I really don't want to work full-time

[broadway]

These past 5 years of "freedom" where I have worked contract jobs and despite its associated headaches of uncertainty, I am really not wanting to work a 40-hour job again.



Yet. There is that big yet, I have the nagging thought that maybe I should work a year or two.
I don't quite trust myself to withdraw at 3.5% a year.
I am a worrier at heart.


The reason for this dilemna is that I have a job interview coming up.
The hiring manager has made it very clear he wants a full-time employee.
How do I approach this interview?
Initially I thought it would be great, but now I am not so sure.

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadway These past 5 years of "freedom" where I have worked contract jobs and despite its associated headaches of uncertainty, I am really not wanting to work a 40-hour job again. Yet. There is that big yet, I have the nagging thought that maybe I should work a year or two. I don't quite trust myself to withdraw at 3.5% a year. I am a worrier at heart. The reason for this dilemna is that I have a job interview coming up. The hiring manager has made it very clear he wants a full-time employee. How do I approach this interview? Initially I thought it would be great, but now I am not so sure.

Hello, Broadway.
I walked into a similar interview 3 years ago. The employer was very persistent, and absolutely needed someone with credentials and background that I had. What made it work for me (up until now) was to ask for a very good salary, and let the chips fall. It has worked for me because of the the healthy rate of pay. I no longer had to look for temp/contract work.

If you get an offer you want (may not be that good after all), who is to say how long you need to stay there?

Good luck with your search!

[HadEnuff]

broadway, nobody can tell you how to proceed, but I can tell you that I "could" have retired a few years before I did, and I bridged that gap by working part-time. Part-time was wonderful. Better, IMO, for those few years than full retirement would have been for me. (emphasis on "for me")..
I have no idea if such a gig is a possibility in your line of work, but if it is, it's a wonderful thing.

[broadway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by target2019 Hello, Broadway. I walked into a similar interview 3 years ago. The employer was very persistent, and absolutely needed someone with credentials and background that I had. What made it work for me (up until now) was to ask for a very good salary, and let the chips fall. It has worked for me because of the the healthy rate of pay. I no longer had to look for temp/contract work. If you get an offer you want (may not be that good after all), who is to say how long you need to stay there? Good luck with your search!

Same exact situation in this case as far as I can tell from initial telephone conversation with the hiring manager.
He wants to catch the technology used to that at the parent company in Germany! The catching up needs to be from 1980s to 2018.
This division was acquired. Typical story.

You are right about the offer. No discussion of salary yet.
Who knows if they are even in the ballpark.

.

[broadway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HadEnuff broadway, nobody can tell you how to proceed, but I can tell you that I "could" have retired a few years before I did, and I bridged that gap by working part-time. Part-time was wonderful. Better, IMO, for those few years than full retirement would have been for me. (emphasis on "for me").. I have no idea if such a gig is a possibility in your line of work, but if it is, it's a wonderful thing.

I would love to work part-time.
The working contract for a few months equates to part-time.
I would like to do it continually but finding the next "gig" is the unknown.

[Aerides]

If you start hinting you want PT before you get past the interview, you might not get any offer.

Would you be willing to try FT for a few months and see? Then you might like it, or if not, try to negotiate your way down to PT once they see you in action and appreciate your value.

Otherwise, any hiring manager may likely going to pass on you for someone with more enthusiasm (unless it's a particular rare niche).

[Bigdawg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadway I would love to work part-time. The working contract for a few months equates to part-time. I would like to do it continually but finding the next "gig" is the unknown.

broadway, maybe a combo of asking for a high salary along with 50/50 telework/office and any other perks you can ask for. Good luck. Keep us posted please.

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadway Same exact situation in this case as far as I can tell from initial telephone conversation with the hiring manager. He wants to catch the technology used to that at the parent company in Germany! The catching up needs to be from 1980s to 2018. This division was acquired. Typical story. You are right about the offer. No discussion of salary yet. Who knows if they are even in the ballpark.

Holy Frijole, I worked at a German-owned US subsidiary, as a consultant, before 2000. They fired previous salesguy CEO #1 to move company forward. The replacement was slicker, but still clueless. I spent many hours explaining to him that SAP installation and maintenance would cost more than the US subsidiary was worth. Eventually he canned me, and they canned him...

I know you'll do well with this interview. After all, you know stuff they do not. I always thought of myself as mercenary. "I may be served up as the reason your stupid project failed, but I will get compensated to my satisfaction."

[broadway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aerides If you start hinting you want PT before you get past the interview, you might not get any offer. Would you be willing to try FT for a few months and see? Then you might like it, or if not, try to negotiate your way down to PT once they see you in action and appreciate your value. Otherwise, any hiring manager may likely going to pass on you for someone with more enthusiasm (unless it's a particular rare niche).

I agree that hinting at PT now is not a good idea.

To work FT, the salary has to be what I want, and I already have a figure in mind.

Thanks for all the great advice.

[joeea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadway I am really not wanting to work a 40-hour job again. I don't quite trust myself to withdraw at 3.5% a year. The reason for this dilemna is that I have a job interview coming up. The hiring manager has made it very clear he wants a full-time employee. How do I approach this interview? Initially I thought it would be great, but now I am not so sure.

Only you can decide if you are capable of doing what you need to do rather than just doing whatever you want to do.

[broadway]

update:

Onsite interview last week.
Salary topic was broached with both hiring manager and their HR recruiter.
Today had a phone interview with another manager.

Turns out that the reason they really are hiring is because someone left.

So they appear to be wanting to replace the person who left and a contractor who comes in and from 2 hours away.
1.5 persons
LOL

[target2019]

Sounds like you positioned yourself well, as someone who can do some work when their strategy fails.

[gauss]

I was always told at, MegaCorp, that if a hiring manager had an approved req for a full time person, then that is indeed what they would hire.

I was able to work part-time for about 6 months before I transitioned out of the workforce and it was great.

-gauss

[Lakewood90712]

The OP sure rings true for me also. I come across many opportunities that are full time, and I just don't want the hours.

I think it was Nords posted a long time back " I could so do that job " and Mrs. Nords brings him back to reality with " Why ?"

[broadway]

Another email for another phone interview with yet another person.
I agreed.

Seeing this to its conclusion.


I have no intention of doing 1.5 person's work.


.

[Octogirl]

broadway,
do not agree to doing 1.5 person's work.



I announced at work in Sept that I'll leave in 2019 - and today the manager "dumped" another big project on me ! It requires additional training and lots of HR forms.

It feels like they are punishing me for leaving !

[broadway]

When I went in I thought that I was going to be replacing the contractor.

It was only after doing the phone interview, that I realized that a person had left and his work needed to be done. The manager on this phone interview told me that I would be doing 50/50. Ha! If one person spends 100% on something, and the contractor is doing something else, how am going to do both? Ridiculous.

[target2019]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octogirl broadway, do not agree to doing 1.5 person's work. I announced at work in Sept that I'll leave in 2019 - and today the manager "dumped" another big project on me ! It requires additional training and lots of HR forms. It feels like they are punishing me for leaving !

That may have been too much notice to give. I am giving 8 weeks notice, and there is no possibility for more work, in my case.

[broadway]

update:

Second telephone interview this morning.

I have now received an email asking for references.


Since I have no intention of accepting a full-time, I am thinking it best to call a halt to these proceedings.

I don't want to waste the time of my references.

Thoughts?

[Octogirl]

Hi Broadway,
Can you negotiate the hours and assignments you will accept ?
If they really need someone with your skills/experience- they may accept what ever you will offer.

This strategy has worked for me - in some scenarios



Agree- I never ask references to use their time /effort if I am not serious about a position.


Best wishes - Keep us updated