Please help how to disclose to potential job that I can only work a certain amount of hours

[lolit]

I applied today to a job in a nearby school, the role is playworker and the hours are 7.30AM-9AM and 3PM-6PM because I would be providing wrap-around care. I got a response straight away and job interview is tomorrow.

The problem is it's more than 20 hours a week and I am unable to work this much right now because of my mental health, I suffer from depression and while I am getting better and feel capable of work, I feel like I can do max 15h a week right now (hopefully in the future I can do more).

When do I disclose this and what reason do I give? Am I wasting their time by having this interview, should I just leave it and look for jobs that are offering less hours to avoid awkwardness and being told I am wasting their time?

Yes you are wasting their time, they need someone in the hours they have confirmed to provide wrap around care. They will need to have a certain number of staff legally to care for the children

If you cant do the hours they need, you won't get the job. Do you think you would be able to try to do the hours and see how it goes? If not, you're wasting their time and should inform them you won't be attending the interview.

Well the role will be for a certain amount of hours .

if you feel you can’t do the hours withdraw . It is a ratio related job . You can just work 3 hours a day and leave 11/2 hours early every day

I’d tell them this before the interview, just email explaining succinctly (no need for a massive backstory) and saying you’ll totally understand if they’d prefer to cancel the interview but you’d be delighted to be given the opportunity. Then they can decide if they’d still be willing to consider you. That’s the professional way to handle it and prevents it potentially being really awkward at the interview if they definitely would not consider anyone who couldn’t commit the whole amount of time. There’s a good chance plenty of people wouldn’t want the two blocks a day, 5 days a week so you probably won’t be the only one and maybe there might be someone who could job share with you. My sister works in a school and is responsible for recruiting roles like this, they often have very few applicants so they might be open to being flexible if their options are likewise limited.

Would 15 a week really be that much different to 20? With a big gap between shifts?

I mean I guess you could get the job and then put in a flexible working request, but they might not be able to grant it.

Is the real reason because of claiming benefits? I guess if it is they might struggle to get applicants

Thank you! I will e-mail them first thing in the morning so they can decide before the interview to proceed or not.

I feel like I can do max 15h a week

That’s just a random guess, though. There’s no medical basis for it, just a ‘feeling’.

I think you should give the 20 hours a good go. It could be good for your mental health.

You’re probably not going to find another job as rewarding as this one, that also fits your rather restrictive 15 hour rule.

The difference is I have a hobby that I do twice a week at a time that would clash with the 3-6 shift and to be honest this hobby is the only thing keeping my mental health together so I cannot give it up and the hobby is not available at other times.

It's not the benefits, I am on them, but get the lwcra component due to my mental health, so my benefits will not be stopped if I work over 15h.

Withdraw.

Don't withdraw.

basically it clashes with your hobby. It's not really an amount of hours you can do (or not) for your mental health.

it sounds like a brilliant job, I'd go for it then if you get it work out how else/where else /when else to do your hobby. If it something like bell ringing you'll have to find a different church.

maybe it'll help with your depression in the same way your hobby does, in my experience there are very few hobbies that you can't do elsewhere, you just have to push through your comfort zone.

in time to come they may be ablebtonfindvsineinebtibdonthebtwobsessions you'd rather not do.

but it seems like a brilliant opportunity to get back into work.

AND don't make it about the hours because they might be able to reduce them in a way that still with would mean you can't get to your hobby.

I don't genuinely understand your trigger number of hours of 20 hours per week. That is itself is crazy. This job is 22.5 hours per week. Substantially that is little different to 20. So what is the real issue here? Do you not want to work? Unfortunately as a tax payer I don't want to support your feelings that you cannot work work more than 15 hours per week. You need to work more than that to be self-sufficient.

You say the hobby “is the only thing keeping your mental health together” but being an independent, self-sufficient, wage-earning, socially useful member of society, with a rewarding job, social interaction with colleagues, money, and a structured routine could all provide the same in spades.

Playworker is such a great job if you enjoy spending time with children, and can also open up opportunities for progression into other potential careers. Don’t give up this opportunity for flimsy reasons, OP.

Wow, just wow. No thank you to supporting your hobby as a tax payer. You need to work and support yourself, whatever it takes, like the rest of us.

Wow. I’d love to work less hours to do my hobby…

And I say that as someone with multiple serious mental health conditions, but the reality is I need to work or I won’t have any money.

If you can’t do the hours then I don’t understand why you applied to the job.

You applied for a job with clear hours. Why apply for something to you don’t want do? Withdraw and allow them to find someone suitable for the role.

Don’t give up. I’d email them in a more positive way. Say you are really interested in doing the morning shift 5 days a week. And would be available for sickness/holiday cover on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. (Whichever are the days you are not doing your hobby). They might like the flexibility.

Even if they say no, ask if they can keep you in mind in case an opportunity comes up again. Or say you can do the training and come in as and when they need cover.

Getting out there is a good first step. And you may find you can ease yourself back in to the work place and up your hours later.

Yes you're wasting their time. The hours are mentioned because that's what they need filled, not someone who wants to do their hobby a quarter of the time instead 🙄

Do the 20 hours and find a hobby to do in all of your free time.

No i don't think using the mental health or hobby card will stop you from wasting their time

Is this a fake post designed to stir up outrage about people who choose not to work? Surely nobody can pronounce they would rather do minimum work and have lots of time for hobbies? Everyone’s mental health would massively improved by doing what they wanted instead of working. Unfortunately they have to work to support themselves and OP.

You will be needed for ratios- they very well therefore may not be able to run the programme without someone- so yes, you probably are wasting there time but not issue in asking in case that's not the case.

Yikes, this thread brought out the slave - to - capitalism kool aid.

Emailing them ahead of time is a good idea, OP. It's very common to get a lot of part time applications for jobs like this. Sometimes you jigsaw them together.

Way to really misunderstand mental health conditions!

Why would you apply for a job where you're not prepared ro do the hours they state? Pointless. They will just give it to another applicant who is happy to do the hours.

I'd suggest your mental health might be inproved by having regular structured work. Can"t you do the hobby in the evening or on between the 2 shifts?

Also bought out the "my mental health trumps all" apologists hey.

If you can't commit to the hours, you shouldn't apply for the job. I don't know why that's hard to understand.