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Original poster

Part time work, what do you do?

30 replies

alibo · 14/06/2009 16:45

Starting from scratch here really, not worked for last few years, looked after ds on my own, he's now at school. Am acually a trained biomedical scientist, but can not wanting to go back into that work due to shifts, weekends will be impossible to me. Really need some part time work, so can be there some of the week for ds, have no back up from ex dh as works away, and both grandparents not local to help with pick ups etc., would like something that would work around school hrs if poss, any ideas??

OP posts:
Bonneville · 14/06/2009 20:16

alibo didnt want to let your thread go unanswered. Unfortunately you seem to be really restricted in the hours that you are available. It must be like gold dust getting a part time job to fit around school hours. Anything you could do part time from home perhaps?

Wonderstuff · 14/06/2009 20:17

Work in a school? Then you are working round school hours.

Parmageddon · 14/06/2009 20:21

Something working in education? On my local council website there are a few jobs from time to time asking for school hours or less during term time only - working as admin or finance assistant etc. Or how about training as a teaching assistant?

I'm in same position as you - qualified as an accountant, but have dd2 who has severe SN and I really can't do much more than school hours, as have no back up from family etc. I have been really struggling with a school hours job where the hours have been endlessly creeping up.

Also you really have to think about how you would cope with the school holidays even if you manage to find a school hours job.

Good luck

jkklpu · 14/06/2009 20:22

school lab technician? prob a big come-down from your previous job but would mean all your training didn't go to waste and would be around school hours

Hulababy · 14/06/2009 20:31

I was a teacher pre DD and for a couple of years after she was brn. I then worked part time in a male prison, within education as an Adice and Guidance worker.

I now work as a Teaching Assistant in an infant school. The hours fit in much better with DD's school hours. I have the holidays off, and on the whole I have little work to do outside of my paid hours. I work 5 mornings so cn do every pick up which is great. And as a work PT I aam able to be a bit flexible with my hours and can change them a bit, within reason, to ensure I can attend DD's school assemblies, etc. I do however now earn a pittance!!!

DITDOT · 14/06/2009 22:27

A science technician in my school is expected to be there before lessons start and available to clear away when school has finished so may not fit in with school hours.
Also be aware that unlike many primary TA's, secondary teaching assistants often have to be there at 8.30 and leave after school finishes.
The admin staff seem to have the most flexibility.

blueshoes · 14/06/2009 22:52

One-to-one assistant for a statemented child with special needs. Not sure if you need special qualifications for that but a friend of mine is doing this, after having been out of the workplace for a long time.

DontCallMeBaby · 14/06/2009 23:01

I'm a civil servant, I worked three days a week from the end of maternity leave until DD started school, and since then (only last September) I've been on five six-hour days a week, term-time only. Having worked for the organisation for nearly eight years pre-DD was obviously a huge advantage, but some people do get taken on as part-time right from the start.

Original poster
alibo · 15/06/2009 12:26

Thanks for replies ! Have been considering teaching assistant jobs etc, as i did a bit of voluntary work for a few months when ds was at pre school. So may look at doing some more volunteering, and starting a course, etc. Just was really trying to think of alternatives, as the competition for these posts seems fierce in our area. I was told by a neighbour who is the head at a primary school had 120 applicants for their last teaching assistant job! To be honest at the moment, i wouldn't be too fussed what job i did, the hours are more important. Ex dh pays enough maintenanace to cover our bills, etc, but therefore cannot claim income support, just child tax credit. If i work at least 16 hrs, i could get some working tax credits which would make a huge difference in our money to live on. I feel really torn as if i had a starting time before school hrs and finishing time later than school hrs, ds would have to go to b4 and after school club, which whilst this would be ok say for some of the week, think this would be too unsettling for him everyday iyswim? He has always had me there for him, and dh never contributes to school pickups despite being his own boss, and endless promises to involve himself a bit more.
Have seen lab technician post advertised ocaasionally in the past, though these have been full time, slightly longer hrs etc..

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 15/06/2009 12:34

Cleaning. I work in a hotel/lodge and our cleaners work 9 until 1 or 2. You would probably have to rely on a breakfast club to get there for 9 but that's it.

Original poster
alibo · 15/06/2009 14:16

Lol! Nappyaddict, meant to say....not bothered about kind of work except cleaning!!. I've developed a proper dislike for housework in general!, perhaps due to the fact that having been separated for 4 years, you really miss having someone to do the odd bit of washing up, cleaning, ironing, cooking, gardening...the list goes on;it's a case of do it all yourself or it don't get done!So the thought of doing extra cleaning sends me quivering under the computer table, but thanks for the suggestion !

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 16/06/2009 01:06

It isn't the most exciting job in the world I'll give you that but when there's so much competition for jobs at the moment you have to take anything sometimes if only as a stop gap whilst you look for something better.

Lusi · 16/06/2009 01:28

I worked as a special needs assistant for statemented children in a primary school when I was studying (about 14 years ago - so things may have changed).
I really really enjoyed it, it was very rewarding (and I occasionally do web searches to see if I can find out what the children I worked with are up to now)... but it was only for about 9 hours per week (maybe if you worked with more children the hours could be longer?).
I didn't have any training for supporting children in the classroom (the class teacher told me what they wanted me to do) but did get a little for working one to one with a dyslexic child.
The big question is 'How did I get the job?' Sorry to say but it isn't very helpful for you - the head of special needs was the ex of someone else I worked for part-time..she basically said if I had the patience and understanding to work for her ex - I'd be great at working with difficult children
BTW I have a Phd in biochemistry - so should be looking for a Post Doc position soon but I don't think it will be easy either -especially part time - also thinking about other options....does anyone know of a great part time job you can do from home?????

nappyaddict · 16/06/2009 02:05

most people i know who want a work from home job with flexible hours sell stuff. For example usborne books, avon, betterware, kleeneze, body shop, ann summers, virgin vie, phoenix trading, pampered chef, forever living products, euphony, seesaw, captain tortue, stardust kids, mamatoto, tatty bumpkin, mini iq, barefoot books, neways, smallprint etc

Or some non-selling working from home jobs are kantar operations, book keeping, accounting, transcriping, translating, stuffing envelopes, copywriter etc

Are you arty/crafty/a good cook. Can you make stuff to sell? Or do you have any other skills you can sell?

Ironing? Sewing? Repairs? Alterations? Dress making? etc.

Sorry I seem to have written etc a lot

nappyaddict · 16/06/2009 02:07

Or what about childminding/nannying/being a mother's help type person? Childminding probably wouldn't work if you didn't want to work full time mon-fri though.

nappyaddict · 16/06/2009 02:09

Found some websites that might interest you

what's on 4 little ones

leave it to the ladies

mama mag

wow property

mystery shopping

Madmentalbint · 16/06/2009 07:19

What about working as a catering assistant in a school. The pay isn't great (and it's not particularly glamourous) but it's term time only, you get lunch, a uniform, a pension and you'd be able to do the school run at both ends of the day. It would also be the sort of job where you don't give work a second thought once you're out the door.

MrsJamin · 16/06/2009 20:10

If you're a scientist, could you work part-time in research at a university? I have a university-based job which was advertised as 2.5 days, and it's flexible too, I think I would be able to do it just in school hours if I did it over more days.

bumpybecky · 16/06/2009 20:17

I have a background in molecular biology (PhD level) and was a school lab tech before I had dd3. It was an excellent job term time only, part time hours and nothing they ever asked me to do was too difficult! lots of washing up and putting things away, but occasional proper sciencey stuff.

I worked 25 hours a week I think, started at 8.30am and finished most days at 3pm (so before school finished). I had one late day ending at 5pm, one early ending at 12. Hours were flexible depending on the other staff members - I worked in a team of 5 techs.

I'd keep looking for lab tech jobs, hopefully one with more suitable hours will come up

Original poster
alibo · 17/06/2009 22:48

thanks for more replies; some great ideas and suggestions! going to try and hold out for something in a school if i can, either ta or lab tech. Think those are my best options, so will be scouring for as many vacancies as possible! Really want to not get into the working from home thing, as i feel the need to be out of the house now after looking after ds for 5 yrs. It has been a very lonely time!, and i need adult company and conversation! any more ideas welcome !

OP posts:
nappyaddict · 18/06/2009 00:24

If nothing comes up with a school although the selling stuff is labelled as working from home it's not really because you have to get out there and meet people to be able to sell your stuff.

Lizzzombie · 18/06/2009 00:27

I work in a shop. It not exactly a career move and its just about over minimum wage, but it pays the bills! (handy discount too!)

A mate of mine did PT NVQ'ing assesment which I thought would be a good job. But you have to be qualified in that particular area. So not sure how you could fit your knowledge in with an apprentice monitoring scheme. They must exist though.

Original poster
alibo · 18/06/2009 11:33

nappyaddict, meant to say thanks for all your replies, you've given me lots of ideas to think about! I did do phoenix cards for a while last year, but the money i was making was only about £20/30 a month, if that. It really only works if you can afford to buy a good variety of stock in, which costs a lot in initial outlay. You need to sell £100 worth of cards to make £25/30. So i will look into some of the other direct selling companies you listed....lizzzombie, I did think about shopwork, but prob thought these days that may involve committing to some evenings or weekends, which i cannot do; what ours did you do?

OP posts:
Original poster
alibo · 18/06/2009 11:35

, sorry that should be what "hours" did you do?!

OP posts:
Lizzzombie · 18/06/2009 12:19

I do 16 hours a week and have set hours. 2 mornings and all day Saturday. Although I hate working on Saturday, I have to admit its made my DP 'bond' much better with our son than I think he would have otherwise. He works very long hours and basically never sees DS during the week. So Saturday is Daddy Day and has been since he was 6 months old.