At what point do you mention your children?

[Episode]

Have an interview tomorrow and although I have not wanted to believe that mentioning the children on your CV makes a difference, I've been invited for 3 interviews in one week of taking them off after no reponses for almost 4 months! The position is part time and one of questions asked will be my preferred working hours, and I'd like to coordinate these around the school run! Do I mention the school run as my reason for the exact hours chosen or do I avoid? If the answer is avoid, do I mention the children when/if I get the job? Will that not come across as dishonest?

what exactly did you take off your CV?

If you are asked for preferred hours then just state them, don't need to explain why.

Just imagine what a man would do...
Imagine a man who had an odd hobby from 7am-9am & 2:30pm-5:30pm (imagine one of the unfunded Olympic athletes working in a bakery, or a guy with a 2nd job lucrative that ran those hours).

I never mention DC on CV except to explain my career gap on CV is for raising a family. Do you think that's saying too much?

Yes I took off my career gap! I've reworded it and edited study dates by a few months as to not make it look like there has been a significant break so propably not questionable on thier side! Plus my study is not particulary relevant to the posts so not really a big concern. My previous CV mentioned my children but since I've removed them my success rate has shot through the roof. How bad is that! What I'm asking is do I mention them in the interview voluntarily over taking a post and then mentioning them? Would it appear dishonest if I did the latter? Has anybody had experience of both sides of the coin? If yes how was it received?

How many children you have, what ages they are, etc. have nothing to do with your professional life. You should NOT be writing about them in your CVs and not bringing them up in interview. You are not hiding anything ... That is your personal life and wouldn't bother your employer. Like someone said state your preferred hours, flexible working etc. you don't need to state your reason unless prodded.

Btw lljkkI lurked on the return to work support thread a few weeks back and your posts had me in stitches! Have you considered blog writing? Your humor comes across amazingly yet subtle when written! I've remembered your name because of how funny they were and I'm not a mn regular! I hope your not still building furniture

That sounds entirely reasonable maternitygold but I've not started a new job since having dc's so have no new position/interview experience as a mother! I was just concerned that it would appear dishonest and since it such a huge thing, a bit slippery (for want of a better word) for me not to mention. I won't mention a thing if it's not the done thing, I'm not particularly bothered about little white lies to progress iyswim! Although, I'd definitely have less reservations if it were in a larger company but it's in a small team of 5!

Wow, well done on the run of interviews.

I'd agree with other posters, just state your prefered hours. I am sure most employers offering pt hours know that it will appeal to some women with children.

Previously (freelance now) as somebody interviewing I would always be wary of anyone that went out of their way to explain 'personal issues' eg kids, carer obligations, commute concerns in an interview. It did worry me that they weren't going to be committed to the role or we giving me a heads up that they have time off etc.

Best of luck.

Ah shucks. :)

How bad is that!
Well yeah, indeed.
I really shouldn't be surprised, though. :(
Sadly my career break is 8yrs so a bit of date fudging won't suffice for me.

Bloody Hell, though.

I wish you best of luck, all the same. My mother said taking dates off her cv was the only thing that finally got her job interviews, too. DH is talking about becoming a SAHD for a year or 2 as soon as I get a job (he is fed up with his current job) so then I could concentrate hard on rebuilding my career, at last.

MrsMargo you have given me words of wisdom on the freelance board in the past (name changed since) and again your perspective is valuable! Having considered what you have said, I'm not just reassured but also think it's for the best that children are not mentioned! Thank you

I wouldn't make explicit reference to children on my CV but I always explain that 9 month gap as having had time off to have a child.

I think honesty is the best policy. There's a good chance that whoever is interviewing you has children too and understands the juggling that goes on.

I've been for an interview this week and have been completely open about the hours I want and why. I see the VP of this company at the school gates at the same time as me, so it's evident that juggling goes on at all levels :)

I wouldn't want to work for an organisation that didn't understand that I have commitments outside of work.

I don't think your children are relevant to your ability to do the job. That is personal and would be like informing them of your sexuality, diet or interior design preferences. Not necessary.

Good luck!

It's good you have the opportunity for only one of you to work and that little bit of less pressure at home takes the edge of job hunting I suppose! Good luck to you and hopefully the sahd role works out. That's rare although it shouldn't be, you have a winner there

Yes suebfg that's what I thought but now I think I am comfortable with mentioning them if the exact context to mention them arises! As nippy said it should be about my suitability for the role and that's it.

Thank you all for your good luck wishes! I was a professional blagger in my heyday, feeling pretty nervous now!

Kids change so much

Good luck. I'm applying for full time roles and then raising before interview that I want part-time hours. It's very difficult but if you don't ask you don't get!

I think I should start doing that, it opens up the job market by 95% doesn't it? Are you mentioning wanting part time hours in interviews or on the initial application. If tomorrow does not go as good as I think it will, I will be following your lead!!!!

Also, this site www.simplyhired.co.uk works on a key word search and crawls all other job sites. You can search by part time, your local area, job title or whatever! Its excellent and cuts my job search time by 3 quarters, plus picks up jobs I would never have come across otherwise!

Most of the jobs I apply for go via an agency. So I submit my CV as usual and then if the agency call me, I raise it then. Sometimes the conversation stops there, but sometimes it doesn't. Hiring managers tend to think they need someone full time and don't even consider that the work could be done on a part-time basis.

You will also find that the public sector are much more open to the idea of flexible working/job shares etc but the private sector is getting better and home working is more prevalent there.

Definitely worth a try IMO :)

I just would not have the brass to do that.

Can I say, as a recent interviewer, that applying for a FT role then asking to for PT hours at the interview does not go down well. Out of six candidates, two did this. The role was advertised as full time for a reason. It was a huge waste of our time as interviewers, and also of the candidates' time.

It wastes no one's time when it is fully discussed with the agency first and my CV goes across to the client knowing that I am after part time hours. It is then for the client to decide whether or not to interview me.

I am highly skilled in what I do and often companies struggle to find good quality people with my skills. My current role is one that was advertised as full time but they couldn't find the right candidate hence why I was contacted.

It's a waste of my time when I advertise a full time position, sift through dozens of applications, invite six potential candidates to an interview and reserve a whole day for two partners to make up the panel. Each interview lasted about 45 mins, and only at the end of the interview did both these candidates say that they wanted a part-time post.

I can see that is a waste of time for you but that is because the candidates weren't up front about it. I've made it clear that I am up front about it so that doesn't waste anyone's time (apart from potentially mine in making the application).

OP - how did it go???

The reality is that most recruiters do not consider a part time/flexible working pattern when in fact there are a lot of full time roles that suit and can be equally a productive with just that. Unfortunately getting most recruiters to change there perception of time will not come at application or pre interview stage and as a Mother where the working world (or actually the whole world) is tough, something usually has to give and potentially wasting an hour of somebody time in good faith in my list of priorities, what will give!

Regardless, MrsMargo I may not have to do this, the interview went well! Fingers crossed, I should hear something today or Monday I think!

Apologies for typos, on phone!