Working around a family

RE: Working around a family

Dove — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 12:12:57 GMT

I worked 2-7 pm for a long time. I could do the school drop off but not picking up. I've now stepped up to full time and do 9.30-6pm and an early finish at 2pm on a Friday. It's not ideal but with my husband's shift work and helpful grandparents we manage.

RE: Working around a family

Alison Clare Hickman — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 09:18:36 GMT

[quote user="Karen "] My boss is extremely flexible and understanding. we work with what we have and have very understanding workmates [/quote]

Yes, it seems that with an established position you can have more opportunity to arrange flexible working or similar. To get this from the get-go as a new job seeker appears to be harder...

RE: Working around a family

Selena Carnell — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 21:18:19 GMT

i work 8:30-2:30 part admin/nurse. i did do full time 8-5 but kids hardly saw us and just didn't work well for us... bus added childcare fees. schools sometime do after school or breakfast clubs. but i must admit i have been overlooked because i have kids and therefore less flexible than others.

RE: Working around a family

Karen — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 22:46:02 GMT

I got offered a promotion to practice manager a few years back which involved me increasing my hours from part-time to full time. I relied heavily on my childminder who was fantastic but it was very hard going trying to juggle everything. My work in a 60 mile round trip on rural roads, as a lone parent i was really burning the candle at both ends. My childminder had a career change and unfortunately i was left with no childcare facilities at all in my area (a remote part of Scotland). I was forced to step down from my position and work a six hour day so that i could work around school. I will admit my work -life balance has greatly improved and i value the time i spend with my child much more than the loss of earning. My boss is extremely flexible and understanding. we work with what we have and have very understanding workmates who pick up where i've left off cleaning up after operations etc. The give and take works both ways, if i can stay when im needed i will do everything i can to help out. Many an evening my son (11) has spent entertaining himself in the office whilst while i assist with a c-section! Nothing is easy when it comes to juggling work and family. I really hope you find somewhere that will give you all you need. What about going down the teaching route?

RE: Working around a family

Katherine Spear — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 20:19:44 GMT

I used to work 8-1 5 days a week with no OOH which was great and fine for doing the admits and the ops in the morning. I think its a great shame that practices dont consider options such as this for staffing as it would enable so many more people to work. I always see job adverts as 8-6.30pm and its just not doable with small children. The vet futures report is interesting on this as its clearly a problem in the profession. http://www.vetfutures.org.uk/download/publications/VN%20%20futures%20report(3).pdf

RE: Working around a family

Alison Clare Hickman — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 13:48:53 GMT

hiya,

I asked my mate who runs a recruitment agency what his experience with work availability for PT working RVN's.

He said that a PT week i.e. a full day or days per week is generally preferred by employers rather than a PT day or days.

There are few PT days, (e.g. covering the school hours), he said, because covering the rest of the day can be very difficult (and costly) for the employer. In addition, he said, when an employee needs to leave to attend to e.g. collecting their child from school or childcare and therefore cannot normally stay behind at work to assist when it's busy/emergency - that this again causes staff cover issues and the employer is not so keen on the hiring practice as a result.

Clearly there are employers out there who do happily offer flexible working, but they tend to be the larger practices as they have the staffing back-up that a smaller workplace doesn't. So, if it is within your travel area, try approaching a large practice. Having said this, I've worked in a small practice where one nurse worked part-day but, tbh, it meant we were regularly short-handed when she left and couldn't stay (we understood her circumstances but it wasn't easy, sadly, and eventually she was let go because of her inflexible home demands).

i agree that nursing is not that friendly to part-day working but would counter this negative with the response that it CAN be VERY friendly to part-week working, in my own experience.

As a locum you can afford yourself greater flexibility and, if desperate for cover, some employers will take whatever hours you can offer. However, that's not a guarantee nor of regular work.

OOH or late shift working for part of the day or night can be more feasible as you report yourself.

I am not a bringer of glad tidings to you, am I? ☹ Sorry.

All I can say is to keep plugging away at the applications or, possibly, whilst you're restricted to the hours you are, think about diversifying into an office-based role e.g. Insurance or similar...

Good luck in your search.

Ali h