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?

Just wanted to wish you luck today. Don’t let some posters put you off. You are doing something that could really help your mental health in the long run. Be positive. This is you making a first step back into the work place. and first steps lead to second steps and so on. You have nothing to lose by asking.

Show them what you have to offer. If the flexibility is there then all good. If not, it may be later down the road. Either way you are being proactive. And it will give you more confidence to apply for other jobs if this one doesn’t work out.

Do take on board my previous post. Show that it could really work in their favour. Other people might not be able to do mornings, you could be the perfect solution. And with winter and sickness.. you have every chance of picking up extra hours to cover. You have got this!

So not willing to work a whole 20 hours a week so you can do a hobby.

And people wonder why the government is trying to get people off the sick. You can't possibly work more than 15 hours (a complete guess) and you're expecting a job to fit in with your 'hobby'

I think you're expecting far too much OP. You can either do the job or not.

I think op is getting too much stick, if the hobby is therapeutic and makes the difference between you being functioning and non functioning, it's like having to come off medication or something.

There's no harm in asking. They might have someone else asking the same and you could job share.

The main thing I'd be worried about is whether you would be reliable and robust enough to deal with hyper/stroppy/silly tired kids.

Could not agree more with this. Thank you for posting it.

Presumably you’d all be fine with OP saying she has medical treatment twice a week, or physio therapy.

She is recovering from a serious illness and this activity is helping with that and will ultimately help her to do more and work more.

She made the unfortunate mistake of using the word ‘hobby’ and you’re all pounced on her and assumed she’s doing it for fun and not as a way to stay alive.

I doubt she’s still reading after this pile on. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

If this doesn't work out op, can you befriend childminders nearby? Someone might love another pair of hands for after school pick ups and be happy for it to be reduced hours. I know a few childminders who have helpers.

Why have you applied for a job that you know you can’t commit to all the hours they want?
A lot of us have mental health difficulties and would love to have more time to do our hobbies but we have bills to pay so work must come first.

Ignoring the hobby aspect which is a bit hmmmm, contact them ahead of time and say for advance disclosure you have personal commitments on the afternoons of x and y days of the week and are therefore only available mornings and a, b and c afternoons.

it may be that they are willing to consider a job share between two part time candidates. If they're not then they can tell you that wouldn't be acceptable and neither you nor the potential employer will waste time on the interview.

You can normally ask for some flexibility BUT I would say that given the nature of the role those are the hours they need someone for. The after/pre school club has to run those hours.
I do have sympathy for MH issues but I am a bit surprised that anyone thinks its ok to claim benefits rather than work so they can do a hobby instead and as for you thinking you are only able to work 15 hours how about 14? or 16?
Its a completely arbitary amount you have basically made up so you can do your hobby rather than work

Absolutely

I've not read the full thread yet, but, why did you apply for a job that's more hours than you're capable of? I'd be surprised if they didn't list the hours expected of you in the job listing.

Also, are you trying to not affect your benefits? 15 hours is a very specific number.

This has to be a goady post. I really hope so

Really hoping so. There are loads of these around

What was the point in applying if you don't want to can't work the hours.

20 hours is nothing, just get on with it.
You've wasted their time and your own.

This must be a fake post .The irony of it is ,if it was to be believed ,everyone who is relying on this wraparound cafe surely needs it so they can go to work ,pay tax etc .

Bet they would love a couple of days a week to finish early and improve their mental health .

Meanwhile the OP doesn't fancy more than 15 hours -its a joke surely ?

Help us marry up "hopefully in the future I can do more" and "my hobby is only offered at these times."

Are you thinking your hobby's hours will change or that school kids will suddenly start finishing at 12pm?

Where are you getting young adult from?

I say young adult because the risk of heart attacks etc rise when you become an older adult. I was talking about stats, not OP

It’s clearly therapy not just a hobby for fun

I don't think someone with a serious mental illness going for a job looking after people's children is a match made in heaven on either side. Especially when they don't seem that into it.

After a few months of "rehab", she may becwell enough to switch around her days.

Better to look at the person rather than "stats." Unless you're a politician of course.

Ugh, the stigma is disgusting.

I disagree with a lot of previous posters.

I have gone through a recruitment process for a full time role and then requested fewer hours after being offered the role. I don’t think it’s a waste of their or your time necessarily to do this - the application and interview process is a series of negotiations around hours, working patterns and perks! Go for it.

I was very low, depressed and anxious and with the help of a therapist identified what in my life worked and didn’t work for me.

For me, if I work so much I don’t have time to go to the gym or do some moderate exercise 3-4x a week I am totally miserable. I start to experience burn out quite quickly.

My life all balances out nicely if I do around 20 hours per week. That’s enough of everything. The plates spin. My employers are always asking for more and I have to be firm. I am very lucky though as I can dictate because my profession is in high demand and I’m always well paid enough that I can take the hit.

A long way of saying I’ve been there and agree with what you’re saying, I don’t think OP has approached this all that well though. I always make clear what I am prepared to offer at the outset before progressing with an application.