Job interview during maternity leave and asking to be part time

[Lalapurple]

I'm on maternity leave at the moment - I applied for a new job at my current work (would be one payscale above my current job). I have been offered an interview. My current job and the job I have applied for are both full time, but I want to go back part time - should I ask about this at the interview or should I wait and see if I get offered the new job and then ask?
The company I work for are fairly forward thinking with this sort of thing...

I don't think you should be applying for any full time position that you're expecting to work part time.

I'd set out your expectations now so they don't waste their time, but I'd say you're highly unlikely to get the promotion.

I would consider taking the job full time if offered but would prefer not to - I don't think it's unreasonable to ask? I think they might expect me to ask anyway...

Wait until you get offered the job then explain you'd be interested in it as a job share. There may be other candidates who were interested in a part time role.

Definitely don’t ask about part time until you’re offered the job.

And don’t listen to anyone who says that you shouldn’t apply for full time jobs if you want to work part time - what a load of nonsense!

Depends how part time I would say? Like if you want 4 days a week just go for the interview and if successful then bring it up.
If you want less than this I think you should bring it up now prior to interview.

We always ask at the end of our interviews to confirm that the person would be available to work FT. If they said yes and afterwards wanted to negotiate PT, this wouldn't be well received at all.

We might depending on the job, consider someone who asked for 4 days if they were presenting as a much better candidate that the others.

As a hiring manager, I would reeeeealy recommend you're upfront about PT work.

Lots of positions can be made part time, and if we like you we'd make it work and perhaps consider hiring someone else alongside you.

If you don't mention it till the end of the process we won't have thought about how to shape the role around PT work, and you would come across as timewasting at best, dishonest at worst.

I manage several PT people and it's great. It shouldn't be something to hide!