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My dilemma is that I have to secure child care with a friend (I cannot afford to pay a babysitter, and those aren't that reliable anyways) before committing to an interview time, I am unsure how to handle this when a company recruiter calls to set up an interview. I'm not sure if I should just book a day and time, and then hope/pray that I have child care. If I don't, I will have to try to reschedule (what are the chances of that?) or just be up front with the recruiter, and say, I have to secure child care, can I call you back? I feel like both of those aren't great scenarios, but what else can I do?? What would you do in my situation? Thanks in advance.
I would just book a day and time. If you can't secure child care for an interview, how would you be able to secure child care if you received a job offer? Never bring up the mention of child care to a recruiter or employer. They simply don't care about your personal issues nor should they. They care whether you can perform your job duties and immediately telling them that you have issues with child care is not a great start. By the time you have child care secured, the interview slot has probably gone to another candidate anyways.
I recently was emailed from a company (late in the afternoon) that they were setting up interviews for the next day. Fifteen minutes after I received the email, I offered my desired time slot choice. It turns out it was already taken, so I had to settle for another time. When you are interviewing for a position, it is your job to be accommodating to the employer (you are the one who wants the job), not the other way around.
Well, when I have a steady income, the child care expense is NOT a problem, but, after 18 months of unemployment and going through all of my savings to survive (because UC is not nearly enough), right now, it's a predicament. Thanks for the advice, I knew saying something about it was wrong...
Well, when I have a steady income, the child care expense is NOT a problem, but, after 18 months of unemployment and going through all of my savings to survive (because UC is not nearly enough), right now, it's a predicament. Thanks for the advice, I knew saying something about it was wrong...
I can sympathize as I have been unemployed for an extremely long time as well. I hope you are able to find something soon.
I certainly sympathize. I was unemployed for fourteen months and I know what a strain it can be on the finances.
My suggestion would be that you establish some parameters with your friend. E.g., that you only schedule interviews in the mornings and/or no sooner than two days hence. Ask your friend what conditions they need to be able to offer reliable provide child care. Then if a recruiter wants to schedule an interview sooner or at a time your friend cannot babysit, you simply respond that you have another commitment in the afternoon or tomorrow (or whenever it is that they are requesting) and suggest a time that works for your agreed-upon parameters with your friend.
I agree with the above comment: it is bad form to mention your personal circumstances when scheduling an interview. You are applying to them, so you need are the one who needs to make yourself available, not the other way around. You should also avoid mention of needing to juggle the family's only car, or doctor's appointments, or other personal issues. The reasons why you are not available is not the recruiter or employer's business, all they need to know is that you are not available at the requested time, and when you can be available.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I know my resources are pretty slim and I need to expand them. I say one friend, because she's the only friend I have that is home a couple of days with her kids (Mon & Tues) then has a nanny come the rest of the week (who asks for more $ for extra kid). Everyone else goes to work during the week, there are no relatives near by, and my neighbors are not neighborly, they don't even look up when passing by! I think I need to move Oooh! I just thought of another friend who does work from home a day or two every so often, I will ask her too. Thanks guys, brainstorming is always good
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I know my resources are pretty slim and I need to expand them. I say one friend, because she's the only friend I have that is home a couple of days with her kids (Mon & Tues) then has a nanny come the rest of the week (who asks for more $ for extra kid). Everyone else goes to work during the week, there are no relatives near by, and my neighbors are not neighborly, they don't even look up when passing by! I think I need to move Oooh! I just thought of another friend who does work from home a day or two every so often, I will ask her too. Thanks guys, brainstorming is always good
Look around and see if there are any job-seeker support groups in your area. Do a google search or look at meetup.com.
When I was looking for a job, I found such a group in my area and it was a tremendous resource. We critiqued each other's resumes, practiced interviews--and yes, housesat when someone was going out of town on an interview, offered rides to interviews, etc. I even loaned someone the use of my printer to print their resumes on. None of us had a lot but together we had enough. And that group was started by a woman when she was looking for support and discovered there was no such group in our area. So she started one. It not only helped her in her job but was a skill to add to her resume.
I joined the group because not only did I need moral support for my job search, but I was fairly new to the area and knew almost no one. Many of the others in the group were in the same boat. It was a great way to meet other people and develop a network and a support system.
Good luck to you.
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What would you do in my situation? Thanks in advance.
Oooh! I just thought of another friend who does work from home a day or two every so often, I will ask her too. Thanks guys, brainstorming is always good 
