This week, you have quite a rare insight. You are now a fly on the wall for a coaching conversation that I have regularly with Mums and Dads looking to go back to work or find a flexible or family-friendly job.
Parent: “There is nothing out there. I’ve looked. No flexible jobs”
Clara: “Where are you looking?”
P:“Everywhere. Its full-time hours, office based work. No one is advertising the job that I need”
C: “What type of jobs are there?”
P:“So many I would love to do. Great location, good pay, interesting. But they want full-time hours”.
C: “How do you know they aren’t flexible?”
P: “Pardon?”
C: “How do you know they wouldn’t consider flexible or part-time hours?”
P:“It isn’t in the advert”
C: “Have you asked?”
P: “Asked who?”
C: “Asked the company if they would consider flexible hours”.
P: “No” ….. (Silence) “I don’t want them to not consider me. They would be put off”
C:“Would you want to work with an organisation who would be, “put off” by someone who wants flexible work? Is that a culture you would choose to be in?”
P: “I’ve never thought about it like that.”
C: “What could happen if you ask?”
P:“I could understand what flex there is, even find out if job share is an option”
C: “What is the worst that could happen?”
P: “They don’t consider it and I know that they aren’t the type of culture I want to be in”
C: “What is the best thing that could happen?”
P: “I get to speak to someone who makes some of the decision and can find out what flexible opportunities there are and I get the job! ”
Take this blog as your pep talk; next time these self-doubts about your job search creep in, just pretend you have a mini-coach Clara on your shoulder.
Just ask the question, you may be surprised by the answer.
I would love to hear your job search stories; what jobs have you uncovered by just asking the right questions? Let me know in my Facebook group.
[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
