Are you, not a morning person? Does the thought of going to work before 10 a.m. — or noon — make you cranky? Are you such a night owl that you’re not even ready for the day until the sun goes down?
Guess what: That’s not a problem when it comes to finding a new job. There are plenty of opportunities for people who aren’t up with the early birds, jobs that pay well and can help you add to your resume while picking up skills, all without having to wake up earlier than you’d like. Here are options to consider if the 9-5 is not for you:
Flextime:
Some companies will allow workers the option to work when it’s best for them, while requiring their presence for certain hours. For example, let’s say you work for a company with business hours of 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., with all employees required to be on hand from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. Some people might work 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.; others might clock in at noon and work until 9 p.m. So long as you’re working during those mandatory hours, the rest of your schedule is up to you! It might even change from day to day, but that’s fine as long as you’re available in the required window.
Compressed workweek:
Do you find yourself feeling much better after a three-day weekend? What if you could do that all the time? Some companies are offering the option of a four-day work week, in which people work four 10-hour days, giving them an extra day to their weekend every week.
Compressed workday:
This is a similar concept to the compressed workweek but it’s a five-days-per-week job. Instead of working eight hours, you’d work six hours each day, for full-time pay and benefits, and you’d have more time in your off hours to take care of non-work responsibilities. This is a great option for more work-life balance during the week.
Shift work:
Everyone knows the standard day shift, generally starting at 7 a.m. or so for blue-collar jobs and a little later, 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., for more office-type positions. In companies that have longer days, like manufacturing and warehouse jobs, there might be other shifts available, including the afternoon/second shift, which begins in the afternoon and runs later into the evening, and some might offer overnight shifts, starting around 11 p.m. and ending at 7 a.m. or so, as the sun comes up and others are getting ready to start their day.
Split shift:
It sounds so lovely to hear about Spain and their national practice of taking a nap in the middle of the hot summer afternoons. That life can be yours if you work a split shift! This is where you work for a few hours earlier in the day and a few hours later in the day, with a break in the middle. This is basically what rideshare and food delivery drivers can do: Maybe they want to work early in the morning, say 6 a.m. until 10 a.m., then take some time to run their own errands before starting back up at 3 p.m. or later.