Regular scjedule at work

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I'm going to hopefully graduate in a few months and find a job as a programmer. Irregular schedules are a large problem for me. Do you have any tips how to approach this problem with employers? How would I make this need known so that it will be understood by e.g. HR? Or is it a non-issue and full time work is an environment with the same schedule everyday and I won't need to be assertive about it? It's important for me that the work begins at the same time everyday. I have a large problem with it at university, every day of the week my schedule is vastly different and I can't have habits when to have meals etc. which has very bad impact on my health right now (I foget to eat and drink).

My guess is that in your field they have regular consistent office type hours. Nine to five.

I was in computers long enough to retire. I could pretty much start my workdays on a consistent schedule.

For me, the days tended to be long. When I went home varied. But I was doing something I was interested in so that helped.

Long. Yeah, sometimes really long. There were a few all-nighters (not too many, though).

My record was going in at my normal time on Tuesday and having my boss throw me out when I was still there when he came back from lunch on Thursday.

I didn't mind the long hours when it was my idea to do them. I did not like it when a boss told me to do them.

Starting at the same time every day probably won't be a problem on your field, at least if you're ready to start your day at the time that is the average in whichever place you'll be working in, which is usually at 8 or 9 a.m... I think. Getting overwork at the end of the day will probably be a bigger problem, but if you can get everything done during the usual working hours, then there shouldn't be too much of that, either... maybe? I don't know how overwork systems work in that field, but I'd assume that one's boss just can't say five minutes before the day should end that one has to stay after hours... lots of places also have flexible working hours these days, making it not matter when you work as long as you do your hours in and get the job done, so that'd work well for you too.

If you get the chance to talk with employees, I've heard it's a good idea, and you might be able to ask them how the timekeeping works. Safer than asking the boss at the interview, as the boss might feel that anybody so interested in getting home in time isn't "enthusiastic" enough to be worth hiring. And employees would probably give you a more accurate idea of what the boss is like. The boss isn't likely to tell you (s)he's a narcissistic slave driver.

Thank you for your replies

So I gather that I don't have to worry about it, because it's unlikely that the work will begin at 9am on one day and on 12pm or another...

I don't have a problem with occasional overtime in the evening.

It depends on the job. Some jobs do, some don't. They should be able to tell you that before or at any interview.

As far as overtime...again it depends on the job. But if it is something that interests you then you might not mind some overtime--sometimes when you are very absorbed in a task that interests you, you'd rather not stop until you get to a good stopping point. It depends on the job and it depends on you.

I hope you get good answers to your questions (from your employer).

this could be a question to ask at an interview... ask about the kind of hours you would be expected to work, are they regular? Would you be "on call"? Would you have to work late nights, etc? Depending on the job, it could be all of the above or "something else". If the hours they will expect of you are not something you could do, you can choose to interview for another job where there are conditions you can work well with. Best wishes!

Thank you, I have to ask during the interview. Thank you for good question suggestions. It didn't cross my mind, but certainly it is a possibility that some jobs, even office jobs, can require working at night or "being on call".

Exactly, I'd rather stay longer and finish what I'm doing.