On the scrapheap becuase I want part time work!

[jlbharper]

Why is it that as soon as I mention to a recruitment agency that I am looking for part time work you can almost hear the phone go click.

I have considerable experience in Finance, Management, Legal, Medical, HR, Quality Management and with several professional qualifications (AAT, ILEX, AMSPAR) previously held a Senior role with salary of �42k, after a 2 year career break I am working 20 hours for �7,500 per year as an Admin Officer!, whilst I do not expect to earn my prev salary, surely not all employers are that short sighted as to dismiss part time working, I just want something a little more taxing and little better pay, I have so much experience to give. Am I the only person looking for decent paid part time work or has everyone else realised that it does not exist. So much for equals opps, flexible working etc etc.

Bunty

[LizB99]

I have to agree with you. I started looking for part time work after a 3 year break to bring up my daughter. Unless you're happy to be an Admin Assistant, or work in a shop, its impossible.
In the end I took the plunge and started my own bookkeeping and Accounting business, from home. It's the best thing I ever did, and would certainly suggest, that with all your experience, you should consider doing something like this. It means that you can work around other commitements, and in my experience, businesses seem happy to pay 'Freelancers' much more than they would an employee!!
Give it some thought !!!!

[Hermia]

I have sometimes found the opposite to be the case! When I was last looking for a job all the positions in my profession were for job shares of 18 hours a week which is no good if you are a single woman trying to support yourself.

In my company we have found that part-time doesn't work well as you get up the ladder. It's fine for all the staff who basically do the routine jobs, but it doesn't work for more senior staff. We have a few managers who came back part-time after having kids and no one is very happy with the situation because when we need them they are never there. The two who are doing a jobshare never speak to each other so everyone is always having to explain everything twice. The other woman works 18 hours and she is so senior that she really needs to attend all the meetings and meet all the reps etc and be there when things occur. I wish there was a way that everyone could be happy.

[Hgrove]

I sympathise. If this helps, there used to be a recruitment agency specialising in part time jobs. I used them some 10 years ago, and I think the details were as follows: Part Time Careers Ltd 10, Golden Square, London W1R 3AF 020 74373103. The woman who ran the agency was called Julia McIndoe. She had a very distinctive, very posh, very deep (for a woman) voice. I have to say however, she only sent me for one interview, a position which was of no interest to me, and when I said I was not minded to take it, she said she had nothing else. You never know with these recruitment agents, whether it's true or they say so in a pique.