Disclaimer: Today I have my Human Resources hat on, as well as my ranty-pants soapbox hat. Go easy on me, won’t you? I’m just a girl, standing in front of a recruiter, asking them to CONSIDER ME FOR A JOB.
And I’m really good at Scrabble, too.
When I look through Seek, religiously, every morning, filtering on Melbourne-based HR & Recruitment jobs, I can’t help but think I’m thoroughly screwed.
I realise it’s early in the year and the market is slow. I also understand Seek is not the only resource for job seekers – companies are using a whole raft of job advertising engines/word of mouth/social media to find the perfect recruit. LinkedIn is my new best friend and I find the quality of the jobs better there, but the story is still the same. Part-time work offerings are woeful. I did a quick statistic, only because it involved a spreadsheet and a formula and I LOVE those (don’t laugh, I do. Step back). Last week in Melbourne, of all the Human Resources jobs advertised on Seek, only 3% of them on average were part-time. 3%!
When I took a package from my previous employer last year I thought the heave-ho was laced with a silver lining. I no longer wanted to work there. The culture had disintegrated to the point where it wasn’t the company I’d joined 8 years ago. But they were pioneers in walking the walk in terms of flexibility. Now, the reality of securing a part-time job in my industry is not looking good. I’m an experienced (and did I mention sh*t hot?) Human Resources Consultant and THERE ARE NO JOBS FOR ME.
Now the government’s 2010 Fair Work Act has gone part of the way to addressing flexibility in the workforce. It gives parents of pre-school aged kids the right to request part-time flexible working arrangements but it also gives companies the right to refuse the request on business grounds (which I think is important). Julia Gillard announced yesterday that the Labor government intends to extend this clause of the Act to parents of school-age children and also provide protection for parents from sudden changes in rostering hours. But the problem with lack of part-time positions (and other flexibility options) is not what is in government legislation, but the engendered culture at the organisational level of putting part-time or return to work parents in the too-hard basket, like a bunch of slightly out-of-date eggs.
Part-time work in particular has grown exponentially since the 1960s so one would assume that the stigma around it has decreased. And yet, in spite of this upward trend, a 2011 Regus Working Mothers study, which surveyed 214 organisations, revealed that 57% of organisations were planning to hire in the next two years, however only 41% of them were planning on recruiting working mothers amid concerns about their suitability in the workforce, compared to 55% in 2010. Furthermore, 30% of respondents held concerns about women returning to work not being flexible or committed enough to the organisation. So there appears to be a backlash against part-time parents at the recruitment level (as opposed to parents already employed within an organisation).
The flexibility clause in the Fair Work legislation applies only to employees returning to the same workplace. For parents like me who are looking for a brand new organisation to join, there is NOTHING. Oh sure, there is the Discrimination Act forbidding a company from discriminating based on caregiving or family status, but I would like to know how one proves that this is happening at the recruitment level. I don’t even know how you could legislate a better deal for new recruits. And if you could legislate for it, I doubt you could “police” it.
This is not to say that there aren’t organisations out there who offer flexibility as part of a sustainable business model. But the paradox here is that flexibility is a powerful retention tool, so employees currently in part-time positions are not vacating roles because they understand how good they have it. It’s all just a bit of a cr*p groundhog day for an unemployed, sh*t hot HR Consultant who wants to work part-time because she wants to see her family occasionally.
I’ve considered full-time roles that have been advertised, and have approached the recruiter to ask whether the client would consider job-share, part-time or compressed working week, but the response has been “probably not” followed by eerie radio silence. I’ve been told by recruiters to forget about 3-day per week jobs and that even 4-days was stretching a friendship. Look, I appreciate the honest reflection of what is going on in the trenches but come on, how hard is it to consider a part-time arrangement if a candidate is otherwise a fit for the job? I’m not saying I’m perfect for every position but I do feel like I’m being constantly headed off at the pass because of my work-style/hours and little else.
I’m lucky. I can do other things. I take a good photo. I can pretty much do anything I put my mind to. If I can’t find a job in Human Resources, I have options – photography, social media, even (god forbid) monetising my blog and/or my writing mojo. But many people don’t.
I think the government is trying to change the culture of Australian organisations to embrace flexible work options which is generally a positive move. Without going too much into politics (because my head would surely spin around and snap off), on one hand businesses need to learn how to manage their own operations within a changing workforce as part-time parents aren’t going away anytime soon. But on the other hand, there is a risk that the restoration of balance to the employer/employee power paradigm will swing the pendulum too far in favour of the employee without the culture of an organisation every really changing. There is certainly a trend of stymying part-time workers at recruitment. It’s saccharine and sarin all mixed up in the one bag of political lip-service.
Employers should be encouraging a culture that optimises the benefits of flexibility for all stakeholders. Some companies do it and do it well. They are the good ones, the sustainable ones. If you know of any, please let me know. (I’m good at Scrabble, too).
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What do you think? Is the government doing enough to encourage real change for working parents in the workplace? Is it all just lip service? Politicking?
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You watched Notting HIll last week too, I’m assuming? hehehe.
That sucks Kim. Flexible work options are the bomb. Have you haunted any University websites? Because they’re usually pretty good with flexibility and baby makers. I work for a University and they’ve been incredibly accommodating over the years with my 3 stints of maternity leave and full time, part time, and leave arrangements.
Thanks Lovely! No, I didn’t watch Notting Hill last week, but it’s how my brain works – sucks shit up and regurgitates it back a long time down the track! Yeah, I’m onto the University websites – other people had recommended that also – but so far a dead-end. I’m pretty tenacious though, so something will come up, but it’s just so hard at the moment.
Even universities are difficult to get into part-time. Once you’re in an organisation, be it a university, corporate, NGO whatever, it’s fairly easy to negotiate flexible work options, particularly with the legislation, but it’s the getting-in that’s the hard part!
Kx
I feel your pain. I am looking for a full time position in administration in Adelaide. I am having a little more luck, but it took a good month and about a hundred applications before I got any interviews. I am at that in-between. I have about 1-2 years experience as a receptionist, and the rest of my work experience, with the exception of my traineeship in records management is retail. I’m not classed as entry-level, but I don’t have enough experience either.
I agree though, there is not alot out there that’s part time, and permanent. Who wants to change jobs every 6-12 months when they have kids to feed and a mortgage to pay?
I went for an interview yesterday that the man came straight out and said that me having a young child will be an issue because I can’t take time off if my child’s sick, or it will screw up their day. When did businesses become so family un-friendly?
Good luck in your search, and don’t give up! That perfect job could be just around the corner!
Thanks Chrissie – this is entirely my point. I think there has been a real backlash against working mothers, in spite of the legislation which is fairly robust once you’re in an organisation but non-existent at the recruitment level. Although that man has broken the “law” by discriminating against you based on caregiving duties, how on earth do you prove it in a court of employment law? It’s a he-said, she-said scenario and that job could have gone to someone else and they could have just flung out the “you weren’t suited to the role” rhetoric.
Kx
I am very lucky in (all) my jobs that I have flexibility in hours – so I can work around my boys and my family
But many people don’t have this option and it really needs to be something that changes in our society
Hope that something amazing comes along soon xx
Thanks Josefa. I always had awesome flexibility at my last employer – once you’re with a company it’s not all that hard to do if you can talk a good game, but if you’re outside looking in and wanting to get your foot in the door, it’s very hard. I just assumed I’d romp in some interviews and I’d be ticketyboo with a new job, but I’m having my arse whipped by inflexibility. It’s hard. [end whingey rant] Kx
Hang in there, the thought of having to get back out there scares the shite out of me. I’m just grateful I can still write from home! xx
Thanks Em. I need to drive a rocket up my arse to get more writing gigs. HR is what I do “professionally” so it’s a real shift for me to embrace writing as an actual job (it’s just always been something I do for pleasure) but maybe the time is ripe. Kx
Hi Kim,
We were discussing this today at work too and you’ve covered most of the issues we came up with.
The other problem as I see it is that it costs just as much to bring on and maintain a full-time employee as it does a part-time employee. So to offer a job-sharing arrangement or offer two separate part- time positions it costs the company twice as much in administration – e.g. Workcover, insurance, payroll, etc etc This is hard enough when employers are forced to accommodate those costs for an existing employee but is a major disincentive for taking on new part-time people, especially if they could otherwise hire two part-timers to fulfil their role. It also affects profitability as it drives costs up and either eats into company margin, or forces the company to increase their prices which potentially costs them business. Lose-lose in other words.
So whilst I too applaud the initiative, I think there needs to be something in it for the employer, or very little will change for those currently out of work.
Cheers,
Vanessa
Yep yep, uh-huh, uh-huh. I think this is the real problem Vanessa. Why the hell would a company employ 2 part-timers which would cost them more than a full-timer if they didn’t have to. Of course, some roles are generally part-time roles and these are the ones I have to go for – otherwise, it’s not sustainable for an organisation really.
What a company DOES gain are valuable, loyal employees in many cases, increases in productivity, ability to service customers at odd hours. It’s not just part-time. It’s staggered work hours, working from home, compressed work weeks, telecommuting – there are so many different ways of working that are win-wins for both company and employee. So I think companies do win in one sense, but ultimately it’s the bottom line rather than the intangibles that they will look at.
Kx
Oh my God YES! In an eerily similar story, I took a package from my employer last year too, thinking “Up yours work I am getting another BETTER JOB!”. But instead I have taken a 2 day a week contract BACK AT THE SAME EMPLOYER! Because I cannot for the life of me find another suitable part time job, and at least everyone knows and respects me at this place, even if I did have to drive 2 hours to get there this morning!!!!
The work/life balance thing is a lot of talk, and not a lot of walk, even at my workplace that already does the part time til your kids are at school thing. How about we discuss a culture where people can ring you at home on your non work days, email you constantly, or send emails to everyone at 3am in the morning because they are all SO BUSY AND WORK SO HARD. Managers should be creating a culture of work at work, no work when you are not at work, not freaking working all the hours God give you plus more. It’s a vicious cycle. Oh gosh I could go on forever. EXCELLENT POST I LOVE IT!!!!! From Slapdash Mama xx
Thanks Sarah – SO much talk talk talk but not much putting money where mouths are in my opinion. I do get that it’s a polarising issue – parents want one thing, businesses often want another, but I think we need to all realise that part-time workers are not the scourge of a successful company. I think both parties can benefit, but it does take extra effort on everyone’s part. Many companies simply can’t be bothered making that effort or thinking laterally about how flexibility can ADVANTAGE them rather than being a pain in the arse. They look at bottom-line ONLY. I think that’s important, but I don’t think it’s the only consideration.
I hope they are paying you a bucketload, love! Sucks to be them!
Kx
I haven’t been in the work force for so long, so feel unqualified to say too much, but I think it’s supremely stupid that people are missing our on highly qualified workers because making them part time is too complex. What a joke.
It’s a really complex issue and I think the government are right to address it, but I don’t think there is a lot of thinking outside the box at the organisational level. There are so many things you can offer to attract good people – flexibility being one of them. I try to think “ah well, they’re losing a kick-arse employee by not considering a part-time workload” but ultimately it is up to them and their business model.
What we don’t want of course, is a nation of super-educated and talented parents who want to work as well as parent, unemployed and resentful because they can’t get their foot in the door. God knows I don’t want one of those people to be me!
Kx
I am glad I am not the only one with this issue, I have felt very frustrated to say the least by the lack of part time work. I am a graphic designer working from home is ok but no part times roles outside. I have been also working in various admin externally for years as there seems to have more part time work in officw admin. But I hate admin, I am tired of having to be self employed so its a catch 22.
I have contemplated retraining in education so that I can get flexible working school hours and school holidays off and think this would be a more satisfying career. But it is daunting to have to start from scratch when I am a fully qualified educated experienced designer and cannot utilise my skillset to my full potential if I want to raise my family. Work life balance is a crock!
Wow, a graphic designer and you’re doing office admin? That’s ridiculous, but I totally get it. Out of desperation I looked at admin roles and I just got really depressed, thinking “I’ve worked my arse off to get to where I am, this is a massive step backward”. To have the choice taken out of your career destiny sucks big angry monkey balls. Kx
Why does the timing does not surprise me??
The cynic in us, perhaps? Kx
I’ve been very lucky in that I had a boss who was more than happy to accommodate me working part-time after I came back from maternity leave, I think he was just relieved I came back!
I think a lot of the problem is also the stigma that working mothers (and working parents in general) have around them, the amount of times I’ve heard and read people complaining about working parents and that they are always having time off and leaving early and don’t do as much work as their non-parent counterparts, you’d think that they were the worst employees ever. But let me tell you, in the 8 months since I’ve been back at work, I’ve had less time off than most people here, in fact the first days off I had were the other week when Dave and I were both really sick. Apart from that I have showed up every day I’ve supposed to and often worked for longer than I am required to be here, unlike some of the staff, who don’t have kids, who are taking ‘sick’ day every other week! Yes there are some parents who need more time off or have problems with their kids that require them to leave early etc, but thats only a small minority that unfortunately taints it for everyone else.
I hope you find something that works for you really soon, job-hunting and interviewing is a real pain in the arse!
I can imagine it’s tough Kimberley, especially with the insight of being a HR consultant. I was lucky enough to score a part time role with the same organisation when we bought the farm. They’d let me work 6am-2pm so I could be home to help on the tractor in the afternoon.
I hope something pops up soon. x
This post is spot on. The only part time positions available are secretarial/admin and book keeping. I dont mind doing this type of work if it means I can get my foot back in the door. My problem is I dont have direct experience in these roles. It seems that employers are not only reluctant to provide flexible hours, they are dont want to give any basic training either.
Perhaps you should consider starting your own HR business? (Easier said than done but I’m just putting it out there)
Hi Kimberly,
I sooo hear you! I too am looking for HR (Instructional Design/L&D consulting) part-time in Melbourne. Like you I’m sh#t hot at what I do. I too have looked at Seek and realised there’s not a whole lot of part-time gigs on offer. And, like you, I’ve had a pretty dismal response from recruiters when I mention wanting 3 days a week. I think it’s a woeful situation. That in 2013 I have to decide between family and work! One or the other. I’ve got a whole lot to offer – and I think the fact that I’m prepared to do it on a part-time basis is a bonus for any employer – if the choice is between part-time hours and no hours at all.
I had a really interesting conversation with my neighbour last night. A woman about the same age as me (ie late thirties) – who doesn’t have kids. She has two women she hired in her team who both work part-time because of family stuff. They’re not on a job-share, they just have part-time amounts of work. She says it works so well for them and her. They work really hard, and they are really good at what they do. ‘Fantastic!’ I said, when she told me. ‘Who can we tell?’ We need to tell everyone that this can and does work!
All the best with with your job-search – you’re not alone.
Cheers
Clare
PS do you get the mail from jobsinhr.com.au?
I know from first-hand experience it is hard to find professional work in a part-time capacity. I’ve written about it too because it drives me nuts. http://semanticallydriven.com/2012/04/my_thoughts_on_part-time_work_and_being_a_mum.html
I’ve been out of the workforce as an employee for a long time. I left because I couldn’t get my work/life balance right. But like you, I’m lucky that I can do a lot of things and can earn money working for myself. From the sidelines I hear about businesses becoming more flexible and allowing for more part-time jobs, but from your post it still sounds pretty dire. Sorry to hear that.
It is still tough and I do think some companies are great at it…you just gotta find em! Hence why I have created businesses myself as I prefer to rely on myself and enjoy the flexibility. But thats not to say that is easy either and certainly not for everyone. Good luck lovely x
That’s really hard Kim. I didn’t realise things were like that. I guess I have always been lucky. I write from home, and it’s awesome and SO flexible. I think there are a lot of things in Australia culture that need to change in favour of family and lifestyle. I hate this notion that Australian are hardworking. We ARE! But I don’t think work should be determining our lives so. Slightly off topic.
Good luck. I would have thought HR is more women/family friendly, so that must be frustrating. I hope something amazing comes along soon! x
This story is eerily familiar – because I too, struggled to find that elusive PT job. They are out there, but very competitive and sometimes word of mouth – they never make it to any website as an ad.
I did find PT work, with amazing hours after looking for well over a year. The catch? It wasn’t in the field I was trained for nor was it something that appealed to me that much. Its been a real compromise. I have looked for other work in the 3 years I have been with this company, but all the PT hours, remain very family unfriendly.
I can only hope that the culture and frequently, the stigma of PT work will change in the future.
I just narrowly avoided a similar situation but I work full time so perhaps it might have been a little easier? I’m not so sure though. As a single mum I need some Flexibility, I make sure I don’t push for it much but know its there is I really need it. You will get another job, you sound reay smart and gorgeous. Hang in there – could u possibly o for four days if nothing else comes up?
Looking at it from the employer’s point of view, it’s probably a big risk for them to hire someone off the bat and give them part-time/work from home/job-share options. As archaic as it sounds, I think going part-time is still seen as a privilege rather than an employee’s right.
Having said that, there are more and more corporations that are becoming a lot more openminded and embracing the work/life balance.
I hear a campaign idea.. wouldn’t it be good for these (currently inflexible) organisations to hear about all the examples of when new part time positions work well (such as raised by Claire), a FAQ section explaining why the start up employee costs (raised by Vanessa) are paid off by the benefits (retention, opportunity to gain someone with experience who can eventually work full time/cover leave), and a myth busting section explaning that working parents, regardless of whether they work part time or full time, are committed to achieving deadlines. That last section could list all the behaviours by part timers (work harder at work, check email from home, get ahead in their workload, take less personal sick leave). Employers, at the HR/organisational policy level, still need to walk the talk about using practices that recruit committed and engaged employees and if they’re not advertising or open to part time positions, then they’re reducing their chances of selecting someone really suitable!
Unless I still had my contacts from my old job I think it would have been near impossible for me to get writing work these days – there is NO WAY enough support for us to get back to work. I gave up a lot when I went on maternity leave, getting close to the top of my game – and now it’ll take for 10 years to get back there, even if I want to, which I don’t know if I do – now that I have 3 kids. Maybe in 10 years time I’ll try, until then I’m grateful to be able to write from home, I know how lucky I am. Hang in there girl xx
Weirdly enough, until recently I was looking for fulltime work (in the IT field, not HR) and kept finding only part time work. Even turning up to interviews to find out oh, by the way, this is a part time role! You’d think when times are getting tougher, businesses would welcome part timers.
It’s kinda shitty because working 2-3 months fulltime to get into part time just disrupts everyone.