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That is the question I most often get from people when I tell them about our company, Flexperience. Sure, it’s pretty much a slam dunk that many that people would love to have more flexible or contract jobs. The question of supply is never asked, it’s always about demand from employers.
When asked this question I respond with one of my own: “What hiring manager have you spoken to who says ‘we have all the talented people we need — we can’t take any more A-players in our company’?” All companies, including some leading employee-friendly companies such as Genentech and Levi’s want a flow of talented contract people for their special projects, maternity backfills, open requisitions that have been open f-a-r too long. When they hear about Flexperience and the great talent pool that we have to offer them, it’s all of a few seconds before they get it. The conversation then turns to them telling me what a great idea this is, how many smart people they know who would love to work in a more flexible way outside of the rigid 9-6 schedule, and how many projects they would like to have completed by people like that.
Recently, a global high-tech company called us about a position they had open for over a year (I hope they were exaggerating). After talking with us about some potential candidates they said it made them think about how they could re-structure the position. They modified the job description to only be 3 days a week and focused it on just the “interesting strategy work”, moving some of the routine, dull work to an outside vendor. They wanted to create a flexible position that would appeal to talented and experienced working mothers. Wow. I didn’t even have to pitch that.
So do companies “get it”? Well, the smart ones do. And their reward? A-players on demand.
Sally Thornton is the Co-Founder & President of Flexperience, LLC, a boutique firm that connects experienced marketing, human resources, and finance professionals with opportunities for part-time, flex-time, or project-based work with our clients. To learn more, please go to www.flexperiencestaffing.com.
