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working women
Careers with
Fl exibl e Hours
By Candi Smith
I
f someone had told me twenty years ago that I’d be
working from home, setting my own schedule, doing
what I love and making money…I would have asked
them what they were drinking! But that’s exactly what I’m doing
as a freelance writer for HERLIFE Magazine. I’m living my best
dream.
Today there are many options available to those who want
to get off the 9-to-5 hamster wheel and start doing work that fits
into their schedules and lifestyles. It’s hard to hit the slopes if
you’re at work from sunup to sundown. And how can you enjoy
the beauty of the night sky if you always work the graveyard
shift?
Here are a few suggestions to get you thinking outside of
your current career and focusing on opportunities that will help
your life become more flexible:
Consider working for a temp agency. Oftentimes, they
have jobs that are either full-time but short-term, or long-term
but part-time. They might even be able to send you on multiple
assignments so that you can work Monday through Wednesday
at one job, and Saturdays at another. This would leave you three
days a week to pursue other passions.
Call centers operate around the clock, so they’re always
looking for personnel with flexibility in their schedules. And,
because good help is hard to find, they are also likely to work
with your schedule to allow you to take off the hours you need.
Good freelance writers are in demand. You just have to
know where to look, and you have to be skilled. There are
numerous handbooks available to help you find markets for
your writing, ranging from poetry to particular genres. You can
also find books that will help you find agents who can help you
get published.
Industries that safeguard society (such as police officers,
firefighters and security guards) have flexible hours, sometimes
working three days in a row and having four days off. They
also have both daytime and evening hours so you can find a
schedule that works best for you.
One little-known but busy career is that of dispatchers.
They are found at fire and police departments, and cab and
trucking companies. Since good dispatchers are hard to find
due to the unconventional hours and nature of the job, most
employers are willing to pay well and work with the employee’s
schedule.
Many computer careers involve skills that can be
performed remotely, and are in demand. If you are into Web
design and maintenance, these jobs can be performed from the
comfort of your own computer, and pay a nice rate.
Many degreed professionals are afforded the luxury of
setting their own hours. These include accountants, psychologists,
psychiatrists and social workers. Once they establish a
consistent client base, they keep their business busy for years.
Hairstylists have a great deal of flexibility in setting their
hours. Some specialize in bridal hairdos while others may focus
on coloring. In today’s hair industry, techniques run the gamut
from extensions to highlighting, so hairstylists can choose to be
36 HERLIFEmagazine.com