So low - feel have it rock bottom - warning long

[steben]

I am so fed up and upset I just need to get this down. Also would love to hear from anyone else in this situation postive or negative really.

I have been desperately applying for those rarest of beasts - professional part time jobs. Being made redundant in March from a job which is very demoralising as the bosses just want to get rid of our team. Everyone else who works F/T (i work p/t 3 days) has been found new roles within the organisation or externally. I have had nothing, but have had three interviews (all for posts with less money but still in my professional field) which have all been very long and gruelling and been rejected. This latest rejection has hit me really hard and I am struggling to pick myself up from this one.

I am so down - feel useless - my confidence is rock bottom and I just dont know what to do/say. Have been in floods of tears all day. The feedback from this last one was - you were good on paper but not what we were looking for in interview. I was only internal candidate and they are now applying to advertise exterally which is even more of a smack in the face.

I'm sorry to hear you're feeling this way Steben I don't know what to say, other than not to take it personally. Are the jobs you are applying for being advertised as full time? Unfortunately it's often the case that (although they can't discriminate against you officially for bein part time) if you were willing to work full time you would have a much easier time job hunting! Would you consider working full time at first, then applying for flexible working further down the line? I ended up not going back to work after my maternity leave for similar reasons to some of the things in your post.

Hi - got made redundant in march and found something in November - its was hard work and very depressing at times. I had about 6 interviews I think. I ended up applying for full time and negotating down - often possilbe to 30 hours anyway. Its a tough job market at the moment and employers are very demanding.

Other things that helped was look at free lance options and voluteering - both got my confidence up, helped with contacts and made me feel there were other opitions which made me interview better.

Thanks v much for responses - internet went down last night! I am just so sick of picking myself up and dusting myself off again. It seems such a battle at the minute.

I think it is very difficult to find professional jobs at 3 days a week. When I got back from mat leave into my company (and it is a huge one!) I had loads of internal interviews and nobody wanted me because of the 3 days a week until after a few months someone finally gave me a chance! I know that when my role ends in June I will face the same, so I am thinking that I might go full time as I don't want to go through the same again!

Is there no way you could consider going full time and then after a few months apply for reduced hours? Frankly I think this is by far your best chance of finding alternative professional employment, but there might be strong reasons why you wouldn't want to do this, I guess! Good luck, I understand how demoralising this is....

I have recently been offered a part time job. They wanted someone full time but I said I wasn't prepared to work full time and only wanted part time. It helped hugely I had been recommended by a business contact. Any chance of using your connections to help find a new role. I'd definitely second the idea of starting full time and when you've impressed them, trying to negotiate the hours down. Good luck.

I was made redundant from a part time role. I worked full time for a year before applying to work part time. I wouldn't have got the job if I'd said I wanted to work part time, but once in the door they didn't want to lose me and were happy for me to go part time.