how to answer interview questions about shift work

When interviewing for a job, it’s important that you review the types of work schedules the employer offers. Hiring managers ask about shift work during job interviews to gauge how open you are about working unconventional hours. By researching facts about shift work and common questions hiring managers may ask about the topic during an interview, you can clearly articulate your shift preferences while highlighting any relevant experience. In this article, we define shift work, review why hiring managers ask questions about shift work, discuss tips for answering these questions and provide several example questions with sample answers to cultivate your own response.

Be honest. Consider your specific situation and if you will be able to handle a shifting schedule or going into work on nights and weekends. If there are times when you are unavailable to work, mention it.
Show your comfort with shift work. If you are OK with shift work, show it in your response.

How do you feel about working weekends and night shifts? Tricky Interview Question | Best Answer

Tips for Giving the Best Answer

Be flexible, but honest: You want to demonstrate that you are flexible and willing to serve the company in whatever way they need. That being said, don’t lie about your availability. If there are certain weekdays or shifts you know you absolutely cannot do, say so. If you lie now, it will only hurt your chances of getting and then keeping the job later on.

Be reasonable about schedule conflicts: While you do not necessarily need to go into great detail when explaining a reason for a schedule conflict, you might briefly mention the reason for your unavailability, especially if it is related to professional, educational, or family conflicts. For example, if you are a student applying for a part-time job, you might mention that you are in school during certain hours.

What Not to Say

Dont be deceptive: Your employer will be frustrated if you say you can work a certain set of hours, and are then unable to. Similarly, youll be in a jam if you are scheduled to work hours that arent doable because of personal commitments.

Dont be negative:If you do have a restricted schedule, try to spin it by keeping your response focused on when you are available, along with dates and times when youre flexible. That is, instead of saying, “Im not available Monday through Wednesday,” you can say, “Im available to work on Thursday through Sunday, and happy to work nights and weekends.”

What the Interviewer Wants to Know

An employer will ask this question to get a sense of whether you will work with the company’s schedule.

If the company needs someone to cover night shifts, or to work a Thursday through Sunday schedule, theyll want to make certain that the person they hire is available at those times.

Sometimes an employer will ask a more specific question, such as whether you are willing to work nights and/or weekends, or how many hours a week you are available.

Job Interview Question and Answer: “Can You Work Nights, Weekends and Holidays?”

Service industry jobs often require employees to be on the clock beyond the typical nine-to-five workday. Employers want to know whether applicants are willing to work unconventional hours during evenings, weekends, and holidays to benefit the business. A strong answer can show your dedication to creating a schedule that works for you and the company.

Responses to Avoid

Saying that you can’t work weekends due to frivolous reasons might make interviewers think you are lazy or irresponsible. As such, you should try to avoid mentioning social events or downtime activities when refusing weekend, holiday, or night shifts.

How to Answer “Can You Work Weekends?”

Honesty and flexibility are essential when responding to this question. Be upfront about your availability and be firm on the days you would prefer to work. If you cannot work weekends, nights, or holidays due to family commitments or other outside obligations, discuss alternatives that would satisfy you and your potential employer.

To learn more about your previous jobs that required shift work

Hiring Managers can use shift work-related questions as an introductory topic into your previous professional experiences and how they help you qualify for a shift work role at their company.

Do you have any personal priorities that might affect your schedule availability?

By asking this question, an interviewer wants to learn more about your personal priorities and how they can accommodate them. You should provide an honest and detailed answer so they can properly evaluate your candidacy.

Example: “At the moment, I dont have any scheduling conflicts that could prevent me from completing any shifts. If something does come up, I will be sure to notify you.”

Example shift work interview questions and sample answers

There are several ways hiring managers can phrase shift work interview questions and related topics. Review these common shift work interview questions and sample answers to help you prepare for an upcoming job interview:

Why do hiring managers ask interview questions about shift work?

Hiring managers ask interview questions about shift work for several different reasons. Here are some common reasons why hiring managers want to know about your shift work preferences and previous experiences with shift work:

Are you Comfortable with Night Shifts?

“Are you comfortable with night shifts?” or “Are you flexible with night shift?” or “Are you comfortable with rotating shifts?” is a common HR interview question asked in MNCs like TCS and Wipro. In this page we have provided the complete guide to answer this question.

Page Highlights:-

Why “Can you work night shifts” is asked?

How to answer “Are you comfortable with night shifts”?

Sample Answers: “Can you work night shifts”-Yes

Sample Answers:-”Can you work night shifts”-No

Why “Can you work night shifts?” is asked?

Most service based companies like Cognizant and TCS run double shifts. Therefore it is a very common question to ask in interviews. Candidates who are willing to work night shifts show that they are flexible and can adjust easily. They also portray a positive attitude towards the company. While candidates who say no, show that they are honest and know where to draw the line between personal and professional life. Answering this question is a bit tricky, but we got you.

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FAQ

How do you answer shift availability?

I can work any shift you need me to.” This answer is excellent and straightforward if you apply for a shift job, and you are available at any time. “I am free and ready to start whenever you need me. Regarding the hours, I am flexible and willing to work whenever the team needs me the most.”

How do you explain shift work?

The term shift work refers to any work schedule that falls outside the hours of 7 am and 6 pm¹. Shift work can include evening, night, and early morning shifts, as well as fixed or rotating schedules.

Are you willing to work in shifts means?

Shift work refers to a work schedule that is performed in rotations. For example, while some employees might fill a role during the day, others might work night or early morning shifts. This means the company operates for 24 hours each day.

Why do you want to work for shift?

The reasons to work night shift include items like increased pay, reduced competition on the job, coworkers who can relate, greater vacation flexibility, autonomy, less distractions and an ability to run errands when everyone else is working.