Part-Time Questions

Butterfliesarepretty

Ive been in two temp part time jobs and the last one I had a chance of being made permanent but the company was acquired and so even though my manager didnt want to lose me, the directors decided agency workers had to go.

Anyway I have 32 years of working in different types of accounts/purchase ledger/accounts payable roles and I am applying constantly for part time roles up to 25 hours a week.

Ive had two interviews in four weeks, one I didnt get and one I am still waiting to hear back, yet in every interview I am always asked "Why do you want to work part-time" even from agencies.:mad:

Now I went part time in 2016 and the reasons were:-

We were moving house and my mortgage was paid off.
The last full time role affected me so much I had a scary anxiety/panic attack and had to leave the role after six months.:eek:
Before that happened I had always worked full time.;)
Now I love working part time get approx £200 a week not taxed so work life balance is good.

Yet employers and agencies are always digging for reasons why I want this and Im not sure how to keep answering their questions.

Does anybody else find this with part time work??

Thanks all.

Kayalana99

I think you are over thinking it, a simple we have paid off the house so don't need a(nother) full-time wage coming in is a good enough answer.

dawyldthing

And state you've been loyal when working part time and it just suits your lifestyle

TELLIT01

Butterfliesarepretty wrote: »

in every interview I am always asked "Why do you want to work part-time" even from agencies.:mad:

Now I went part time in 2016 and the reasons were:-

We were moving house and my mortgage was paid off.
The last full time role affected me so much I had a scary anxiety/panic attack and had to leave the role after six months.:eek:

Now I love working part time get approx £200 a week not taxed so work life balance is good.

Yet employers and agencies are always digging for reasons why I want this and Im not sure how to keep answering their questions.

You've explained above why you prefer to work part time. I would just leave out the bit that I've put in bold. If they persist simply say that you don't need to work full time and value the free time you now have.
In my final year before retirement I cut down to 4 days a week and the difference it made even amazed me.

jobbingmusician

I'm in the same situation (don't have to work FT, enjoy PT working) but I don't have this problem. I go into interviews and emphasise the fact that I don't have to work so apply only for jobs that really attract me, and prefer PT working so my work/life balance is better - and I stress that I can give more to the job in the hours I am there than I would be if I were working round the clock!

[Deleted User]

I'd spin it another way and be more positive in selling it to them, "I started somewhere full time and you know what, it turned out a win-win for both myself and employer that I dropped down to part time so I'd like to continue and would hate for you to miss out on my experience"

This did genuinely happen to me in 2015 when I left the employer at the time who I temp'd for, of funnily enough an Accounts position, they then realised they did not need someone full time and last I heard were very happy with their part timer who replaced me.

Perhaps you are just unlucky at the moment and these places are full of full timers chomping at the bit to drop down so fitting into a team says no, agencies are just nosy I even had one cold caller of an agency today asking me why I do my current commute! And what drew me to the current location exactly! Try bigger 'family owned firms'. My last interview after I really assured them I didn't mind the distance I turned up for the permanent job on offer interview to hear it was only 30 hours per week. Couldn't believe it when I got there to hear the hours as 10 to 17:30 so there turned out pretty good reason why the employer expressed concerns so you need to retaliate as to the "why" sometimes.

Butterfliesarepretty

Thanks for the replies its really helpful. Im no longer going to mention cutting down my hours due to anxiety.

I will just say my mortgage is paid and I can afford to cut my hours and I am more productive in my role because of the reduction.

agrinnall

The problem is that if employers think that they need someone full time (even if in reality they don't) then they aren't going to be interested in someone who only wants to work part time. By specifying part time only you are inevitably severely limiting the number of jobs that are available to you. If you can do it I would recommend starting full time and once you are up to speed with the job and are confident you can do it in less hours make an application to go part time, explaining the benefits to the employer. [I went from full time to 4 days a week myself 18 months ago, and don't regret it at all]

getmore4less

Why bother with a full time job if you don't want one, don't need one and there is a risk it could make you ill?

far better to go for the part time jobs and be able to convince the employer that is what you want and you won't be leaving as soon as a full time jobs comes up.

jobbingmusician

'I'm actually a very efficient worker and I've found I've been able to save some people* money by doing the job in less time than they initially estimated it would take. Part of this, I think, is that I am far more productive per hour when my work/life balance is right'.

*These people could be friends. Hoping this is true for you, of course.

Butterfliesarepretty

agrinnal - thankyou for your comments but you have to understand I have worked full time for 31 years.

I had always been fine with fulltime until my last fulltime role. The job was far busier than advertised and I was getting migraines, stress and worrying about work while at home. I have never felt like that. So I had to leave on sick for a month then gave my reason for leaving in writing. They were not prepared to give me a helping hand by getting someone in part time or full time to help me so I had no choice but to look after my health.

At the same time as this happened my house sold and we found a house, moved, paid off my mortgage and my husband suggested I try part time temping.

It suits me, its less money but manageable and I have more time for my family, and I am happier.:D

I could never go back fulltime again. That job destroyed me mentally.:(