I was a SAHM for 10+ years and went back part time (it turned into full time a few years later). A few words of caution: 1. make sure you are paid fairly. If you are asked to take on more duties (especially if they are higher level that what you were originally hired for), ask for more money. This “responsibility creep” is not unusual. 2. Take care that your flexibility is not slowly chipped away at. It’s not uncommon for a part time person to agree to x number of hours, but as soon as someone quits, or goes on leave, or there is a workload increase the part timer is expected to step up and fill in. Pretty soon it’s possible to be working full time w/out the benefits, promotion opportunities and at a lower rate than a full timer would get.
Not trying to be negative, but based on my, my coworkers and friends experiences, part time employees can be taken advantage of. Make sure you communicate as soon as something happens and make it clear that you will not give up your flexibility unless the company makes it worth it to you.
In NJ the labor laws are very strict, once you pass a certain number of hours a week, the company is required to give you benefits. For this reason, all of my part-time jobs stayed at under 25 hours a week. Yes, sometimes I got more responsibilities, but sometimes I got pay raises also (and sometimes even bonuses).
This is a small three person office so I think they are under well under the limit of providing benefits. If they did provided benefits, I couldn’t take the job because I’d lose the great health insurance I have through DH and that would be a deal breaker.
Go meet with them, have your “wish list” of what will make this job work for you in terms of time, $, flexibility. See where you land after talking with them and if they offer you the position, negotiation. Then decide if it will work for you in the long run - not just in this moment when we can be clouded by the fact that “wow, somebody wants me and my skills!”.
Like others, I got back into work first by volunteering. (I was eventually offered a paying job there, but by then, was pursuing my current job.) I then volunteered in something directly related to what I do now, which gave me the confidence to pursue my current job more seriously. At the same time, I worked occasionally as a paid part time teaching aide. I finally took it upon myself to more aggressively get hired and eventually landed a job. Now I work for myself.
The downside is that, while I love what I do, it comes with sacrifices, mainly involving evening and weekends. You have to decide if you are prepared to sacrifice something that might be very important to you. For me, with both kids at college, I think I’d be a blubbering wreck now if I didn’t have work. If you need to occupy that time, go for it, as long as you can handle the sacrifices and are truly interested.
Good luck @momofsenior1 ! Just having these meetings is great! You can take it one step at a time, but just getting back into interviewing/thinking about it is good.
I agree with the “you can always quit”, but…if it happens to be a friend or good acquaintance AND the small 3 person office, quitting might be hard. Just something to think about! Some of my friends are in this position, some are dealing with the inflexibility/travel schedules, and some like me are just continuing to volunteer, for now! I think one important factor that has come up for all of us is elder/parent care…that’s why I turned down a job offer that I wasn’t looking for, and it was a good decision. Now my parents are gone so I would not have that uncertainty. It’s something that can have a huge effect with little notice, so throw that into your decision making if you can!
@momofsenior1 I can relate to so much of what you’re saying. I have been home for 12 years and I’m looking to re-enter the professional world in a gradual manner, but have been so worried to put myself out there after this much time off. I have a D20 and, depending on where she goes, we might need the additional income I can generate if we end up in a full-pay scenario. But I still have two younger kiddos who are used to mom getting them to lessons and practices after school and traveling with them for sports and academic events, so it would be an adjustment for the whole family. I have started looking for ways to network and it feels odd and intimidating, even though I have some good connections through volunteering. Anyway, glad you started this thread and you’re not alone! Best of luck to you!
“If they did provide benefits, I couldn’t take the job…”
This seems unlikely to be true!
It is very common for spouses to work full-time and for one to take family coverage and the other to decline health coverage because s/he is covered by the spouse.
Sounds great! I did went back to work after a 5 year break to a full time job with a larger company and they did come looking for me as well. As someone who now makes hiring decisions (and I did this myself when I accepted this job) do not be afraid to ask for/discuss whatever it is that will make this job easier to accept. What kind of flexibility do you need? What kind of vacation time are you looking to take each year? You would be surprised-- People do ask for exactly what they want and that is without the employer coming for them! Best of luck!
Okay, time for your poker face. If offered the job make SURE you negotiate for lot of time off. You will quickly resent the job if you are missing important things. Think about how many weeks a year you want and make it a deal breaker. This is a tight labor market. Stay in the driver’s seat!
^^ I agree. I wouldn’t present requested time off as a deal breaker but as someone reentering the work force you are trying to set up both home - and work - for success by being mentally IN.
Good job on what sounds like a good interview! What is it about it that has you even more excited??
I recently went back to work after being a SAHM for 16+ years. I thought for sure no one would hire me after being home for so long - I didn’t think I had any skills that an employer would want. My employer hired me specifically because of all the volunteer work I do (I’m still volunteering and do not plan on relinquishing my roles anytime soon). I’m very involved in my kids’ schools - both middle school and high school. I never once thought that volunteerism would help me land a job but it did. I am working full time until the middle of April, I will then switch to part time (which is what I was originally seeking when I applied for my job). When I was hired, I asked for unpaid time off during the less busy months (basically anytime not during tax season) and my boss told me it would not be an issue at all. Yay! I love earning the extra money and my job keeps me insanely busy - the days just fly by. I also have a dog but I live close enough to home that I can come home for lunch and let my dog out. Good luck with you job search!
@abasket The position is much more patient care focused than I expected. I was thinking it would be more an office manager role but they want someone who can do patient education and follow up evaluations. The office manager stuff is secondary. They are also much more flexible than I expected. I flat out said that my H has 4 weeks of vacation and that I would need that amount of time off per year. Was told they have a temp that backs up this position and that it wouldn’t be a problem, especially with notice. I also confirmed that there is a 2 1/2 hour break in the day so plenty of time for me to get home for lunch, take the dog for his walk, and have a breather. They also told me I can flex my hours if there are days I want to come in early and leave early.