Jobs that are not 9-5

[Anonymous]

I’m a 911 call taker/Police Dispatcher. I work 12s, I just worked this weekend but next week I only work 12 hours Weds and 8 on Thurs. that’s it. 3 day weekend every other weekend. Any time I work OT or a holiday I bank hours instead of pay. This allows for extra time off in addition to what is accrued.

[Anonymous]

Working for yourself. Writer. Professor. Consultant. You may need to work some hours between 9-5 but you have a lot of flexibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Working for yourself. Writer. Professor. Consultant. You may need to work some hours between 9-5 but you have a lot of flexibility.

I was going to say: academia.

Some adjacent roles (like not admin but scientific staff at a university) are flexible too.

But academic job market is pretty grim..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Working for yourself. Writer. Professor. Consultant. You may need to work some hours between 9-5 but you have a lot of flexibility.

I'd argue that a consultant isn't all that flexible. You're beholden to the whims of your clients, including being available when they expect you to be - in person or otherwise. Plus, junior consultants don't get to chart their own course and need to earn their stripes through lots of hours usually spent colocated with either the client or colleagues.


OP is asking the wrong question. It should probably read "My son is okay working hard, but he wants to do it on his own schedule. What kind of jobs don't require set schedules?"

The answer to which totally depends on his level of experience and skill set. But in general, not many and vanishingly few for junior folks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a 911 call taker/Police Dispatcher. I work 12s, I just worked this weekend but next week I only work 12 hours Weds and 8 on Thurs. that’s it. 3 day weekend every other weekend. Any time I work OT or a holiday I bank hours instead of pay. This allows for extra time off in addition to what is accrued.

Do you get benefits? Can I ask about pay? It must be very stressful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for yourself. Writer. Professor. Consultant. You may need to work some hours between 9-5 but you have a lot of flexibility.

I'd argue that a consultant isn't all that flexible. You're beholden to the whims of your clients, including being available when they expect you to be - in person or otherwise. Plus, junior consultants don't get to chart their own course and need to earn their stripes through lots of hours usually spent colocated with either the client or colleagues.


OP is asking the wrong question. It should probably read "My son is okay working hard, but he wants to do it on his own schedule. What kind of jobs don't require set schedules?"

The answer to which totally depends on his level of experience and skill set. But in general, not many and vanishingly few for junior folks.

Not necessarily on his own schedule, just not a full 9-5 every single day of the week.

[Anonymous]

Is it that he doesn’t want a desk job, or he wants to be free and unencumbered to work whenever it is he feels like?

In the first case lots of jobs aren’t office jobs. The second is a unicorn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for yourself. Writer. Professor. Consultant. You may need to work some hours between 9-5 but you have a lot of flexibility.

I'd argue that a consultant isn't all that flexible. You're beholden to the whims of your clients, including being available when they expect you to be - in person or otherwise. Plus, junior consultants don't get to chart their own course and need to earn their stripes through lots of hours usually spent colocated with either the client or colleagues.


OP is asking the wrong question. It should probably read "My son is okay working hard, but he wants to do it on his own schedule. What kind of jobs don't require set schedules?"

The answer to which totally depends on his level of experience and skill set. But in general, not many and vanishingly few for junior folks.

Not necessarily on his own schedule, just not a full 9-5 every single day of the week.

Well he will get Sat and Sunday off.

Teachers work 9-330pm, maybe he can be a gym teacher who phones it in?

He basically wants a part time career with benefits? Don’t we all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for yourself. Writer. Professor. Consultant. You may need to work some hours between 9-5 but you have a lot of flexibility.

I'd argue that a consultant isn't all that flexible. You're beholden to the whims of your clients, including being available when they expect you to be - in person or otherwise. Plus, junior consultants don't get to chart their own course and need to earn their stripes through lots of hours usually spent colocated with either the client or colleagues.


OP is asking the wrong question. It should probably read "My son is okay working hard, but he wants to do it on his own schedule. What kind of jobs don't require set schedules?"

The answer to which totally depends on his level of experience and skill set. But in general, not many and vanishingly few for junior folks.

Not necessarily on his own schedule, just not a full 9-5 every single day of the week.

Well he will get Sat and Sunday off.

Teachers work 9-330pm, maybe he can be a gym teacher who phones it in?

He basically wants a part time career with benefits? Don’t we all?

No, he would be fine with a nursing type schedule, so on, then off, or working "all the time" but with flexibility. Just not a desk job that you do all week every week.

[Anonymous]

What sort of things does he like? I have several friends who own non white collar businesses (PT, seamstress, gym) and their schedules tend to be irregular but the stress is high and hours are long. They all seen really happy with their decisions though; it works well for their skillset, interests, and the way their brains work. I also have a few friends who are ministers which is very irregular work but you’re constantly on call and your busiest times are Sundays and holidays. I feel like there are many “not sitting at a desk all day” jobs but whether they’re less generic than white collar jobs so one really has to know about the person to make suggestions. Does he like art? Sports? Volunteering? Animals? Math? Carpentry?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for yourself. Writer. Professor. Consultant. You may need to work some hours between 9-5 but you have a lot of flexibility.

I was going to say: academia.

Some adjacent roles (like not admin but scientific staff at a university) are flexible too.

But academic job market is pretty grim..

Academia is flexible in a technical sense, but there is immense pressure to be working all the time. BTDT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a 911 call taker/Police Dispatcher. I work 12s, I just worked this weekend but next week I only work 12 hours Weds and 8 on Thurs. that’s it. 3 day weekend every other weekend. Any time I work OT or a holiday I bank hours instead of pay. This allows for extra time off in addition to what is accrued.

Do you get benefits? Can I ask about pay? It must be very stressful.

Last year I made 67k. I do not have a degree. It can be stressful but I enjoy the work and the schedule. Yes I get full benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Recruiting

Recruiting is more like 8 AM-8 PM hours if you are any good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working for yourself. Writer. Professor. Consultant. You may need to work some hours between 9-5 but you have a lot of flexibility.

I'd argue that a consultant isn't all that flexible. You're beholden to the whims of your clients, including being available when they expect you to be - in person or otherwise. Plus, junior consultants don't get to chart their own course and need to earn their stripes through lots of hours usually spent colocated with either the client or colleagues.


OP is asking the wrong question. It should probably read "My son is okay working hard, but he wants to do it on his own schedule. What kind of jobs don't require set schedules?"

The answer to which totally depends on his level of experience and skill set. But in general, not many and vanishingly few for junior folks.

Not necessarily on his own schedule, just not a full 9-5 every single day of the week.

Well he will get Sat and Sunday off.

Teachers work 9-330pm, maybe he can be a gym teacher who phones it in?

He basically wants a part time career with benefits? Don’t we all?

No, he would be fine with a nursing type schedule, so on, then off, or working "all the time" but with flexibility. Just not a desk job that you do all week every week.

My sister is a PRN pharmacist. She works when she wants to subject to the availability of hours. In the past she has worked 7 on 7 off.

[Anonymous]

Fisherman
Landscaper/Gardener/Lawn service person