Why is it so hard to find a part-time job?

[Bagabee]

I didn't return to my old job after my first child's maternity leave ended as wasn't given the flexibility I needed - but have struggled to find part-time work ever since. I am looking for a similarly challenging role in a team - but there doesn't seem to be anything out there. Why won't employers consider 4 days or some home working if they like the candidate? After a couple of 'no's' after interview, confidence is really dented and feel like a fraud when meet with my NCT group who are back working now - and probably wonder what the hell I'm doing. Why so hard??

Oh dear bagabee . Please don't let it knock your confidence in your abilities. The unfortunate fact is that many employers have their pick of candidates at the moment, and I would imagine they are more likely to go for the full time candidate as that is the easy option - most workplaces are still organised on the basis that everyone is full time and employing someone part time requires thinking outside the box.

What sort of area do you work in? Can you see the difficulties that part time working could cause your prospective employer, and if so, can you make suggestions to solve those difficulties? in other words can you convince the interviewer that taking on a part time employee won't cause them headaches.

if it came down to it, might you be able to consider working somewhere full time until you've "proved your worth" to the employer, then looking to cut back? or do circumstances not allow.

best of luck and please, don't feel like a fraud - everyone knows the employment market is hard at the moment, there is no shame in finding it hard to find work that fits (indeed many of your NCT buddies may not be happy with their work situation either).

I know how you feel on this one, I started work after 6 years as a sahm last year and am being made redundant in May, can not find another decent job with suitable hours, don't let it knock you though, it is the times and the market at the moment.
Things will surely get better as dc get older etc.

Thanks for your support - just that helps so much! I work in PR so it shouldn't be a problem - I am happy to be on call even if not in situ all the time. I could go full-time initially but would feel terrible guilt and miss my DS. I have never not worked and feel like a real fake - neither a working mum nor a SAHM - but a mum who pops her child into (a very lovely) nursery when she has job interviews. Luckily, he loves it there and sees more of me than if I was working - but it's just my self-esteem that's damaged. And I don't feel I have much in common with other mums either. You're right that they're probably not happy with their situation either - that's why I feel like a fraud - they must think I'm being too picky and living life of riley!

Just a thought - in my experience of recruiting people (not PR but another field) in some ways, 4 days per week is the worst amount to go for from the employers viewpoint. If the job is essentially a full time post, it's nigh on impossible to find another person willing to pick up the one day a week gap. Most people want to work at least two or two and a half days. So maybe if you are willing to drop to 3 days, you might find it easier to find work than if you hold out for 4. I have had this situation a couple of times, where people in my dept have wanted to drop one day a week, and they've ended up with the option of either remaining on five, or dropping to three, so that realistically I can appoint someone else to cover the gap.

Good luck - I totally understand your frustration - it's not nice when you want to be working and aren't

I think it's often hard because most people create their own part-time roles. I have worked part-time for the past seventeen years but have never applied for a part-time job, returned from maternity leave into old role just less hours and then have moved jobs and got promoted a number of times since.

Usually seen job advertised (or told about it), informal emails / chats / meetings to see if it may work for both sides, then formal application. I know our HR says just apply for the job then reveal you want part-time after the interview but my personal opinion is that I'm not out to trick someone into taking me on. I don't feel I have to apologise for wanting to work part-time and it's not something I feel I have to hide. Yes, I have come across people who make excuses and are obviously predjudiced, that's their loss. The majority of people are very open about what is required and there have been some fantastic jobs which just wouldn't have suited the hours I have wanted to do at the time. However, I have often made a good contact which is always useful.

I think I would be a little concerned if you approached me saying you were willing to go back full-time but had not done this with your previous employer unless there was an additional reason like a long commute.

Also, I do think it's easier to go back after maternity leave to somewhere you are known and have built up a fund of goodwill. If you previously were staying late or putting in extra hours people will often cut you a bit more slack. Something I have always done is be pretty conservative about hours, always making appointments out of working hours or making up the time. Even, on occasion, going in on the weekend to make up for time off caring for a sick child. I didn't have to do this but I also believe my full time colleagues are entitled to work / life balance and shouldn't have to pick up my slack.Think my attitude reflects the fact that flexible working wasn't so easy a few decades ago so I always considered I had to go the extra mile, see younger colleagues now making appointments on their working days rather than their days off. No one says anything but don't think it always goes down well.

I definitely wish I had gone back to my old place where I had lots of goodwill - but, I am where I am and can only move forward from here. Happy to work 2, 3 or 4 days, TBH. Got a F/T job and then asked for 1 day from home / 4 days and was turned down so had to refuse it. It's pretty hard to explain why didn't go back to old company - it was a massive commute but now we're looking to move closer anyway to make any decent job possible, and cut my husband's commute - and that's prob hard for a potential employer to understand (or not?). You make these choices with best of intentions at time - hindsight is a wonderful thing...

We have lots of part time workers where i work but none on 4 days, its near on impossible to find a job share for the final day. A lot of employers are also against home working where the majority of staff are office based - easier to keep track of staff, arrange meetings etc if everyone is office based.

If you are asking prospective employers to work from home they may think that you plan to try and juggle the work and childcare at the same time.

How long ago did you leave your original employer, if you're moving back in that direction could you not contact them and see if they have anything available

I have tried that, morleylass - and they're now not recruiting at my level, they say. How I wish I'd hung on to what I had. My DS is beautiful and I hope has benefitted from more time with me - that is a silver-lining, I guess. But interviewing and finding a flexible role is very tough - esp when you've lost a bit of your confidence through being a mum...the search continues.

Have you thought about freelancing? I used to work in PR full-time but have been freelance for 8 years now (after having DS1).

Hi katierocket

Can you give me any tips on how you got started?

That would be great - thank you x

Just by talking to everyone and anyone that I knew in business. I only needed a couple of clients to start off with and everything I've had since then has been as a result of recommendation/WOM. Obviously you need to think about how you'll market yourself - use the CIPR, gumtree etc, you could set up a blog/get on twitter. You should definitely consider it.

Thank you. I have thought about it but have lacked the confidence to do it. Will reconsider!