Interview advice/pointers please - I'm soooo rusty!

[MrsMoppet]

Hi,

Sorry if you've already read/answered this thread in the "returning to work" section - I thought I'd repost it here to get a few more answers. Hope this isn't breaching site protocol!

I have been a full-time SAHM for 2 years but have always intended to return to work in 2011/2012. I am soooo ready to go back to paid work! I have had a couple of interviews recently but both times have been asked about my children and childcare arrangements, which made me very uncomfortable as in one instance my young children were actually the reason I didn't get the job (I've posted about this elsewhere so I don't intend to rehash all the boring details here!).

I have an interview later this week for a GREAT job - the job description and skills specification could have been cut and pasted from my CV ... However, after 2 years with the lovely DCs, my interview skills (and, indeed, my grown-up conversation skills) are pretty rusty and I desperately need a few pointers please ... I think I come across as too chatty, informal and giggly in interviews, when I actually used to be very professional and had a high-earning, high-pressured career in the pre-DC days.

The job I'm going for is perfect because it can be done either full-time or part-time. I want to do it part-time; how do I answer the question "Why do you want to work part-time?" without gushing about wanting to be able to pick up my DCs from school etc? I was thinking of saying something about having hobbies/interests I want to pursue, and that a healthy work-life balance is important to me, but am not sure it this is the right way to phrase it?

If it helps to know a bit of background - I did work after both DCs were born, but we had a change in circumstances 3 years ago which meant I was able to become a SAHM for 2 years, but returning to paid work has always been the plan - so I do know what it's like to juggle work and childcare, school runs etc - it won't be a total shock to my system.

Also, when asked to specify which hours I would like to work, I don't particularly want to mention the school run as I think it might make me look flaky. I have worked for women in the past (and the interviewer is a woman) who have loathed working mothers, believing them to be flaky, unreliable etc. Obviously I am neither of these things but how do I convey this, without completely ignoring the fact that I have children? I mean, it's going to come up, isn't it, given that I'm asking to work part-time?

How would you answer questions such as "What childcare arrangements do you have?", "What happens if your children are too ill to go to school?", "Can you be specific about your childcare arrangements?" etc etc ?? What exactly would you say? I'm well aware of the legalities of being asked such questions, but what the law says and what the interviewer asks are two very different things, in my experience.

Help!

Thank you ...

You should concentrate on the job not on your private life. Clearly they should do the same. A good interviewer would not ask why you want to work PT. They would concentrate on how this job could be done PT. So if they ask why you want to work PT, steer the answer around to the job and how you would tackle it PT.
When they ask what hours you would work, it's none of their business whether you have school runs or whatever, you are simply stating when you would be available to work and not why.
I am surprised frankly that you have had so many interviews about your children. Are you absolutely certain that you don't accidentally lead the conversation around to them? The ideal would be to get out of the interview without mentioning children at all. My husband works PT, and in his interviews he simply states that he will be available to work PT- it is none of their business whether he is looking after children or what in his spare time. He could be breeding giant greyhounds for all it matters.
Your answer about childcare arrangements is simply that you will put into place childcare arrangements which will enable you to be a reliable employee. Then go back to the real issue- your skills and aptitude for this role.

Oh and good luck!

Thank you and yes, I am sure I'm not leading the conversation around to my children! I have specifically been asked "Do you have children?" at the last two interviews - and it is pretty obvious anyway, I'm in my 30s, wearing a wedding ring and looking for part-time work ...

The last two interviews were at very small companies. The interview this week is with the nation's largest employer, so hopefully I won't even be asked the childcare question!

How does your husband answer the question "Why do you want to work part-time?" or has he not been asked this? I know you say that "he simply states that he will be available to work PT- it is none of their business whether he is looking after children or what in his spare time. He could be breeding giant greyhounds for all it matters" - but how exactly does he phrase this? Coz if I said that it was none of the employer's business, I don't think they'd employ me ...

I'm guessing the job is with the NHS, and they've stated in the ad that you can choose part or full time? If that's the case, I suspect they won't ask you why you;re choosing PT, but may ask you about hours just from a planning point of view eg school hours only may not fit in with the needs of the service. I think they would expect someone of your age wanting part time work to be doing so because you have children, so no need to embellish it!

I'm a HPC and recently returned to work PT. As the NHS tends to have a high number of female staff, part time work is pretty common and having childcare responsibilties shouldn't be seen as negative as long as you can fulfil your hours. They have policies and procedures regarding carers and emergency leave if your child is ill etc.

Good luck, I too find interviews scary!

Thank you Icoulddoitbetter - yes, you're spot on

I didn't think they would ask me about childcare as they are so huge and so open to lawsuits (not that I would sue, what would be the point, and what a waste of taxpayers' money). I've just been really unlucky that my last 2 interviewers were too stupid unenlightened to realise that they couldn't discriminate because I was a parent ... although I sort of understand why they did, tbh.

I have already told the interviewer (in my application letter) that I am flexible wrt the hours I can work, so will embellish that at the interview as necessary without going into details about childcare.

Thanks again for your help.

Simples- He doesn't get asked the question. And if he did, he would answer it in a slightly steely way I suspect. Something like, "As I said, I would prefer to work PT, and I can be flexible about which days I work. What would suit you?".

(His problem is that he applies for FT posts and then tries to bargain them into PT ones, which is a problem which you won't have thankfully).

I think that those small companies are dodgy as hell to ask you those questions- would they ask a man with a wedding ring in his 30s about his childcare arrangements? Hopefully the NHS will be a bit more enlightened- or at least have trained their staff!

Don't go into the details ... That's absolutely right. I have seen women tell me the names and ages of their children at interview and start blathering about their schools etc- really, you would be amazed what people do when under stress. As little as possible!

Hope it goes well.

Thank you domesticslattern It just proves that those interviewers who asked me about the kids WERE being sexist! I completely agree - I was flabbergasted about being asked such personal questions. I find my own childcare arrangements boring enough, without wanting to talk about them with anyone else!

Oh good luck, do let us know if they ask it. If they do I will get cross on your behalf!

Thank you. I will update this thread next week Thanks for the crossness!