If you work three days a week....

ReadingTeaLeaves · 2011-12-06T08:19:11+00:00

What do you do for a job? And is it what you were doing before DC or have you changed job/company/career for the flexibility? And if you changed, how did you find/come across the new job? Curious because there's no way I can do fewer than 4/week in my current role and I"m quite keen to work 3 days/week for the next 3-4 years while DCs are young, however that seems to be easier said than done. TIA!

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 06/12/2011 08:23

social work
did it pre-dc
have moved role and requested p/t at interview for a f/t job

i wouldn't recommend going into it purely for the flexible working though

tanfastic · 06/12/2011 08:23

I do three days as a legal secretary but I job share so it works well. My job share is a hard worker so works in harmony with me. My job was pretty stressful when I worked full time (my boss is very difficult to work for) but now I share the burden with someone else I actually find it easier and a lot more enjoyable to be honest.

louby86 · 06/12/2011 08:25

I'll be going back 3 days a week (hopefully) after maternity leave. I'm a HR manager for a large company so can either job share in a large office or move to a smaller one for 3 days

bigTillyMincepie · 06/12/2011 08:26

I do, and have done for more than 10 years.
I am a teacher - I was fulll-time prior to going part-time
I also work in a non-mainstream setting which enables an even greater life/work balance day-to-day.

Ja9 · 06/12/2011 08:28

Primary School teacher
Was a teacher pre dc but part time since dc
It is part-time but not at all flexible...so you're stuck when kids are ill or there is something on at their school etc

Great to have weekends and school holidays with the kids though...................

onceinawhile · 06/12/2011 09:31

I have a couple of GP friends and they manage their 3 days a week very well - two of them are even partners of their practice!

I also have a close friend who is an accountant in a small firm and one who is a solicitor and they do 2 days a week an manage fine. They did move around though and away from large firms as they both say it wasn't doable in that environment.

I work for a multinational corporation 3 days a week and it doesn't work well at all for the work I do. It all depends on the type of work and how it is organised as to whether it works or not long term. You need to be very careful what you pick because it can end up more stressful than working full time!!!

notcitrus · 06/12/2011 09:34

Civil servant, so had the right to go to 3 days (confirmed this early in mat leave), but then finding a project that would take me on was a nightmare - took 4 months when I shouldn't have needed to be dealing with work, 15 posts claiming they would consider part-timers but not wanting to even consider me, and eventually got a post two days before returning - which luckily was perfect for me and importantly they were hugely grateful to have anyone there at all, having spent nearly 18 months failing to get anyone more senior in, or at my grade, and coped with someone doing it one day a week!

So they thought me doing three days was wonderful. It helped that many of the team worked part-time for us (working elsewhere the rest of the time), and my background couldn't have been better.

Finding a new post when that one ended, though, was even worse than the previous time - though at least HR helped once it looked like they might have to pay me to do nothing! I then went up to four days partly to get more choice of work.

Zoidberg · 06/12/2011 13:37

Museum education, I was f/t but it's the kind of work where there are many p/t and freelance people.

buggyRunner · 06/12/2011 13:40

I'm a deputy mgr of supported accommodation. 17.5 hrs a week- over time for any extra and flexi time. Got the job post dc so have always done the hours. Perfect.

rosebery · 07/12/2011 18:06

I work 3 days in a university and worked in the private sector before my dc came along. I'm now pregnant with #2.

I took a decision to 'downgrade' my career and I took a significant paycut. The upside is that I'm not working long, irregular hours anymore and I have a great flexible working arrangement. While my salary has dropped, the leave entitlement and pension are much improved, and I can leave work at work, iyswim!

I'm happy with the arrangement for now, and hope to step my career back up in a few years' time.

PumpkinM · 08/12/2011 11:09

I work in marketing. My previous employer refused my request for part time working, as I managed a team and was head of department. As I was also commuting into London I felt I had no choice and left at the end of my maternity leave. I am now working 3 days a week for a small, local company at almost half my previous salary. The new role suits my family life (ie I have one, which I wouldn't had I returned to London) but the compromise is the greatly reduced income.

Original poster

ReadingTeaLeaves · 09/12/2011 08:08

Thanks for these. I'm not sure I can become a GP just for a bit more flexibility of hours....

Rosebery/PumpkinM - your situations sound familiar to me. Would you mind telling me where your new jobs were advertised and how you have found the transition?

OP posts:

rosebery · 09/12/2011 09:19

Hi op. The university I work for has a very good jobs website which you can subscribe (i think most have a similar service).

I've really enjoyed being back at work. The smaller paypacket has been a bit of a shock, but for the time being its worth it just to leave the long hours and occasional stress behind. I found it a bit difficult not to think like a manager at the start, but can quite happily do my job (and more, very often), but leave it all behind at 5pm.

With my husbands long hours, and my trailing back and forth between home, work and nursery, I'm not sure I could cope if I still had my old job. In fact, it would be logistically impossible.

I'm happy for now, I'm using my brain, bringing in a bit of extra cash, and keeping my hand in workwise. I have plenty of time in the future to step it back up again. :)

backintraining · 09/12/2011 22:56

I kind of work 3 days a week. I'm a police officer - detective in specialist department. I say kind of because for 2 weeks I work 3 days and then for 1 week I work 5 days, that's because my shift pattern incorporates 1 weekend in three. I have to work the weekend so rather than just do 1 weekday on that rota we agreed I could work extra. It's financially better for us and better for the team rather than lose an officer for 4 days.

I was in this role before having my DC (am currently on mat leave with second). Granted I don't always get to lead on the more complex cases but for the time being I have to accept that you can't have it all. I can't land a big job and then disappear for 4 days. However, I've been in that department long enough to be comfortable with that. I still get to keep my skill level up, do a job I love and spend quality time with my children. I feel very lucky.

backintraining · 09/12/2011 22:58

I kind of work 3 days a week. I'm a police officer - detective in specialist department. I say kind of because for 2 weeks I work 3 days and then for 1 week I work 5 days, that's because my shift pattern incorporates 1 weekend in three. I have to work the weekend so rather than just do 1 weekday on that rota we agreed I could work extra. It's financially better for us and better for the team rather than lose an officer for 4 days.

I was in this role before having my DC (am currently on mat leave with second). Granted I don't always get to lead on the more complex cases but for the time being I have to accept that. You can't have it all. I can't land a big job and then disappear for 4 days. However, I've been in that department long enough to be comfortable with that. I still get to keep my skill level up, do a job I love and spend quality time with my children. I feel very lucky.

backintraining · 09/12/2011 22:59

I feel so lucky I posted it twice!! Oops.

GlitterKitty · 09/12/2011 23:04

Civil servant (central government). I chose the job because I wanted to work p/t after I had kids- was full time when I started. In my department its easy to move between part time jobs, or job share with a 2 day person if you want a full time position.

MatLeaveForever · 10/12/2011 20:18

I'm in Marketing and now work 3 days a week. I couldn't have done my previous job in 3 days (was difficult enough in 5 days!) but luckily my employer kept my mat leave cover full time and I now work on different projects so I'm an additional person on the team. I'd been with my company for about 5 years so I think that helped with my flexible request as they didn't want to lose me! Good luck.

CushieButterfield · 10/12/2011 20:32

I'm just about to drop from 4 days a week to 3. 6 months ago I thought I'd have to work full-time after I got made redundant whilst on mat leave, but I stuck to my guns and was upfront about wanting 4 days a week when applying for new roles (applying for jobs advertised as full-time). Managed to get a 4 day a week interim role (HR, major multinational), which I've been doing for 4 months, and because they want to keep me to work on projects, they are happy to let me drop to 3 days a week. I never thought it would be possible, I feel very fortunate. I couldn't have done my old job 3 days a week because it was a line role managing a team.

Kiwinyc · 16/12/2011 12:03

Project Manager - i went back 3 days a week after having my second and it was difficult to 'own' any projects and I got stiffed with boring, uninteresting work. I felt more job satisfaction when I asked to go to 4 days a week (I did the 4th day from home) Have switched to a new company and am doing 4-days there, which is enough to keep me engaged but still gives me one-day of breathing space. Luckily have not had to take a paycut between the two jobs, but the second is a smaller, 'family' co. more sympathetic to staff with kids. Over all, the career has been a bit stagnant but still pays well enough.

if you are in London, this website is great - i just found my new job through it, they list professional part time jobs.

www.womenlikeus.org.uk

Mandy21 · 16/12/2011 12:49

I'm a solicitor and work 3 days in a top 50 regional firm. It is hard going invariably trying to cram more work into the limited hours. I have to leave on the dot when I finish to collect DC so it means if I do have something urgent, I have to work in the evening. Thats not too often though. I also go in very early too so get in more hours.

Most of my friends (not just in law) work p/t hours now but the vast majority of them are still with the firms / companies they worked for in a f/t capacity before they had children. I think its quite difficult to move to a p/t role. I'd been with my firm f/t for 4 years before I asked for 3 days - I've done that for the past 7 years now and it worked relatively well with young children.

Morph2 · 27/12/2011 22:33

i'm an accountant and work 3 days a week since going back last feb. Its worked out ok so far, as part of the 'deal' i agreed to work extra as and when required and a couple of times i've had to do at short notice which is ok for me as my mum has ds but if he was at nursery i wouldn't be able to do that.

Glittertwins · 01/01/2012 18:06

I work in IT and do 3 days in the office and a half day from home. I was full time before they arrived at the same company though. It wasn't a problem for the work to be spread over fewer hours and I can still cover more in 28 hours per week than others in my team do in the full time role.

philbee · 02/01/2012 16:01

Libraries are pretty good for part time work, in companies, vol sector, universities etc. If you're not qualified there is an assistant post, but the pay's not great. I also got my job through Women Like Us, good site. You can look at the CILIP website for library jobs.

gamerwidow · 02/01/2012 16:07

I work 3 days a week as a Data Analayst for an NHS trust. Its a similar job to what I had before children but I made redundant during my maternity leave so started this job when DD was 15 months old.

My role was advertised as a full time role but fortunately I impressed at interview so they were happy to accomodate me working for 3 days a week instead.