon.

@GoodVibesHere I’m only applying for things that explicitly say they would welcome part time/job shares. Sorry if that wasn’t clear.

Oh I see. I would just stick to applying for part-time jobs tbh. The 'we welcome flexible/part time' is probably just an equality tick box thing.

I've worked full-time and part-time roles but I only ever apply for jobs advertising the hours I'm after.

Tohaveandtohold · 20/02/2023 19:24

I know lots of people who were working part time before however when they’re changing jobs for progression, most have had to work full time especially if it’s with a new employer and then over time when you’ve showed your worth and they are family friendly, one can then request flexible or part time working, etc.
With the cost of living rising, lots of people are looking for full time work so if there’s another applicant that’s just as good as you and wants to work full time, I can see why that person will appeal to them more. It’s hard to get into civil service for example but they do offer flexible working so you can look into employers such as that

JJ8765 · 20/02/2023 19:25

It’s always easier to go parttime once you are a known quantity I’ve found. If there are PT workers at similar level it might be worth working FT 6 months and then reducing once you’ve shown you know the role.

IAmTheWalrus85 · 20/02/2023 19:25

GoodVibesHere · 20/02/2023 19:17

Personally I find it a bit odd to apply for a full-time job if you want part-time work. There are part-time jobs out there. If an employer is seeking a full-time worker then that's what they need.

Did you read the OP?

FifiRebel · 20/02/2023 19:26

If it says they welcome applications from part time workers, why do you disclose your working pattern at application stage? Only discuss it once you've been offered the job.

MelchiorsMistress · 20/02/2023 19:28

You might find it easier to say you only want 2 or 2.5 days because if they want job shares, then there has to be enough hours left for another person. It would be hard for them to find someone else who only wants to work one day a week.

WhereIsMumHiding3 · 20/02/2023 19:29

When I had my third child I was a manager I couldn't job share so took a demotion to go part time

It is what it is
If there's nobody available to Job share then business needs trump all of that and I'm NHS/LA who have policies in place to support job shares of available
15 years later I'm now back to where I was before.... 🤨

Judgyjudgy · 20/02/2023 19:35

Merlott · 20/02/2023 19:21

Get the job offer first and negotiate from there. Think and act like a man.

Talk about the total package, not just days or hours worked. So. Pension, pay, leave, flexi, holiday allowance, car allowance etc.

Be upfront about how amazing you are as a candidate and how amazing you will be in the job. The rest is details only.

Don't do this, as a hiring manager I would be very annoyed and think you had been wasting everyone's time

Candleabra · 20/02/2023 19:39

Yes it puts people off. Though it shouldn’t. Most part time workers are women so it disproportionally disadvantages them.
I would: get the job , suck up the full time hours for a while, research the hr policies and wait it out until you can submit a flexible working arrangement. In a big company it’s very hard to turn them down as the arguments about cover and workload won’t wash. It may annoy people but you have to look after yourself.

Quveas · 20/02/2023 19:40

Some of this is HR bullshit.

I'm in the public sector. I have full time jobs. I have part-time jobs. I have fixed term jobs. If I need someone to do a full time job, that is what I need. My HR department insist on the same wording for every job, giving exactly the guff you are complaining about. Unless I get two people who want the right blend of part-time work or job share, then no matter what stupid wording HR put on the advert, I bloody need a full time person! If that's what I need! I would LOVE to be honest and say what I need. I'm not allowed to. If I could it would save me time, you time - and actually you might be able to look at finding a blend that works for me!

So I totally agree. But it often isn't "me" that's the problem. I'm trying to fit square pegs into round holes whilst the HR department (who don't even know what I do or need) insist on it being star shaped!

OdeToBarney · 20/02/2023 19:40

Merlott · 20/02/2023 19:21

Get the job offer first and negotiate from there. Think and act like a man.

Talk about the total package, not just days or hours worked. So. Pension, pay, leave, flexi, holiday allowance, car allowance etc.

Be upfront about how amazing you are as a candidate and how amazing you will be in the job. The rest is details only.

This. Do you think a man would wring his hands over what he could "offer"? Nope, he would go for it and negotiate later.

I'm also p/t job hunting for my return from mat leave and I've actually found almost all employers are prepared to go to 4 days, but 3 is definitely more difficult. I think it's an industry thing - I'm in legal and the only place which wouldn't consider p/t was a non-legal company (although to be fair this was more to do with business needs as one of their other staff members was about to go on mat leave).

Quveas · 20/02/2023 19:43

Candleabra · 20/02/2023 19:39

Yes it puts people off. Though it shouldn’t. Most part time workers are women so it disproportionally disadvantages them.
I would: get the job , suck up the full time hours for a while, research the hr policies and wait it out until you can submit a flexible working arrangement. In a big company it’s very hard to turn them down as the arguments about cover and workload won’t wash. It may annoy people but you have to look after yourself.

We have 16,000 staff. It's not hard to turn them down. The organisation may have that many, but I have a workload, 47 staff, and nowhere else to get cover from. So no, not all large employers can be that flexible.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 20/02/2023 19:46

I’m not in the UK, and. Flex/part time/job shares aren’t really a thing here and I’m kind of glad about that. It just seems like an unnecessary cost and effort to employ 2 people when you just want one for full time hours. Since I’ve been a manager I’ve only had one employee float the idea of going part time, and like I said it was an unusual request. I turned it down because the job required full time hours.

Snarffaluffagus · 20/02/2023 19:47

As someone who works in the public sector and has recruited quite a bit in the last few years, I don't ask about working patterns or hours until post interview. Generally there are options to manage part time work
across the team or alongside other successful candidates. If a job advert is clear that they are open to full/part time then it really should be.

I wouldn't mention it unless specifically asked, and not in the application (public service jobs don't have a space for that in the application anyway...)

KittenKong · 20/02/2023 19:55

Last part time job I had ended up 10 hour days plus working at weekends. They took me for an utter mug!

Some employers seem to think they can get someone who is experienced and qualified, a wee bit desperate, need the money and work their socks off for let time pay.

Dacadactyl · 20/02/2023 19:59

I have found this too. I don't know who has started in HR at my place of work during the last 2 years, but whoever they are, they absolutely HATE part time roles. There used to be PT roles advertised at least fortnightly, but there have been just 2 since Christmas!

Don't know who it is in HR bit I'd love to give them a piece of my mind!

BertHandsome · 20/02/2023 20:05

Yup. I’ve found this and I don’t understand the point of “welcoming” job share applications when in reality they don’t. It’s a waste of everyone’s time. I just stick to pt job listings now

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 20/02/2023 20:07

I think part-time and job sharing can work well in roles with a very consistent workload - where most of the time you have a good idea of what your week will look like on a Monday morning. In roles with more variation, industries with seasonality etc., it’s a lot less effective.

This is why I find it out when I see threads about WFH and people get outraged that someone paused to put the dishwasher on or take the bin out. Surely it’s about your availability as much as it is about constantly staring at the screen, even if you’ve got nothing to do? The same applies in my mind to part-time work. Yes, you might be able to squeeze the average workload for a particular role into four days, but if there are regular spikes in workload or sudden deadline changes, it’s your availability the employer wants.

MajorCarolDanvers · 20/02/2023 20:13

As an employer I welcome part time applicants.

I'd rather have the right person 3 days a week than the wrong one 5 days a week.

Not all employers are open minded but then you'd probably not want to work for one like that anyway.

Original poster
Havanawinter · 20/02/2023 20:23

@MajorCarolDanvers that’s a great point. I was offered a job at the start of the year which I turned down because they didn’t mention until the interview that it was fixed term maternity cover. However it really opened my eyes to the kind of place I want
to work; it was a charity, the people lovely, the work worthwhile. Luckily I have a job and not desperate enough that I’d take something that isn’t better than what I have now.

OP posts:
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