4 Tips to Find Flexible Jobs in the United Kingdom

4 Tips to Find Flexible Jobs in the United Kingdom 4 Tips to Find Flexible Jobs in the United Kingdom In the article “14 Million Britons Who Want Flexible Working Compete for a ‘Handful’ of Jobs,” it shows that Britain is facing some serious lack of flexible working options. According to research from flex experts Timewise, a paltry 6.2 percent of job listings are flexible. However, 14.1 million workers (or 46 percent of workers in the UK) want to work flexibly. While better flexible working options exist outside of London, Scotland, northern Ireland, and northern England, this lack of flex work has a particular negative impact on working women who cannot climb the corporate ladder since the option to work flexibly isn’t even an option to begin with. And to add insult to injury, flexible work options decrease at higher salary levels, so executive-level jobs with remote work options are even more rare. To get a sense of the industries that are offering flex (and which aren’t), here are just a few examples from Timewise’s research findings: Positions that offer flex: Health/social care 20 percent Education/training 13 percent Military/policing/security 7 percent Positions that offer little flex: Director/management 2 percent Marketing/advertising/PR 2 percent Engineering/manufacturing 2 percent The law is also working against making better flexible work options for people. As of right now, an employee who has worked with his current employer for at least 26 weeks can make one flex request to change his work schedule for a year. (The company legally has to consider the request, but doesn’t necessarily have to grant it.) Previously, only parents with children under 16 were allowed to request flex. If you’re looking for flexible jobs in the United Kingdom, here are some tips: Assess your situation. Before you start looking for a flexible job, you should figure out what type of flex you really need. While you might really, really want a full-time telecommuting job, given how limited the number of flexible jobs in the United Kingdom are, you might need to be flexible yourself when looking for flex work. So if you find a part-time remote job or a job that lets you work a compressed workweek, see if that level of flexibility would be enough for you. Take the market into consideration. Although no one industry in the UK seems to have an overabundance of flexible work, there are some sectors that are more flex-friendly than others. If you’re considering a career change (or simply have to have a work-from-home job), look to see which industries are hiring remote workers, and then tailor your job search to match those companies that are hiring. Avoid job scams. Job scams are unavoidable when you’re looking for a work-from-home job. That’s why you need to be super savvy in your job search. You should be wary of any potential hiring manager who reaches out to you with a too-good-to-be-true job offer, or is looking to hire you without an interview. And you should never, ever release any personal information (such as your bank account info or social security number) to a prospective employer. Know where to look. Job searching is never fun, but there are ways in which you can expedite your search. Look for job listings that use the words “flexible work,” “remote,” or “telecommute,” which will indicate that there is work flexibility already built into the position. That way, you don’t have to go through the entire job interview process only to find out when you’re offered the job that it is an in-office position only. You should also use niche job boards (such as) that are reputable and focus on flexible work. As work flexibility continues to grow in popularity, other nations, such as the UK, will catch on that flexible work is a huge benefit for both employees and employers. Only then will flexible jobs in the UK become the norm. Readers, are you looking to find flexible jobs in the United Kingdom or elsewhere? Let us know in the comments below!