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Tips
- Get specific about why you want a flexible schedule and be ready with an explanation for potential employers.
- Be upfront during the hiring process. If a flex schedule is a deal breaker for you, don’t waste the potential employer’s time by waiting until the eleventh hour to express it.
- Consider asking for a compressed schedule, where you commit to longer hours over a shorter work week, in order to free up an extra day during the week.
Related How-Tos
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Flexible scheduling has become a common benefit, but talking about it during a job interview can still be dicey, as hiring managers may get the impression that you’re not fully committed to the position.
Before you even get to the interview, be clear in your mind about why you are interested working for a company with a flexible-work policy. Are you attracted to its culture? Do you have flexibility at your current job that you would rather not relinquish? Or is having reduced hours or telecommuting a deal-breaker?
If it’s the latter, it’s best to communicate your needs up front. But if you’re interested in just finding out what it’s like to work for the company, you can ask about work styles and hours when the discussion lends itself during an interview.
Look beyond the company’s Web site when trying to find out if its employees are allowed to work remotely or manage nontraditional schedules. Consult with people in your network and read company profiles on sites such as Vault.com.
Since you might interview with more than one company official for a job, be prepared to direct your inquiries about flexible scheduling to the right person. This means you’ll want to direct questions about programs and policies to human-resources managers. But when meeting with the hiring manager for the position, it’s usually best to stick to questions about the company’s culture. For example, you might ask if everyone in the department that the job is in works on site and in the same office.
Meanwhile, look for clues during the interview that might suggest a company embraces flexibility. If you see laptops and Blackberries throughout an office, chances are employees are allowed to work remotely. Conversely, if all you see are desktop computers, the opposite is likely.
Seeking greater flexibility in your current position? Consider what the arrangement might mean for your employer. Asking your boss to switch to a four-day workweek so you can attend graduate school is something the company might appreciate because it may eventually benefit from your studies. But requesting a four-day week so you can work elsewhere for extra cash will likely strike a sour note. Once your questions about a work environment have been answered, trust your gut when it comes to deciding whether it’s right for you.