How to ask for part time work

Question

I'm currently working part time, but I'm thinking of finding a new job. The problem is, there are only full time jobs for what I'm working with. My primary reason for working is to have something to do and some kind of social life. (don't actually need the salary, but don't want to work for free)

Would there be some way to apply for full time positions and ask to only work part time? Would companies even consider to hire a person part time when they need full time?

Edit:

Working as software developer today. 7 years experience as a developer. 12 years work experience as server operator. two years with sale.

I know i can find many "work from home, part time jobs" but that's not what I'm looking for.

Answer 1

Would there be some way to apply for full time positions and ask to only work part time?

Something like "I know you are looking for a full time worker, but would you consider part time?" might work. Make sure you ask when you initially contact them so that you aren't wasting their time and yours.

Would companies even consider to hire a person part time when they need full time?

Very unlikely. If they were looking for part-time help, or would consider part-time help, they would almost certainly mention it in the job ad.

Your best bet might be to go through an agency. Make sure they understand how many days/hours per week you wish to work.

You may also with to contact former employers and mention your part-time availability.

Answer 2

My primary reason for working is to have something to do and some kind of sosial life. (dont actually need the salary, but dont want to work for free)

I would suggest you consider reaching out to nearby university or research institution. There is a good chance they will have opportunity for you to work on interesting projects for a few hours a week as a software developer. The pay will be under market, but there will be no pressure to move to full-time. Also the project will perhaps be impactful (curing cancer / interesting neuroscience / cutting-edge material sciences?)

Alternatively, any non-profit might offer you part-time job on administering their computer fleet.

Answer 3

I expect a high degree of cultural variation here. To illustrate: In the Netherlands 25% of the male workforce and 75% of the female workforce was working parttime (<35hrs/wk) in 2009. I don't have more recent figures ready, but the Netherlands has passed the 'Law on flexible work' in 2018.

It has thus become a question of cultural fit. In the Netherlands, parttime work is more prevalent in smaller companies with strong family values. And (semi-)government with strong unions typically has a 36- or 38-hour default contract size. Employers understand that a good work-life balance translates to more motivated, productive and loyal employees.

From personal experience: Most jobs in the Dutch software industry are listed as full-time (5x8=40hrs/wk, excluding lunch and coffee breaks), but a minor reduction in contract hours (to 36 or 32hrs/wk) is virtually always negotiable. Bigger reductions than that are more difficult.

In your locale, this may be quite different. But there will be companies that are open to the discussion. Look for positions that mention flexible work hours ("core hours 10-15"), the option of working from home and similar perks.

If a full-time work week is an absolute dealbreaker to you, I (as an interviewer) would prefer you to discuss it near the end of the first interview. I like candidates that leave me with the following impression:

1. That it is your preferred balance between the employee you want to be and the father/craftsman/sportsman/community member you want to be. You have a specific thing that you want to spend the time on.
2. That you are determined to excel in both, without your after-work activities influencing your productivity. "Work hard, play hard" is a tired cliche, but I understand it viscerally.
3. That you are willing to tailor your needs to those of the company. (Fridays off? If we schedule an important deployment, would you pick a different day? Would you do 36hrs instead of 32?)
4. If you signal the intent to establish a long-term bond with the company. Kids in school? Family nearby? Looking for a house or living in the area? Long tenure at previous jobs?