When is part time not part time??

shoppaholic_returns

Hello fellow MSErs,

I was approached a couple of weeks ago by a lady who wanted me to go and work for her on a part time basis.
I went ahead and chatted to her and she invited me along to her business for a trial and all went well. Today, she invited me along to discuss the job and she wants me to work half day Monday,Friday and Saturday and full days Tuesday and wednesday.
This would be a bit of a hobby type job for me and whilst I thought I would enjoy the post, that I had imagined a part time job would not require me to go there every day except Thursday.

So today I voiced my concern and said I would be more than happy to cover any holidays and help out that way, but that the hours were just a bit much for me, I wanted 2.5-3 days a week not 3.5-4.She said she understood and that she would go away and think about how it could be changed.

Fast forward, and ten minutes ago, she rang and said she couldn't possibly change anything and that it was those hours or none, even though she has done all of the running and I told her from the start I only wanted a couple of days!!

I am really peeved, and just feel she has wasted my time, but I really need more than one full day a week get everything done.

She Wants to know my decision by the end of the week, do you think she is trying it on or do you think she will cave and go with what effectively is 3 less hours a week, if I say no thank you, as she seems very keen for me to work there.

Your thoughts please?.

Tiglath

Just say No if the hours don't suit you - she'll either go with the hours you're prepared to work or she'll find someone else.

shoppaholic_returns

So you think she may be trying me on?

Alikay

Unless you actually need the money, I'd stick to my guns: The fact that your hours are spread over 5 days means you'll only have a couple of days when you can please yourself - for that amount of disruption you might as well work full-time and get the salary and other entitlements which go with it!

I used to do 5 x 4 hour days when my children were younger as it fitted in well with school hours but now I'm older, I'd be wanting to condense it down into 2.5 days to cut down on travel costs and give me more useable chunks of free time.

shoppaholic_returns

Alikay,my thoughts exactly, I know they have a team meeting on Monday's, I even offered to go in at the crack of dawn for that, but she doesn't want to budge! It just basically means I get one full day a week, to do everything, and I don't need the money, which of course if I went into my previous industry full time I would earn more in a day than in a week there.


Just irritated as to why now she has changed the goal posts??

Tiglath

She may have a genuine need to have someone work those hours - doesn't mean she's trying it on, but your requirements may just not suit each other. Had you clarified the days/hours you wanted to work before your trial?

shoppaholic_returns

No tig, she just approached me and asked me if I would be interested in a part time job when I visited her shop, because of my product knowledge. I foolishly thought, wrongly that part time would not mean virtually every day.

Tiglath

Well I guess she's in the same position as you - neither of you knew what the other wanted till you got down to the nitty gritty. As you don't need the money, let this one pass you by.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

She advertised 'approached you' - you applied 'responded'...

She interviewed and offered.

You consider and either:
Accept
Reject
Negotiate.

This sort of thing happens all the time. Only you can decide what's right for you.

Goldiegirl

I'd just forget about it personally.

It's not as if you were chasing her needing the job, she approached you and you don't particularly need the money.

You tried it for size and it didn't fit, so no harm done. I'd just move on.

balletshoes

shoppaholic_returns wrote: »

No tig, she just approached me and asked me if I would be interested in a part time job when I visited her shop, because of my product knowledge. I foolishly thought, wrongly that part time would not mean virtually every day.

I think wires must be crossed between what you think part-time is, and what your prospective employer wants her employee to work as part-time.

I work 5 days a week, 6 hours a day, and I'm classed as part-time at my work (because full time is 5 days a week, 7.5 hours per day).