If you’re looking for a part-time job, you’ll know how tricky it can be to find the right position to suit your skills and the hours you want to do. Here, Karen Mattison from the Hire Me My Way campaign provides her top tips for finding a part-time job that works for you.
Many women decide to work part-time if they want to continue working after having children.
The usual route is to ask your existing employer if you can reduce your hours. They will have to consider your request properly and it is worth finding out more about the process before you make your request.
But what if your employer says no? And what if you’ve taken an extended maternity break so you need to find a job with a new employer?
Good part-time jobs can be tricky to find, and the more senior your job, the harder it can get.
Recent research suggests that amongst advertised job vacancies with salaries over £20k, less than 5% are part-time. Above £35k, this drops to 3%.
Whilst you might face a challenging job hunt, there is support. The Hire Me My Way campaign is trying to change the jobs market by persuading more employers to open up to flexibility from day one of a new hire.
It’s going to be a long haul, but in the meantime there are ways and means to get the part-time job you want…
There are a small number of job sites that specialise in part-time and flexible working.
The main ones are Hire Me My Way’s sister-site Timewise Jobs, and also Capability Jane, Flexiworkforce, Working Mums and the job section of Mumsnet.
You can also try regular jobsites and filter for part-time jobs.
Asking for three days a week can be too big a drop from full time; but, for an employer, four days may feel possible.
For many women, the ideal part-time arrangement is three days a week.
But if you can stretch to four days, you can apply for full-time jobs with employers who are open to flexible working, and ask to work reduced hours.
Hire Me My Way has a growing directory of employers who are open to ‘flexible hiring’ (i.e. they are open to requests to work flexibly from day one of a new hire). And Working Mums has a list of employers with a strong flexible working ethos.
You can also do your own research on an employer’s openness to flexible working – check out the careers section of their website, chase down and chat to people who already work for them, or simply call their HR department.
When you’re searching for a part-time job, a little expert advice can help.
A good starting place is Hire Me My Way’s quiz on ‘What are my chances of getting a part-time job’, which gives you personal feedback and practical tips based on your answers.
Competition is high in the part-time job market and sadly many women accept jobs below their skill level in order to get the flexibility they want.
That’s why NCT is working with organisations like TimeWise to encourage employers to adopt more family-friendly working patterns. You can find more information on our website.
You’ll also find lots articles and guides on the following websites: Timewise Jobs, Women Like Us and Working Mums.
