So, I am graduating soon and will be looking for employment-oh my...and wanted to ask those professionals out there a question...I have extensive experience in a related field (construction) and have about 230 of my IDP credits filled, but want to complete so that I can become registered. (I am not at the current time planning on going back into construction)
What is the liklihood of me finding a job that will allow me to work part-time -are employers open to this option and if so, would I still get assigned to interesting projects or be put at the bottom of the list and get the leftovers? Would like to be part-time for a few years of possible (planning on starting a family and don't want to be burned out)
Any advice? (not that smart-ass type, but the actual good advice that I know is out there and available)
Thanks!
it's not impossible, but it will have to be the right fit. it's just really hard to use part-time people effectively/productively. not that you can't be involved in all aspects of projects or get involved in good projects. but...
there are certain expectations about how things will progress with any project and, if you're a part-timer with the reins they 1) won't go as quickly and 2) you won't be there when the client calls and needs something. any project in which you MIGHT be given any real responsibility would instead have to have someone else involved to make sure it was OK from day to day.
you would likely be used as drafting support for however long you remain part time and your involvement in any one project might be short. instead you'd be assigned to wherever the need is greatest at any given time. this could be good in that you'll learn a lot about a lot of different things, but it can also be tiring as you'll be putting out fires, responding to quick deadlines.
sorry, i'm not making this sound good. i think i'm painting a worst case scenario for you - but certainly a scenario that i've seen and could see happening.
will starting a family not allow a 40hr week? (i.e., what am i doing wrong?)
Mr. Ward's advice is sound, though it also depends on the size of the operation. Regadless of size, there will be things for which you probably can't be responsible . . .but we do all have cell phones and laptops and access to the same information, conference calls, etc.
Being willing to do longer hours on your 'in-days' and being willing to hop on your computer on your 'out-days' -if they trust you out-of-house - can actually make you just as valuable as somone whose there day to day.
What really counts are skills, competence, creative thinking and dependability. Smaller shop tend to try to pay less. Be qualified and demand more.
I would guess from observation only that it would be very hard to START at a firm part-time. Once you were already there, heading up projects, and have proved yourself an integral part of a team and able to function without constant supervision, there could be a role for you in cutting hours back to part-time. I find that part-time work in general is difficult to arrange in this profession, over others, unfortunately. For many moms this can be rough because if the right kind of child-care isn't available or affordable for you, you're kind of stuck.
do you mean part time as in 2-3 days a week or 5 days a week but only 4-6 hours?
starting somewhere new, you unfortunately wont get many opportunities at the beginning, you will most likely be part time drafting help on projects, since its hard to budget a project you are running when it has to stall for 2 days every week
if you are looking to start a family as your main reason for wanting to work part time, you could consider working full time for a bit to establish yourself at a firm, then consider working at home a couple days a week
that way you might be able to get beyond simple part time intern work and have continuous projects you are working on, not just jumping around when you are in the office
of course its probably not that easy to find a place that would be open to that, but you never know
an important thing is making yourself at least available 5 days a week, be it in the office or over the phone
there is someone in my office who works monday, tuesday, thursday and friday
and she is a project manager and runs some pretty big projects
that seems to work out, since she can always just schedule meetings not on wednesdays and has time at the beginning of the week to set up the project for her day off and at the end of the week to catch up if anything big happened that day
but it is only one day off though, so i dont know if you were looking for more part time than that
you will have to find the right situation though, that might take looking at a lot of different places
Aug 27, 08 1:06 pm ·
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So, I am graduating soon and will be looking for employment-oh my...and wanted to ask those professionals out there a question...I have extensive experience in a related field (construction) and have about 230 of my IDP credits filled, but want to complete so that I can become registered. (I am not at the current time planning on going back into construction)
What is the liklihood of me finding a job that will allow me to work part-time -are employers open to this option and if so, would I still get assigned to interesting projects or be put at the bottom of the list and get the leftovers? Would like to be part-time for a few years of possible (planning on starting a family and don't want to be burned out)
Any advice? (not that smart-ass type, but the actual good advice that I know is out there and available)
Thanks!
it's not impossible, but it will have to be the right fit. it's just really hard to use part-time people effectively/productively. not that you can't be involved in all aspects of projects or get involved in good projects. but...
there are certain expectations about how things will progress with any project and, if you're a part-timer with the reins they 1) won't go as quickly and 2) you won't be there when the client calls and needs something. any project in which you MIGHT be given any real responsibility would instead have to have someone else involved to make sure it was OK from day to day.
you would likely be used as drafting support for however long you remain part time and your involvement in any one project might be short. instead you'd be assigned to wherever the need is greatest at any given time. this could be good in that you'll learn a lot about a lot of different things, but it can also be tiring as you'll be putting out fires, responding to quick deadlines.
sorry, i'm not making this sound good. i think i'm painting a worst case scenario for you - but certainly a scenario that i've seen and could see happening.
will starting a family not allow a 40hr week? (i.e., what am i doing wrong?)
Keep in mind too, that there is (I think) a minimum hourly work week before your IDP credits'll count.
Mr. Ward's advice is sound, though it also depends on the size of the operation. Regadless of size, there will be things for which you probably can't be responsible . . .but we do all have cell phones and laptops and access to the same information, conference calls, etc.
Being willing to do longer hours on your 'in-days' and being willing to hop on your computer on your 'out-days' -if they trust you out-of-house - can actually make you just as valuable as somone whose there day to day.
What really counts are skills, competence, creative thinking and dependability. Smaller shop tend to try to pay less. Be qualified and demand more.
I would guess from observation only that it would be very hard to START at a firm part-time. Once you were already there, heading up projects, and have proved yourself an integral part of a team and able to function without constant supervision, there could be a role for you in cutting hours back to part-time. I find that part-time work in general is difficult to arrange in this profession, over others, unfortunately. For many moms this can be rough because if the right kind of child-care isn't available or affordable for you, you're kind of stuck.
thanks for the advice-I will probably have to start full time and then try to work my way to part time...will see what I can make work.
do you mean part time as in 2-3 days a week or 5 days a week but only 4-6 hours?
starting somewhere new, you unfortunately wont get many opportunities at the beginning, you will most likely be part time drafting help on projects, since its hard to budget a project you are running when it has to stall for 2 days every week
if you are looking to start a family as your main reason for wanting to work part time, you could consider working full time for a bit to establish yourself at a firm, then consider working at home a couple days a week
that way you might be able to get beyond simple part time intern work and have continuous projects you are working on, not just jumping around when you are in the office
of course its probably not that easy to find a place that would be open to that, but you never know
an important thing is making yourself at least available 5 days a week, be it in the office or over the phone
there is someone in my office who works monday, tuesday, thursday and friday
and she is a project manager and runs some pretty big projects
that seems to work out, since she can always just schedule meetings not on wednesdays and has time at the beginning of the week to set up the project for her day off and at the end of the week to catch up if anything big happened that day
but it is only one day off though, so i dont know if you were looking for more part time than that
you will have to find the right situation though, that might take looking at a lot of different places
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