applying for job - should I mention children?

[puddle]

I am currently in a senior manager role, working full time. In an attempt to shift my work/ life balance I am going to apply for a part time job. It's pretty senior still but on a much lower salary than I am on at the moment.

There are many reasons I want the job but a pretty major one is to be around for kids more(whilst still doing what looks like an interesting challenging role). This job would let me work short days so could do the school run.

Would you mention this if you were me? If I was looking at applications I would want to know why someone wanted to take a big salary drop.

You don't have to say you want the job to see your children more. I would say "I really would like to do this job as it will give me a better work/life balance which will enable me to perform even better" or something along those lines.

Thanks Meg.

interested in others' views

No - A good HR manager will not want to know because they know that how you manage your personal life is none of their business - you agree to do the work they want you to do and you do it.

I wouldn't mention the kids, no. I would think it totally reasonable if someone told me they were prepared to take a salary drop because they were driven more by their suitability for the job than by specific considerations like hours or salary.

If someone is in a financial position to apply for the job despite coming from a ft post, I wouldn't look any further into it than that personally and I would think it was a good sign of their commitment to the job.

Good luck with it!

Totally agree, taking a salary/hours drop "for the children" is seen as opting out and not as a positive thing. Don't mention children, talk about a better work/life balance etc. Make jokes about joining a gym if necessary

They may ask if you have family, then you have to be honest.
Just say how organised you are with your childcare arrangements. Keep it short.

They may be fish and it is better to move swiftly on then make a big hole for yourself.

They are not allowed to ask that wotz (it's public sector, so strict rules re: that sort of thing).

It's interesting everyone says that I should keep schtum - I interviewed recently and the woman I offered the job to made it clear she had family commitments and the job fitted in well with those - it didn't put me off her (she was the best candidate in all respects and I thought if it fitted with her life outside work she'd be more likely to stay).

yes it is interesting isn't it puddle - sexism alive and well in all sectors I guess! We should certainly be able to mention commitments outside work I think, we are allowed to have a life outside work last time I checked, but I still wouldn't do it...because you don't know the attitude of the person interviewing and despite all these check box forms to fill in during interviews, I still think it's possible to 'bin' people for this sort of reason.

Didnt know that TBH.
But TBH i'd mention my kids if i felt it was relevant in the convo, they make up so much of what i am. They want to know who you are aswel as what you can do. Things have changed. Soon they wont be able to ask anything i guess.

Yes sunny good point - the interviewer may be a child-hating singleton who resents any woman with children in the workplace!

But then I wouldn't want to work for someone like that so would be better to know.......[thinking emoticon]

Then if i had to work with the interview (not just someone in HR) i wouldnt want the job.

My impression from working in London is to keep as schtum as possible about your family, personal issues etc. However now I am working in Derby the family awareness is a lot stronger and the environment totally different. I really do think moving to different parts of the country has a real bearing on the way people live their lives.

However I can honestly say it is always better to say as little as possible about personal particulars in case I dig a hole for myself I can't get out of later, if that makes sense. So I try not to say too much about my life although it is really hard to live that way.