When to ask for flexible working, when applying for new job?

[cocopop100]

I have a first interview for a new job this week. In my current role I work five days in four compressed hours and would like to continue with a four day week. At what point during the interview process do people bring up flexible working? I realise raising it from the beginning would be the most honest and transparent, but the reality is it could compromise my application. I’m interested to know what others have done - do you raise it from the beginning or wait until you have a job offer? Grateful for any thoughts or advice!

In my work you can only ask for flexible working once you have passed probation so bringing it up in an interview would do no good

Yes from the beginning - waiting until the offer is daft, because it might not even be on the table and then you've wasted everyone's time. Flexible working is part of the research process into deciding if you even want to apply in the first place.

I would look at the website and job description first; is it mentioned? I believe it’s a Day 1 benefit but do you work in an industry that doesn’t have flexibility?

I hire and would want this raised in the first interview. Some flexibility we can accommodate, others we can't. It's a waste of everybody's time if we do multiple interviews and then someone says they need flexibility that we can't offer.

If you are going to continue to do 100% fte and the only flexibility is about timing then I think after job offer is fine. If you were going to do less than 100% fte then they need to know a bit earlier surely?

100%

Timing matters a lot in some roles. We could do a compressed four days as long as the day off was Monday or Tuesday. Anything else wouldn't work for various reasons.

You might only apply for it after a certain amount of time in post, but unless I am wrong the OP is asking whether or not the company would even entertain the idea. Which needs be a question up front. It's about the policy not the application of the policy at this stage - or so I understand from the post.

I’d wait and see if they offered it to you first because if they want someone doing the hours over 5 days they’ll write you off instantly but once it gets to offer stage, then you could discuss it with them
they might say we will trial this for 3 months and see if it works or they might say no or might say yes of course but get the offer first.

If you’re not prepared to work 5 days then bring it up asap, if they say no at least everyone’s time isn’t wasted

As someone hiring at the moment, please raise it as soon as possible.

I was told on a course for people being made redundant not to mention hours until you know they want you and have been offered the job. I’ve always done this and I’ve always got what I wanted.
People will no doubt disagree but what’s the point discussing hours at interview when you may not have been successful or bringing it up may go against you.

As early as possible. I’ve had some people ask before making an application.
Check what their website and the job description says about flexible working. Some will state explicitly what they offer, and be clear what they mean. I’ve seen at least two people mix up flexible working with flexi-time and hybrid working.
The right to request it is now from day one, but that doesn’t guarantee you’d get it.

I personally ask at offer stage but then these were in places that I knew would be flexible anyway. You might have to take an unpopular day “off” to start and then ask to change it later down the line.

Thanks so much for all the advice everyone! It’s so interesting to hear the different experiences and advice - it seems quite a dividing issue! In response to a point that’s been raised, the job ad does say that they offer flexible working as an employer. However the role is advertised as a full time one so I guess the fact remains that if there are 10 applicants and 5 are asking about flexible working and 5 aren’t, surely the 5 who aren’t will seem like more attractive prospects? But I do take on board the points about wasting everyone’s time. Lots to mull over so thanks for all the input

I asked after the first interview, before the second. 5 days wouldn't have worked for me as I didn't have the childcare in place, so didn't want to waste my time or theirs on an in-person interview if they couldn't accommodate 4 days.

Just to add, I agree it could work against you, especially in this market, which is why I'd suggest waiting until second round interview to bring it up

Not necessarily. I’m hiring at the moment. I have sign off for a full time role but I’d happily accommodate a request for part time or flexible hours for my preferred candidate. But I’d need to know as soon as possible not least as there are some requests that I wouldn’t be able to accommodate (eg having Fridays off) and I’d rather have that conversation up front than when I’ve wasted both of our time.

If they're okay with flexible working, it won't make a difference. If they're not, why would you want to work there?

No, it wouldn’t come into it, I’d only be interested in their skills and experience and finding the best fit for the role.

If it’s someone looking for compressed hours, so still working full time, that’s much less of an issue. If I’ve got approval to recruit to a full time post, then there’s enough work for that, so someone wanting a 0.7 or 0.8 contract would be less desirable. Unless they wanted to job share but finding a 0.3 or 0.2 job share for them is unlikely to be feasible.

What I would be pleased to see is an applicant being open about it, being prepared to be flexible themselves eg about which day wasn’t worked and who is open to a conversation about it, maybe by asking questions about which days meetings tend to fall on or deadlines land.

Depends on how important the four day week is for you and how much you want the job. If you can only work four days due to childcare or something then you need to tell them. If it's just a preference and you could do five days then you could wait.

For me it would depend if it was a dealbreaker - if I had to have it or the job wouldn’t work I’d be upfront about it. If it was a nice to have I’d wait.

If it's a deal breaker for you, ask early in the process. If you might take the full time role anyway then ask at the offer stage.

As they’ve already said they can be flexible I’d wait for the offer stage. I did that for my last two jobs, and got the working arrangements I wanted.
If flexibility wasn’t mentioned in the ad I might sound them out in a pre-application chat, if that’s offered. (No point applying somewhere that’s going to be arsey about hours- I work in fields where it’s unlikely to be genuinely operational reasons)