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Guest tearose

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Guest tearose

I am looking for my new career/ job and while Im' building my job search plan, I am taking a computer class.

I started to consider civil service jobs and wondered if they anyone ever got a part time job in civil service or if the big wheels of government were able to accommodate a full time into two part time jobs?

It is not fun looking for a job these days. No one offers benefits, they all want to pay you the lowest rate and want you full time. I hesitate trying full time, last time I did that thinking I would adjust, I crashed! It is not good for me to do this again. I need to start part time and "ramp up" over three months...then maybe I could swing four days a week. What potential employer wants to hear this? They just want someone to come in and do the job now!

Also, since I have gaps in employment, a few of them, it is hard to figure out how to explain. I don't want to be looked at as damaged goods.

One of these vocational people, suggested I consider going into business for myself. This is so not me! You have to get out there and pound the pavement to do this.

I guess I am feeling tired and disillusioned today. :)

...it is a long and winding road

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Hi, Tearose:

I'm so sorry to hear you are having such a frustrating time locating a part-time position. Looking for a job is hard enough, let alone when you have personal obstacles like we do. I work for the federal government and might be able to chime in on this.

As far as accommodations go, much of the federal government is very accommodating, but it can depend on your supervisor. I think if they know walking through the door that you will need accommodations, they will be more ready and willing to provide them. I'm in a bit of a battle right now with my workplace to get the accommodations I need, but I must concede they have allowed me to telework from home 3 of the 4 days that I work, which is not quite what I need but helpful. If I had a different supervisor, this would not have been an issue - so the luck of the draw can play a factor.

The good part of the federal government is they are always trying to meet quotas for disabled employees, minority employees, etc. That can give you a bit of a boost in the stack of applicants!

Many federal jobs are filled by those already employed by the federal government, and competitively, federal employees are placed first. I actually completed my master's degree because I wanted to work for the government, and that gave me the "in" that I needed to effectively compete against current employees. Part-time positions are probably less competitive. I'm not sure what benefits are offered to part-time employees, but you can probably learn that at Office of Personnel Management or USAJobs. I am fairly certain there is some type of vacation accrual and paid holidays.

I'm not sure that they would split a full-time job into two part-time jobs, but there are part-time jobs in federal service. If you started full-time and could not work those hours, there is a possibility that they would switch you to a part-time schedule as an accommodation, but that could put you in a messy Reasonable Accommodations struggle like mine, which would be more dependent on your supervisor's mood at the time. :)

With a part-time position, you could probably request more hours as you started to feel better, and they could allow you more time as their budget and schedule allows. With the federal government, I would recommend being open from the start about having a disability, which means the gaps in your r?sum? can be explained in a straightforward manner, such as time spent recovering from a long-term illness.

Oh yes... just remembered... this is a good time to get on board, too. The government is in a crisis right now as baby-boomers are hitting retirement age. They didn't plan on how to replace emloyees as they retire and are struggling to lure new applicants. Experience coming in is HUGE since all their "experience" is walking out the door after having a nice party and eating cake, lol. In my office, there seems to be a retirement party almost every other week (and I'm missing out on all that cake...sigh).

To search for part-time federal jobs, go to USAJobs and type "part-time" into the keyword field. At that same site, you can create a search-engine that emails you open positions with the criteria you choose. I have an email that comes every day that looks at all the locations my husband may be going to grad school.

(Small businesses may also be a good resource. Many small businesses are looking for someone who can perform more than just their job and have good experience in what they do. Granted, they might pay a little less, but they are also more desperate for your service, giving you a little more negotiating power when you need an accommodation. A good resource for finding small businesses in your area (that contract with the federal government) is the Central Contractor Registration. All businesses are required to register with the CCR if they are performing work for the federal government. You can select "socio-economic" factors on their advanced search page, look in zip codes around you, then hit the websites of those companies that might interest you to see if they are looking for employees (or even just email your r?sum? in "cold" to introduce yourself and tell them what you can offer). A lot of these small businesses don't know how to find good people, and they might realize that they need someone just like you, prompted by an email!)

The job searching process is a long and arduous one, particularly now. I absolutely believe you will find something perfect for you! It might take a little time, but it will be worth it to find a position that is the right fit for your needs.

I hope this was of some help. My brain skips around a bit right now, so if I'm hard to follow or you have other questions, just let me know! :D

Hang in there and keep your head up... you are going to find a great job!

Big hugs!!!!

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