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The Free Spirit: Top 3 Jobs with Flexible Hours

By Clare Kaufman
Learning & Life Columnist
January 12, 2007

This year, resolve to toss the time card and put in hours for a job you love. If you can't handle the rat race and rush hour, here are some careers with flexible or non-traditional schedules.

Entrepreneur. You're your own boss, and that means you get to make your own hours. Of course there's a lot to establishing a successful business, and many entrepreneurs find themselves putting in marathon hours, especially at the outset. The appeal, however, is that your efforts directly affect your prospects for success. Besides investment capital and luck, successful entrepreneurs have business sense. An MBA is a starting point for many. The degree program will not only cultivate your understanding of finance and how to run a business, but also allow you to make valuable contacts.

Restaurant Manager. Restaurant managers enjoy some of the same autonomy as entrepreneurs, without the high stakes. Prime time is typically in the evening, during dinner hours, when the restaurant manager plays host. Getting out on the floor and socializing with patrons is the most rewarding part of the job for many restaurant managers. If you're a night owl or a social butterfly, this job is for you.

Culinary schools and some universities offer degrees in hospitality and restaurant management. Two- and four-year programs provide a course curriculum ranging from nutrition to accounting.

Police Officer. If freedom from the daily grind means getting out in the community, you may find your calling as a police officer. Police officers are the "first line of defense" between criminals and civilians, and as such must be on hand anywhere, at any hour.

Each shift brings a new adventure; as one police officer observes, "you're called upon to do everything. You need to be a social worker, a psychologist, an officer of the peace, and a soldier." Educational requirements may include some university coursework or training at a police academy.

The world doesn't stop turning at 5 p.m. From self-employment to the service sector and beyond, you'll find plenty of careers that feature non-traditional hours and flexible schedules.

Sources

• The Princeton Review, "Career Profile: Entrepreneur"
• The Princeton Review, "Career Profile: Police Officer/Manager"
• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
• WorldWideLearn.com, "Restaurant Management"

About the Author
Clare Kaufman is a freelance writer who covers education and career-related topics. She has a graduate degree in English.

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