Can I swap jobs with my wife?

greentree

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My wife works for a semi-state. We have two kids now and she wants to give up her job and mind them. We are both qualified in the same area but I am self employed and there is very little work coming my way.

Simple question, is there any way I can swap roles with my wife? She approached HR and they said that they are not hiring but surely this is a different situation as she may be leaving?
 
Ban on recruitment? There may also be plenty in the wings, ahead of you, who may be a long time waiting to step into her shoes, such as panel that they would draw replacements from or someone on part-time waiting for full-time.
 
No offence but you are also assuming you would be as good at the job as your wife. Not saying you wouldn't be but the employer doesn't know that.
 
I cannot see any employer, in the public or private sector allowing a situation where an employee handing in her notice, is allowed choose a replacement from outside the organisation.

Even if they wasn't a recruitment ban, they would go through the recruitment procedure. You would find that you have plenty of competition, from internal and external candidate.
 
I think it is worth a try - If she leaves, you would probably have to go through the interview process etc, but look at it from the company's point of view, if the wife leaves and recommends you as her replacement and you pass the interviews, they will save themselves a lot of time and money in the recruitment process.

You will of course, as others mention, have internal competition etc, but as far as "not a hope", I would ignore that comment and give it a go, nothing to lose!
Do think about what happens if you dont get the job though, you could both end up losing out.
 
Ok maybe I should rephrase that, I mean not a hope can you simply start Monday when she finishes Friday, of course you can apply for the job if they advertise it and go through the process and best of luck to you.
 
Ok maybe I should rephrase that, I mean not a hope can you simply start Monday when she finishes Friday, of course you can apply for the job if they advertise it and go through the process and best of luck to you.

The OP hs already said that it is a semi-state body which is not recruiting.

Even if she leaves, there is a very high chance that the job will be filled internally without a recruitment process.
 
I would ignore that comment and give it a go, nothing to lose!

That's quite different from:

Do think about what happens if you dont get the job though, you could both end up losing out.

To the OP, it's very unlikely that they would be open to such a move. A semi-state in prticular will have to follow formal recruitment procedures that will be open to scrutiny.

Filling a vacancy in such a manner is likely to agrieve existing employees that might be interested in the post, it could be interpreted as acting in a cloak and dagger fashion that might open them up to discrimination procedings.
 
My wife works for a semi-state. We have two kids now and she wants to give up her job and mind them. We are both qualified in the same area but I am self employed and there is very little work coming my way.

Simple question, is there any way I can swap roles with my wife? She approached HR and they said that they are not hiring but surely this is a different situation as she may be leaving?

I don't think anything like this could or should happen.

For public service jobs, there needs to be an open and transparent process for all when it comes to recruitment and everyone should have at least an opportunity to apply.

On another note, it might be worthhile for your wife to look into family friendly schemes at work, she may find something like term time that would suit both of you.
 
Alternatively, you could do a job swap at home: she stays in her job with the semi-state, and you look after the kids (with the option to still get a bit of money through you self-employment).
 
To the OP, it's very unlikely that they would be open to such a move. A semi-state in prticular will have to follow formal recruitment procedures that will be open to scrutiny.

Filling a vacancy in such a manner is likely to agrieve existing employees that might be interested in the post, it could be interpreted as acting in a cloak and dagger fashion that might open them up to discrimination procedings.

Alternatively, you could do a job swap at home: she stays in her job with the semi-state, and you look after the kids (with the option to still get a bit of money through you self-employment).

I'd go with these two posts.
 
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