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Today, I got a job offer from a department store for a temporary holiday position. Naturally, I was excited because I've been out of school for a few months and haven't landed a job.
I won't have a car of my own during the time of employment (don't ask why, it's not important enough to change anything), so I would be commuting by bus.
The job is 13 miles away from where I live, and my commute would be around 70-90 minutes each way, and the last buses that go most directly to home leave relatively early (8pm weekdays, 6pm weekends), so I put down my availability based off that and told my interviewer those hours, but not the reason why, it didn't come up and I felt it was a non issue because this job requires no driving.
Anyway, I met with an HR personnel today and the subject of my availability came up. Long story short, I am expected to be available until late nights (11pm-12am) which hadn't come up before. I explained honestly I would be rising the bus to work and that I live a few cities away and wouldn't be able to leave any later than what I put on my application and said during the interview.
Although she explained I can take earlier shifts, she also asked me: "what if there are none available?" I also explained there is a possibility I can leave later, but these bus routes are less direct, involve a good amount of walking (1.5 mi before and after the stops), and drop me off at 11:30 along a major street and it makes me uneasy about my personal safety. Also, the job is a bit out the way and with the late hours, I can't have anyone pick me up. And I don't know anyone who works there, much less anyone who lives in this town.
After all was said and done I told her I would call back after I thought about it.
So I need some advice. Should I just decline this job offer even though I'm lucky to have gotten it in the first place just because I can't work late shifts? Or should I explain that I absolutely cannot stay late, but I still really want this job (which I really do)? And should it involve possibly negotiating for fewer hours (which I have no problem with)? Anything would be helpful
Don't waist their time if you can't be on time or leave when they expect you to stay. You'd just be asking for special treatment right off the bat. Coming in late and leaving early on a regular basis will not only get you fired, you can kiss any good reference goodbye.
Don't waist their time if you can't be on time or leave when they expect you to stay. You'd just be asking for special treatment right off the bat. Coming in late and leaving early on a regular basis will not only get you fired, you can kiss any good reference goodbye.
I understand what you're saying about special treatment, but this is just about scheduling hours, not about being late/leaving early...believe me, I will always come on time and leave when my shift is over. Hope this clarifies anything.
Today, I got a job offer from a department store for a temporary holiday position. Naturally, I was excited because I've been out of school for a few months and haven't landed a job.
I won't have a car of my own during the time of employment (don't ask why, it's not important enough to change anything), so I would be commuting by bus.
The job is 13 miles away from where I live, and my commute would be around 70-90 minutes each way, and the last buses that go most directly to home leave relatively early (8pm weekdays, 6pm weekends), so I put down my availability based off that and told my interviewer those hours, but not the reason why, it didn't come up and I felt it was a non issue because this job requires no driving.
Anyway, I met with an HR personnel today and the subject of my availability came up. Long story short, I am expected to be available until late nights (11pm-12am) which hadn't come up before. I explained honestly I would be rising the bus to work and that I live a few cities away and wouldn't be able to leave any later than what I put on my application and said during the interview.
Although she explained I can take earlier shifts, she also asked me: "what if there are none available?" I also explained there is a possibility I can leave later, but these bus routes are less direct, involve a good amount of walking (1.5 mi before and after the stops), and drop me off at 11:30 along a major street and it makes me uneasy about my personal safety. Also, the job is a bit out the way and with the late hours, I can't have anyone pick me up. And I don't know anyone who works there, much less anyone who lives in this town.
After all was said and done I told her I would call back after I thought about it.
So I need some advice. Should I just decline this job offer even though I'm lucky to have gotten it in the first place just because I can't work late shifts? Or should I explain that I absolutely cannot stay late, but I still really want this job (which I really do)? And should it involve possibly negotiating for fewer hours (which I have no problem with)? Anything would be helpful
First of all, I would like to thank you for reminding me just how horrible it was to have to take public transportation. Thirteen miles takes an hour and a half. I will remember this tomorrow when I get back in my car, go out on the roads and am stuck behind snails. "It's better than the bus!"
Second, it is not worth your safety. It just isn't. I know you want a job but it is NOT worth it. This is a seasonal position...you'll be out of a job in a few months anyway but in the meantime, you put yourself at risk. For what?
As stated, I used to have to take the bus. I worked some place that was about 10 minutes car ride but a good hour or more on the bus + waiting time at the bus stop. We got out of work at night time. I had to walk a good half a mile, in the dark, through an area that was not lit at all but had a road, just to get to my bus stop.
There, I would wait up to a half an hour for the bus to show and I was the only one at this stop.
I was standing at a bus stop. Right next to the bus stop sign, I was. I was dressed in typical clothing that any sane person would wear in Seattle when it's cold and night time, which means, long pants, a warm jacket, hat and gloves.
No less than 4 times in that half an hour would someone pull over to ask if I "needed a ride", which were always men, by themselves. They weren't offering me a "ride" to my house, if you catch my drift.
To give you the picture of this stop area:
I'm at the bus stop, the road is in front of me. To my left is that darkened area I had to walk through to get to this stop. That area is about 100 meters from me. To my right, about 50 meters away, is a parking lot and a bar, I think it was. Behind me is foresty type area.
The final straw for me was one rainy night, I was standing at the bus stop, in the dark, waiting for the bus to get me closer to home. I had been standing there for about 15 minutes when the next thing I know, a man spoke up behind me asking me if I needed a ride.
I did not see him pull in to this parking lot. I did not hear him walk up behind me. I did not know he was there until he was RIGHT behind me and asking me if I needed a ride.
Scared and angry, I wheeled around on him and spat out, "No, I'm waiting for the bus!" with as much venom as I could muster.
He just stood there, smirking.
He then said, after standing there for a good minute or two just staring at me, "Don't get.....wet", in a sick way. I told him to f himself with that venom again and he walked off.
I decided it was not worth the risk to my safety, even though nothing happened, that was too close for me, and that was the end of that job for me.
I understand what you're saying about special treatment, but this is just about scheduling hours, not about being late/leaving early...believe me, I will always come on time and leave when my shift is over. Hope this clarifies anything.
I'm sure there are other people who would love to get off early, especially on weekends. Do you think they are going to care if you need these hours off just because you have transportation problems. I know I would love to dictate to my boss the hours I want, or am available to work. It just doesn't work that way, and to expect otherwise, is asking for special treatment.
I'm not sure why a couple of posters are reading that you want to come in late or leave early or are demanding "special" hours. Anyway, in my opinion I would stick with option number two. Let them know that although you would be more than happy to cover the earlier shifts you can't, for the reasons stated, work a late shift. Leave it at that and see what happens. They may end up with a pool of suitable candidates for whom a late shift wouldn't pose a problem, in which case you won't have a job offer. On to the next opportunity! Good luck!
I'm not sure why a couple of posters are reading that you want to come in late or leave early or are demanding "special" hours. Anyway, in my opinion I would stick with option number two. Let them know that although you would be more than happy to cover the earlier shifts you can't, for the reasons stated, work a late shift. Leave it at that and see what happens. They may end up with a pool of suitable candidates for whom a late shift wouldn't pose a problem, in which case you won't have a job offer. On to the next opportunity! Good luck!
The OP has every right to do this, but doing so would make them a less appealing candidate for the position. I know if I were in a position where I was in charge of hiring, I would hire the person who I thought would be most dependable and had the most flexibility when it comes to scheduling. This is especially true if I was also the one who was making the schedule. With as many people who are out of work, it would be too easy to find somebody who had their own transportation and were available to work whatever hours are needed.
Of course, which is why option number 2 is the obvious choice and the chips will fall where they may.
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