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You’ve gotta frame it as a win for them. When I wanted a 4-day week, I waited until the offer stage, then said, ‘I’m super excited about this role and know I can deliver great results. I’ve found I’m most productive with a condensed schedule—would you be open to a 4-day workweek?’ It shows confidence and focuses on output, not just your needs. If they push back, ask about a trial period. That worked for me, and now I’m at 32 hours with no pay cut!
Negotiating flexibility requires tact and timing. I advise raising the topic after receiving a verbal offer, as this demonstrates commitment to the role. Articulate your request clearly, emphasizing mutual benefit—for instance, ‘A schedule with no meetings before noon allows me to optimize my focus on high-priority tasks.’ Be prepared to compromise or propose a pilot period to assuage concerns. This approach has proven effective in securing favorable terms while maintaining a professional demeanor.
i brought up no meetings before noon in my last job interview, and it was less scary than i thought. i waited till they asked about my work style, then said something like, ‘i do my best deep work in the mornings, so i prefer keeping that time meeting-free if possible.’ they liked that i knew my productivity patterns. just don’t make it sound like a demand—phrase it as a preference and see what they say. worst case, they say no, and you decide if it’s a dealbreaker
Don’t just blurt out your demands, that’s a rookie move. I always ask about their remote work policies upfront, get a feel for how chill they are. Then, when you’re talking terms, ease into it. Like, ‘I’ve found I’m super efficient with a 4-day week, any chance we could explore that?’ If they hesitate, throw in a ‘I’m flexible, just tossing ideas around.’ Keeps it low-pressure. Got my no-meetings-till-11 deal that way, no sweat
ugh, it’s tricky. i wanted a late start time cause mornings are chaos with my kids. in the interview, i asked about their flexibility policies first, like ‘how do you handle scheduling for remote folks?’ then i slipped in my ask: ‘would it be cool to start my day around 10 or 11?’ they said they’d think about it, and i got it in writing later. my tip: don’t apologize for asking, but be ready to explain why it helps you do better work 😄
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