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Interview advice please

3 replies

RequiresUpdating · 07/06/2023 20:13

I've applied for a job that was advertised as 80-100%. I wrote on my cover letter in bold [job title] 50%. I have been offered an interview next week.

I'm assuming they will bring up the topic, but if they don't, how do I address it? I put 50 as I believe that's the lowest they offer part time. I would also consider 40. I think 60 would be possible with some home office (the commute is 1 hour each way). I genuinely don't think I could cope with 80 or more and 70 would be difficult and only possible if I could work evenings after the DC are in bed. Ideal for me would be to start at 50 and over the next couple of years, as the DC get more independent, maybe increase a bit.

I have one DC with ASD who can't be left alone really. He can be left to get on with stuff at home, but not yet at the stage where he can be left at home for the day. He's going to secondary and I'm assuming there will be transition issues and I'll have to go to school now and again . DC also come home for lunch (2 hour) break, there is no provision at the school, also have no school two afternoons a week. And I have to think about covering holidays as leaving DC and younger sibling alone is not a possibility.

On a different topic, if they ask the "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" question is saying "as a knowledgable and dependable member of the team" an acceptable answer? I have no desire to manage people or lead a team or lead projects. I need a steady stable job with fixed hours. I'm assuming in 5 years time, DC will still need more support than others of the same age.

OP posts:
Krystall · 09/06/2023 08:06

I think you should have been a bit clearer than writing 50% beside the job title. I would have actively mentioned that I was interested in part time work only in the cover letter. If I were recruiting and saw somebody had written 50% next to the job title, I might not even notice it, I might think it is a mistake, I definitely wouldn’t be sure what you were getting at.

To your interview question, I think that is a perfectly reasonable answer. In fact I started part time work myself recently, after having had quite a scenario career, I am looking to coast now and my answer was very similar, I have external clients and I said something about hoping to have built a reputation for myself as somebody that the clients trust and have confidence in.

RequiresUpdating · 09/06/2023 10:31

I think you should have been a bit clearer than writing 50% beside the job title.
is it really not clear?
the job as was formulated

[Job title] 80-100%

I wrote:
Address etc

Date

[Job title] 50%

Dear Mrs X ....

I thought that would be clear enough.

OP posts:
Infusionist · 09/06/2023 10:41

I don’t think that’s clear at all, sorry. Deff best to discuss it in the interview.

But the answer is fine!

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