Recruitment specialist sets up Facebook page for part-time job-hunters

Emily Christensen set up Part-time jobs for Mums and Dads page to help out-of-work parents connect with companies after seeing the demand of so many parents who wanted to work shorter or flexible hours.

Emily Christensen connects out-of-work parents with companies searching for help. Antonie Robertson / The National

ABU DHABI // One woman has made it her mission to match mothers and fathers who want to work part-time to businesses that have suitable vacancies.

Emily Christensen, director of H3O international recruitment, set up the Facebook page Part-time Jobs for Mums and Dads to help out-of-work parents connect with companies after seeing the demand from many parents who wanted to work shorter or flexible hours around childcare.

“It is not a practical business model but as I also saw jobs being posted on various forums, such as British Mums Dubai on Facebook, and also requests for work, I felt it deserved its own page,” said Ms Christensen, a 37-year-old Briton.

“When someone posts [a job advert] on a busy Facebook forum, the posts get lost between, ‘what is this rash on my daughter’s arm’ and babies not sleeping to questions about helpers and garage sales.

“The page received 1,000 likes in the first 24 hours and is now at nearly 9,000 likes, so it appears to be well followed.”

Part-time Jobs for Mums and Dads frequently has posts from organisations looking for part timers or temporary workers or those willing to do odd jobs – the length of employment can range from a few hours a day, a week or a month.

Vacancies include positions the retail, marketing and administration sectors, as well as connecting creative freelancers such as photographers with work.

Companies with vacancies post or message Ms Christensen with the details.

“I post them then jobseekers contact the businesses directly,” she said.

The recruitment specialist felt it was important that stay-at-home parents looking to re-enter the workplace had a place to start the job hunt. She hoped more companies would realise that part-time workers were a viable way to increase the workforce while keeping down costs.

“Most mums are already on their husband’s sponsorship and also have medical and flights so these are not what they are looking for,” she said. “It is more the social aspect, easing themselves into work while the kids are still younger, so that when the time comes to go full time again, they haven’t been out of circulation for as long.”

For more information visit facebook.com/dubaiparttime.