Are there any good jobs out there where you can show up, do your work, and then just leave when it's done?
The arbitrary 8.5-9 hour workday drives me nuts, because a lot of the time, I really only have 3 or 4 hours worth of work to do. I generally work quickly and I value my time. Can I make a decent living doing something that gives me this kind of flexibility?
As someone in the field. I assure you, you do not work just a few hours and then go home. Software development take infinite time and any well run shop will definitely notice if you work a half day by your output vs others. IT is even worse since problems are basically constant.
I guess you can work at badly run shops, but enjoy being laid off and then failing to get a job eventually from having a stale resume.
failing to get a job eventually from having a stale resume.
People have been saying this but I have yet to encounter such issues as a network engineer or sysadmin. I'm going to dodge this recruiting hell others are willing to go through until the day I die. More than 2 rounds of interviews are just HR buffoonery. Expecting expertise in every single branch of a field is nonsense and only accomplishes that applicants lie on their resumes.
There are days when everything is running smoothly and all I have to do is sent 3 emails out of home office and there's nothing wrong with that.
You'd be surprised how many jobs just requires you to sit in a chair all day looking busy.
I do my dayjob, in an office with the screen not visible to anyone else, and when there is no work to do I go ahead and do some of my independent work. I look busy as heck all 8 workhours. I get no extra reqests to "help out", or last minute critical whatever.
I make 2.5-3x my job salary.
Was a window washer for years. If you work for yourself the pay can be good... really good, like 6 figures part time good.
If you get routine work from local businesses you can just show up when it's convenient, do your thing, get paid, and decide if you want to hit another one of your jobs or call it for the day.
@GizmoLion The swishy smooth lines you guys make with the squeegee on the giant plate glass windows were my one of my favorite parts of the day when I worked at gas stations.
Get into a trade, and start your own business maybe? Like carpentry etc. You gotta learn and it's a life long process since every job is different, but I've gained some much needed autonomy this way. The job is done when you are done, and that's when you get paid.
It's not for everyone, and takes some capitol and experience so that's a fairly large barrier to do this, but after 16 years I've finally gotten some much needed freedom.
Nursing offers a different kind of flexibility. Obviously there's no option to "get the work done" and leave a particular shift early, but full time is only 3 days a week for me. We do self-scheduling, so I can manipulate my schedule to be able to do what I want. And I'm working the entire time I'm on the clock, as opposed to sitting in a office staring at a wall doing nothing.
There are also so many options for different working environments, per diem jobs where you can work whenever you want as much as you want, lots of bonus pay.
I have a two year degree and carry the same license as four year degree Registered Nurses (United States).
I'mma be real, I don't see how nursing is in any way an answer to this question. This person is trying to escape their 9-5 grind, do you really think they're interested in going to school for the next 4 years? I wouldn't call the schedule of an RN "flexible" either.
That's why I mentioned I have a two year degree with a full RN license. It's a very viable career switch option. I got my license at age 40, after a couple decades slogging in office management jobs.
And flexibility of schedule is one of the top cited benefits that nurses mention they love about their jobs. I'm surprised more people aren't aware of that