If you work three days a week....

[ReadingTeaLeaves]

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!

Nursing. Part time but shift work. Good luck OP!

I am a nanny and when I have children will be able to work part time.

I'm a GP receptionist and work 3 days. There is a team of 6 of us all working various shifts so there is always somebody to cover me if need be.

I work for social services. I got the job as a part time post , it's harder as our case loads get even bigger to fit in visits/urgent stuffif I takeleave or go on training though.

I work in IT, my company is really good about part-time working

I do feel like I have put an end to any decent promotions or pay-rises by going part time, but I can just leave the office at 4:30 every day & leave all my work there, which is fab.

I do. I am a lecturer at University. I did not make much a change to my work hours much after ML, I had slowed down when pg.

I'm a nurse but do three long days a week x

I'm an actuary. Went back to same job as when I left. (even had the same desk!) Probably shouldn't be able to do 3 days a week but managed it for the following reasons:-

1. Nationwide shortage of actuaries atm so 0.6 is better than 0.
2. Worked for the same firm for years pre-baby and had a good reputation.
3. Boss who liked me and was willing to be accommodating.
4. Strategically moved teams two years pre getting pregnant from team where part time would be impossible to team where it is just awkward.

I'm an actuary. Went back to same job as when I left. (even had the same desk!) Probably shouldn't be able to do 3 days a week but managed it for the following reasons:-

1. Nationwide shortage of actuaries atm so 0.6 is better than 0.
2. Worked for the same firm for years pre-baby and had a good reputation.
3. Boss who liked me and was willing to be accommodating.
4. Strategically moved teams two years pre getting pregnant from team where part time would be impossible to team where it is just awkward.

Found 3 days the worst of both worlds in an advertising/marketing agency, but that's because the job role was not really reconfigured for 3 days, leaving me resentful, 2/5s down on pay and constantly peering at email on off-days, to try and keep genuine working days more sane. It made it very hard to hit 1 week deadlines. Left after 8 months to become freelance - which was much better. I can totally see why lots of companies refuse 3 days, as it's very hard to make work in practice, without a job-share, which is often more costly for the company, if you take an overlap day and benefits into account.

I used to work three full days. I recently chagned to working 4 short days in school terms, and 3 full days in the holidays (makes it easier to cover the holidays). I work in a university in an academic related post.

Insurance. For a v family friendly company! Took the role there after dd1 (law firm before)

I am a management consultant and tried 3 days a week and gave up after 3 months and went full time again. Basically impossible to do on 3 days as although my employer was supportive of 3 days a week, the combination of constant pressing deadlines (tenders to be submitted etc) and client demands meant I spent my 2 days at home frantically sending emails when my 2 small children were napping/watching Peppa Pig/on the swings etc. Made me miserable and constantly working in the evening and at weekends just to get through my workload.

Just back to full time and what I would say is that I find managing my working week much easier - things just feel a bit more predicatable and less frantic panic to squeeze everything into 3 days meaning I am less frazzled generally. I feel sad that I am not at home more but I have reconciled that the option was either SAHM or full time paid work and that SAHM was not for me.

My advice would be to avoid any job that isn't a "leave it at work" sort of career - I have a friend who is a GP (damn I wish I worked harder at chemistry) and she works really hard on her 3 days but once she has left work, there is no work to do at home or people phoning her up on her non (salaried!) working day.....

Accounts. Have worked part time since ds1, so 8 years. No problem finding part time positions in the past.... but current market is bleak. When I leave work, I leave work, and as tootingbec says, that is rarer than people think, so be careful.