Jennifer writes:
Dr. Hansen — thank you so much for your informative website!
I needed to make a career change, so I chose a new field (with your help!) and recently graduated from graduate school. Now I am looking for a job, and would appreciate some interview advice. I have found a full-time position that I am considering applying for — I would prefer part-time work, though, and was wondering when would be the best time to mention this subject to the hiring individual.
Another possibility for me would be telecommuting, so I guess I have the same question about that subject as well — should I wait until they have offered me the job to mention my interesting in telecommuting, or should I be more up front and ask about the possibility earlier in the application process.
The Career Doctor responds:
Yours is a challenging position because most employers do not set out making jobs either part-time or with a telecommuting option. There are other possibilities too, like job-sharing and flex-time.
My best suggestion is to find a few prospective employers that have a corporate culture that supports such flexible work options. By doing your research, you will be interviewing only with organizations that offer these types of programs. Review company Websites and talk with people who work there.
As a career-changer, you will have to work a bit harder in your job search, and since part-time is only a preference and not a necessity, I would focus more on finding the best opportunity first. Once you are with the organization for a while, then you can raise the issue of work flexibility options.
If part-time work is a requirement, then I would make it known in my cover letter that the position I was seeking had to be part-time. You are going to be eliminated from a lot of possibilities, but better to be upfront than to pretend you would accept a full-time position.
