The Importance of Job Flexibility
With the unemployment rate in the United States quickly approaching 10%, now seems as good a time as any to start a discussion on what are the most important factors to consider when on the job search. Not that now is the time to be picky (the supply of people is clearly outweighing the demand for their services), but it is important for those who haven’t had to go on the job hunt since their senior year of college, to re-evaluate their priorities when debating between new employers.
The most common used metric to compare jobs is of course salary. And for good reason, the more money you make, the more “stuff” you can buy. And the more “stuff” you have, the happier you will be. Or at least that is how it is supposed to go. We live in a society where people envy others who have more. But why? Is the person who drives a better car happier? Do I live a better life because I can afford to buy a bottle and a table at the bar? Does eating my morning bowl of cereal on granite counter-tops vs. laminate counter-tops improve my day?
When looking for a job people often overlook one of the most important criteria - Job Flexibility. Flexibility can come in a variety of flavors but one thing is certain: more is always better. A few examples of job flexibility are; How many vacation days do you have per year? Are you able to come in late or leave early some days? Is working remote ever an option? Is there an option for extended unpaid vacations?
Outside of vacation days, I’d venture to say that very few flexibility questions are asked throughout the interview/application process. And for good reason - asking about job flexibility can make you come off as someone who just doesn’t want to work. However, there are still ways to investigate how flexible your prospective employer is. I’d recommend speaking to others who work or have previously worked at the same firm or exploring forums on the internet such as vault.com to learn more.
I fully understand the importance of getting paid, but I think people all too commonly overlook that increased flexibility at work will surely weigh more on their overall hapiness than a few thousand dollars will. What are your thoughts on this? What unique flexibility does your work offer you?
I definitely agree that flexibility is “underweighed” in a job search by a good percentage of the job-seeking public. Once you start working, you realize how important that flexibility is. If you have a boss that chews your ear off for coming in at 9:01, you’ll quickly realize this.
Personally, I feel like the flexibility that I get with my current company (Capital One) is excellent. Highlights:
Vacation - 3 weeks your first full year, goes up to 4 weeks after 5 years. Option to buy another week of vacation. Nobody is keeping track of the vacation time, either. Just don’t abuse it.
Non-vacation time off - Standard holidays off, plus 2 floating holidays that work like vacation days.
Sick time - No set budget. Just don’t abuse it.
Workdays - “Officially” 9-5, but you can move it around without any sort of an issue. Need to leave early to pick your kids up from school / catch March Madness / go to the dentist / hit up the happy hour? No problem. Want to take a long lunch, or work out in the middle of the day? Go ahead.
Working remotely - Almost encouraged. You have a laptop and VPN. If you want to work from a coffee shop (or while laying in bed), go for it.
In general, the rule here seems to be “Get your work done and don’t slack off, but work when and how you want.”
Another thing to consider, especially as a twenty-something, is work location. You are less likely to have roots in your community, so consider expanding your job search to places outside of your current city. For instance, the cost of living around Columbus or Richmond is a lot lower than New York or DC. Yes, the pay won’t be quite as good, but it’ll stretch further.