So, how do you ask for flexibility at work with a current or future employer? I’d heard many different opinions: be upfront and say what you want at the start of the conversation. Talk about your skills and experience first. Get a full-time job and then negotiate.
In my utter confusion, I decided to speak to Kate Mansfield (see pic of Kate below) who is a Career Coach at the company Women Returners and to ask her advice. Here’s what she said.
Lead with Your Skills, Value and Experience
I explained to Kate that if I had ever started a conversation with I need flexibility it tended to close doors. Kate explained that, ‘what you don’t want to do is lead with something that people might mistakenly view as an obstacle. What they really need to do is buy into your experience and what you can do and deliver and ultimately how you deliver that i.e., over 3 days – that shouldn’t be at the forefront of that conversation. That should be managed later on.’
I found that even when I talked to recruitment companies, discussing my need for flexibility tended to cut conversations short. Kate said that recruiters will largely focus on the path of least resistance and putting a candidate forward for a full-time role, who wants to work full-time, is the path of least resistance for them. I’d never really thought about it that way before – makes complete sense.
Be Smart and Realistic
Realise that most jobs are advertised as full-time. If you sit at home and Google ‘3-day week jobs’ you’re very unlikely to find them. And if you ask most employers they are likely to say their preference is full-time.
But for the right candidate, employers can be open to flexibility.
Common sense has to play a role. If you have an investment bank where everyone works long hours and you have International time zones to deal with – perhaps flexible working won’t be an option. Other organisations may have different people with different needs and may offer flexibility.
Do your research. Can you find out what the corporate culture is like? Do other people work flexibly? Have a look at the company’s website – often if flexibility is offered, it is mentioned as a perk.
Language and Positioning are Important
In the past, I’ve been as blatant as saying I want to work 4 days a week and I don’t think this has been a good approach. You need to re-assure the employer – this is who I am, this is what I can do, this is my experience and then start the conversation.
Discuss the hours, the role, the deliverables in the role, the culture within the company etc. Explain that it’s important to you that you have some flexibility and ask how can we make this work?
Explain that you have made it work in the past. When I was at Microsoft, I delivered x, y and z and worked compressed hours.
Be Open to Different Strategies
You might need to consider various strategies. Do you need to work full-time, prove yourself and then negotiate? If, like me, you want to work 4 days a week, would you be open to working 5 days but 1 at home? Would you be open to doing 5 days one week and then 4 the next?
Use Your Own Network
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
There’s a lot of truth in the above. Kate explained that there’s a hidden job market and that a lot of jobs and positions are filled directly through people networking. Kate also said, ‘you need to look after yourself as best as possible and you and your networks will always be more powerful than someone else’s.’
And that’s true. I know myself, that in the past I have made more progress in finding work through talking to friends, friends of friends, ex-colleagues.
So, the advice is to get networking.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
And once you’re in the door and have the flexibility that you need, remember to keep communicating.
I think there can often be a misplaced perception about people who work flexibly. From previous experience, people can often judge you as less invested in your work. Maybe people resent you slightly too. So, communicate with them. Tell them this is why I’m working this way, this is what I do, this is what I’m delivering, I’m at the end of the phone if you need me.
If you’re returning to work, we have lots of great advice on Woman Ready, to help you do this successfully.
We also recommend, She’s Back: Your Guide To Returning To Work, which is full of fabulous tips and practical advice on making your return to work easier for you.
