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5 Tips to Find Your First Flexible Job

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If distance, office drama, and rigid working hours leave you longing for something better, it might be time to find your first flexible job! Structuring your flexible job search correctly from the start can help fast track your hunt and have you working flexibly in no time at all.

Keep these five tips in mind to find your first flexible job:

1. Decide what flexibility means to you.

The words “flexible job” can mean a whole lot of different things depending on who you ask. Some people might consider a flexible job as a tech job (such as digital marketing, website designer etc.), whereas someone else might distinguish it as an office job that allows you to have a flexible schedule. And yet another person might think that a flex job means freelancing or job sharing.

So before you start your flexible job search, figure out what flexibility means to you. Do you want to work from home, or do you want to work in an office but have some leeway as to when your workday begins and ends? Figuring that out can help narrow your job search to positions that match your own professional and personal requirements.

2. Figure out what you want to do

It seems easy, but it’s surprising just how many people out there have no idea what they really want to do. Or others might be toiling away in the same boring career without really caring for it. Use your flexible job search as a clean slate for your career. If you like your previous line of work, then look for a job in that same field that offers flexibility.

You might decide, however, to start anew and do a total 180 and go through a career change. Whatever line of work you go into, make sure that you love it.

3. Get advice

Having flexibility in your job (i.e., the how, when, and where you work) can be pretty heady stuff, particularly if you’ve never had that type of freedom before. While most people get the hang of it, there can be a learning curve in order to have more control over your schedule. So consult people who have a similar type of job that is also flexible to see how they’ve done it.

You can learn some interesting insider tips, and also be better prepared for when you do get hired for a flexible job.

4. Start at the source.

Now, you might already be employed with a company you love, doing work that speaks to your soul. If that’s the case, there’s no reason for you to have to look elsewhere for flexible work employment right away. Consult your HR department to see if your company already has a flexible work policy. If they do, your meeting with your boss might go a lot easier.

Make a case for working flexibly (e.g., asking for an alternative schedule or working remotely) by pointing out how successful you’ve been in your role and how adding a flexible component to your position can make you even more productive! By showing an employer how flexibility can benefit them, they might be more accepting of your flexible work request.

5. Target your search.

In order to have a successful job search and find your first flexible job, you’ll need to be strategic. Target your search towards employers that have a proven track record of workplace flexibility. That way, you won’t have to wonder during the entire job application process if you’ll be able to work from home or not.

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