Editor’s Word: This story initially appeared on FlexJobs.com.
There are lots of explanation why you is perhaps exploring your versatile profession choices. Maybe your neighbor works remotely and also you envy their morning espresso on the porch as you head out on your day by day commute.
Possibly your property life has modified, and also you’re now juggling caregiving. Or, maybe you notice that your life doesn’t need to be a selection between your profession and your general wellness.
Regardless of the purpose, if you happen to’re right here to find the fundamentals of a versatile job and how one can launch a search to seek out one which’s an ideal match for you, we’ve acquired some ideas that can assist you.
Slightly than leap at any job introduced as versatile, take the time to pinpoint exactly what you want when it comes to flexibility, work-life steadiness, and profession development.
1. Perceive What a Versatile Job Is
If you happen to’ve been contemplating a brand new job, you may need seen the time period “versatile” utilized to numerous schedules. Subsequently, you is perhaps questioning what precisely a versatile job entails, and that is a vital query to know the reply to.
As a result of “versatile” is an all-encompassing time period that may imply various things to totally different folks, some versatile jobs could also be a wonderful match for you whereas others gained’t be. In a nutshell, a versatile job is a working association that can let you discover a steadiness between your profession and your private life.
Nevertheless, some key options can establish a place as a versatile choice. These embrace jobs with schedules which can be versatile or exterior of typical enterprise hours, the power to work a minimum of among the time remotely, or freelancing.
2. Uncover Your Good Versatile Work Fashion
Earlier than beginning your search to discover a versatile job, it’s important to find out the kind of flex that can work greatest for you. Since it would be best to incorporate flexibility into your search, figuring out what you want earlier than you begin wanting will save time and provide help to goal your search. Think about the professionals and cons of every of the next versatile work schedules.
- Half-time: Jobs that don’t require you to work full-time are inviting if you happen to’re on the stage in your life the place you aren’t searching for full-time employment. However past filling that apparent want, part-time roles additionally give you the power to realize some additional earnings or launch a brand new profession whereas sustaining the safety of your full-time place.
- Versatile schedule: For a lot of distant staff, versatile schedules supply the final word freedom. Slightly than having to work conventional workplace hours, you have got extra freedom to construct your schedule round your private commitments, which might imply something from working early earlier than you drop the children off at college to working three lengthy days and two shorter days. The choices are almost countless.
- Various schedule: Whether or not you’re balancing caregiving duties, two jobs, or are merely extra productive exterior of conventional workplace hours, another schedule is perhaps a dream come true on your profession. The primary difference between flexible and alternative schedules is that your employer typically units particular hours so that you can work with another schedule, comparable to night, night time, and weekend shifts, for instance.
- Freelance: Whereas not particularly a schedule kind, freelancing is entrepreneurship. As a freelancer, you’ll construct a enterprise providing companies to purchasers and different companies. When you can typically dictate your schedule, you’ll additionally must be conscious that you’re chargeable for each side of the enterprise, from advertising and marketing to taxes.
- Distant: Working remotely signifies that you get to skip the commute — a minimum of some days. Whether or not you earn a living from home full-time or just a few days every week, you’ll have the liberty to arrange your workspace, apply yoga at your desk, and convey your canine to work daily. For a lot of, that is the final word dream job — working from residence and regaining a while and freedom whereas nonetheless working for an organization you consider in.
Don’t low cost your means to discover a versatile job if one single type of flexibility doesn’t suit your wants. Though some jobs are targeted on one kind of flexibility, you could find jobs that supply a couple of versatile association. Frequent mixtures we see continuously posted embrace freelance jobs with versatile schedules, distant jobs with versatile schedules, and distant, part-time jobs.
3. Get Versatile Job Search-Prepared
Earlier than making the leap into your versatile job search, be sure you put together your self. You’ll need to start the identical method you put together for any job search.
Your first step is usually revamping and overhauling your cowl letter and resume to be simply tailor-made for each job utility. Additionally, you will need to clear up all of your social media pages and give attention to constant private branding all through your whole messaging.
It’s additionally an amazing thought to start out prepping for future interviews by acquiring skilled apparel, establishing a house workplace in case you are going distant, and gathering relevant suggestions.
Past the usual issues, if you happen to’re trying to transfer to your first versatile function, there are just a few extra methods to set your self up for achievement. Employers want to see that you just’re not merely following a pattern however that you just’ve mastered the talents wanted for achievement in a versatile work association.
As an illustration, spherical up any distant work expertise you have got, comparable to on-line programs you took or the few days you labored from residence if you had been in poor health.
With none formal expertise, you would possibly contemplate freelancing or volunteering so as to add weight to your resume. You too can spotlight that you just’re a self-starter and don’t require micromanaging when crafting your resume bullet factors.
4. Leverage Your Community
Whereas networking is an enormous a part of discovering any job, it’s typically much more vital throughout a seek for a versatile job if you normally don’t have the benefit of face-to-face interactions.
When employers can put extra context to your identify and private model, they’ll start to affiliate you as a potential answer to their wants.
Let your pals, household, {and professional} contacts know you might be open to new alternatives. You by no means know when somebody may need a lead for you. Moreover, contemplate becoming a member of skilled organizations or teams associated to your trade. This can provide help to meet new folks and construct useful connections.
Social media is one other wonderful method to unfold the information about your job search. Use hashtags on LinkedIn to seek out related postings, and be certain that you’re absolutely using LinkedIn teams and the ability of your profile. Comply with firms on Twitter that you just’re interested by.
You’ll uncover that they’re more and more using social media networks to announce openings and supply candidates.
Lastly, don’t neglect the worth of face-to-face networking, even if you happen to’re searching for a versatile work alternative. Attend trade occasions or meetups in your space. You by no means know who you’ll meet or what alternatives would possibly come up.
5. Be Diligent About Avoiding Job Scams
Whereas versatile work has many benefits, one of many biggest disadvantages is the number of scams that job seekers encounter. With many interactions taking place remotely, it’s simpler than ever so that you can change into a sufferer if you happen to’re not diligent. Probably the greatest methods to keep away from a rip-off is to make use of a distinct segment job board.
With a complete group devoted to vetting job postings, you may really feel assured making use of to the listings you see there.
Past job boards, you should utilize greatest on-line practices by going on to the corporate web site to use, quite than submitting any info by means of an advert or hyperlink that you just come throughout.
You’ll have the ability to confirm that the posting is authentic and apply by means of a safe server as an alternative of submitting your resume or utility through e-mail.
Validate the e-mail deal with of any contact you obtain — particularly if it’s sudden — and be conscious to not give out private info earlier than any job has been provided. If one thing doesn’t really feel proper or feels too good to be true, by no means permit your self to be pressured right into a hurried choice.
6. Don’t Neglect Smaller Firms
Bigger firms get a whole lot of press protection for his or her work perks. However typically, smaller firms are simply as beneficiant, if no more, with their versatile work choices. And though it’s not marketed, that doesn’t imply they’re not open to permitting you to work a extra versatile choice.
If you happen to uncover an organization you’re obsessed with due to their work or their firm tradition, contemplate asking if a versatile work association could be an choice (even when solely on a trial foundation).
7. Think about Your Present Employer
Tying in with the tip above, have you ever completely explored whether or not or not your present employer would entertain versatile work choices? Going again to the second step, if you happen to’ve genuinely analyzed what kind of flex you want, you would possibly uncover that you would be able to preserve your job and meet your commitments with some easy tweaks.
Define the advantages to your employer and ask for a gathering along with your supervisor or HR. Simply because it’s by no means been performed doesn’t imply it will probably’t be performed. Whereas this isn’t all the time an choice, if you happen to genuinely love your job, it’s value having the dialog.
8. Discover a Full Profession Change
Whereas there are a whole lot of versatile work choices, not each profession can assist all of them. If you happen to’ve pinpointed your very best flex and decided that your present profession gained’t assist it, it’s time to seek out your new path.
Start by itemizing transferable abilities after which dive into profession exploration. If you happen to’re struggling to reframe your abilities into values that might profit a special trade, contemplate discovering a profession coach who can assist you.
Incorporate Flex Into Your Search
When trying to find a versatile job, use key phrases particular to the kind of flexibility you might be in search of. One other nice choice is to seek for jobs by specializing in firms which have a fame for providing flexibility. Discovering a versatile job is very like trying to find a daily job. With the correct instruments, targeted efforts, and a optimistic angle, you could find and land a versatile job that’s the good match for you.
