Top 3 Lessons about Part-Time Work in Tech in 2022

✨ This is the last edition of Part-Time Tech for 2022. Happy holidays and New Year! ✨

TL;DR: 

• My mission to grow the part-time economy and become the expert in all things part-time in the tech industry.

• Submit your talent profile if you want to be matched to part-time jobs.

• We’re starting up a new version of our job board. Find jobs, post jobs for free. The first job post is live - an hourly data scientist position paying ~$100/hr.

• We have a growing list of Part-Time Tech Job Resources.

• I’m available for free part-time work related consulting for job seekers and employers through Volley or email.

I started Part-Time Tech with just a single post: The future of work isn’t just remote, it’s part-time. I wanted to share my experiences working part-time and make some bold predictions about the future.

4 months, 19 posts, 4 podcasts, 100k+ views, and nearly 100 conversations later, I’ve learned a ton about the space and a more concrete vision has solidified:

I think the best way to achieve this mission is to be genuinely helpful to job seekers and employers alike.

To that end, here are three big lessons from the past four months, and how I’m going to act on those lessons.

1/ There is a huge market of part-time and flexible jobs out there, but it’s more hidden than the full-time market.

Getting a full-time job may not be easy, but it’s straightforward. Look at job boards, go to company websites, get a referral, apply, interview.

Part-time roles rarely present themselves like this. Why? For one, most part-time roles today are found through networking or word-of-mouth referrals. They’re not even listed.

So why not build a job board for part-time? I experimented with this early on, and while I think there’s still room for a traditional job board, I think part-time requires a different approach for a few reasons:

• Part-time is a big umbrella with lots of different working arrangements (30 hours/week != 4 day week != independent consulting != working through an agency) and they’re not all conducive to job boards

• Part-time roles are often extremely time sensitive, and require some level of credibility, warm intro, or placement to circumvent a long search and interview process

• Part-time roles are often opportunistic and used for the right person rather than for a general opening.

The very nature of part-time jobs is different than full-time so their discovery will be as well.

🤝 What I’m doing to help un-hide the part-time market

• I’ve relaunched the Part-Time Tech Job Board, but this time it’s more tightly curated. It will only be sourced with timely positions through direct connections I’ve made. Part-time roles typically require more of a warm introduction. If you subscribe, the job postings will be sent at the top of future newsletters.

• I’m connecting job seekers to part-timejobs. Submit your talent profile to be matched with companies looking to hire part-time. Even if you’re not seeking now, you can keep your options open if the perfect role comes along.

• I’m compiling Part-Time Tech Job Resources to help guide you through the nuances and diversity of choices in working part-time.

• I wrote How to work Part-Time as a Software Engineer.

2/ Many talented individuals want to go part-time, but are too scared to make the jump.

It’s scary to go off-script and do something that seems unconventional. There is a false sense of security of a full-time job (see: every layoff in 2022), lack of awareness of part-time options, and of course, compensation concerns.

The reality is there’s a lot of ways to go part-time that don’t involve dropping half your hours and salary overnight. Maybe it’s building a small side consultancy that can grow into something bigger. Or making a three year career plan to gradually ramp down.

🐇What I’m doing to help people make the jump

• In the spirit of doing things that don’t scale, I’m offering free career consulting through Volley, a cool async video chat service. Hit me up and I’m happy to help share what I’ve learned and help you navigate the part-time market. I’ll use each of these calls as market research to create better content and services for this audience.

• I’m publishing Part-Time Profiles in Tech every Tuesday to share real stories of people who went part-time. Use them as inspiration!

3/ Companies are slow to come around to the new reality of a post-COVID, recessionary world

Status quo is hard to buck. Tech companies have gotten used to hiring full-time for everything and haven’t built up the skills or culture that support part-time work. There’s a general lack of awareness that part-time and flexible work arrangements are a secret hiring weapon.

However, when presented with the arguments for hiring part-time, most companies I’ve talked to are very excited about the idea.

With deflated valuations, an inflated economy, and tightening budgets, companies will have to adjust their approach to hiring.

🏢 How I’m helping companies adjust to a different market in 2023

• Job listings and placement - all free for now

• I wrote Why you should hire part-time roles

• Free company consulting on the Volley app. I’ve worked and hired part-time and can offer advice on how to hire and approach a different way of working.

Why are you reading this?

If you’ve gotten this far, something about part-time resonated with you. Maybe it’s the desire to find better balance in your life because you’re a new parent. Or maybe you’re trying to hire and struggling to find top talent that won’t kill your runway.

Whatever your motivation, the best time to start acting on those interests is now. My only regret with going part-time and starting more entrepreneurial pursuits is not starting earlier.

Help me, help you. Think of me as your personal concierge in this journey. Subscribers can always reply directly to this email.

Happy New Year!

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