Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on FlexJobs.com.
Hybrid work is among the most common – and most desirable – applications. In fact, a recent FlexJobs survey revealed that the majority of employees want some form of remote work, with 37% reporting that hybrid jobs are their preferred arrangement.
Good news for job seekers: Hybrid jobs are growing in key areas. To help job seekers identify which career fields offer the most opportunities for remote hybrid jobs, FlexJobs compiles the top growing industries for hybrid jobs.
Hybrid work is defined as any professional-level role that combines in-person work and remote work, allowing employees to work from home part of the time.
Fastest Growing Industries for Integrated Services
Between March 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2024, FlexJobs analyzed its extensive job database to identify the most diverse job categories growing at 10% or more:
- Account Management
- Two languages
- HR & Recruiting
- Administration
- Bookkeeping
Among these five categories, account managers have seen the highest growth rate (62%) in hybrid job postings over the past six months. Bilingual fields followed, HR and recruitment, and administration, each category increasing to 30% of the total number of mixed jobs.
And while bookkeeping is the most balanced of the five categories, it has also seen significant gains (10%) in mixed work-from-home activities.
The fastest growing industries do not include job categories that tend to lead the mixed and flexible job market, such as computer & IT, accounting & finance, marketing, customer service, and project management.
“This growing field of hybrid jobs is a testament to companies and industries embracing flexible work styles for their teams,” said Toni Frana, Lead Careers Specialist at FlexJobs.
“As the job landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, the latest FlexJobs data suggests that even amid slower hiring patterns and a cooling labor market, a push for hybrid jobs and workplace flexibility is still needed.”
How to Test a Hybrid Job
As you search for a hybrid job, it’s important to remember that no two companies will approach a hybrid job the same way.
To help you better assess whether a hybrid position at a particular company is right for you, consider the following key questions job seekers should ask when pursuing a hybrid role, according to FlexJobs career experts.
1. Is there an official hybrid work policy?
Because hybrid work is new to many companies, integrated policies may still be a work in progress. To help you decide how far along the hybrid work policy is, make sure you know some of the following before you accept a position:
- How many days a week can you work from home?
- When you go into the office, do you have to stay all day?
- When you work from home, can you work flexibly, or do you have to be online and available during certain hours?
Having concrete answers to these types of questions can help you assess how well a company integrates hybrid work and help you avoid any disappointments due to miscommunication or, worse, a toxic hybrid workplace.
2. How does the company communicate?
One of the most important factors in remote work success is communication. From letting your boss know what you’ve accomplished to asking and answering your questions, the days you don’t work in the office are the days you’ll need to communicate more.
On the other hand, how a company communicates with its employees can tell you how much the company supports hybrid work. So, find out how the company communicates in general. Do you have to attend all staff meetings in person, or are teleconferences allowed? Are all books hard copies, or are all documents available online?
The “perfect” company in hybrid work will likely gravitate toward physical communication methods. A company that is less enthusiastic about hybrid work may insist that you come to the office for staff meetings or consultation sessions.
3. Who is walking?
Companies that embrace and support hybrid work allow and encourage everyone to work in a hybrid system. From the mail room to the office, find out who is working and who is not working in the mix.
If, for example, only early or mid-career employees work mixed schedules, it is possible that in order to increase the level of work in the company, you will have to be in the office more than you want. Likewise, a CEO who works on a mixed schedule is likely to support employees regardless of which schedule they work on.
4. What are the hours of operation?
One of the benefits of a full-time job is flexibility. Remote workers often have the ability to work the most productive hours or when it’s most convenient for them.
That said, not all remote positions have this flexibility (ie, customer support positions), and the same can happen for a hybrid position.
Just because the position is hybrid doesn’t mean it has flexible hours. Make sure you understand what is expected of you schedule-wise on the days you work outside the office.
Do you have to start and end your day at the same times as in the office, or can you start and finish earlier or later if you choose? Ask for and get specific information to help assess how well you’ll enjoy the role.
5. What does success look like?
Depending on how well the company has implemented hybrid work, your performance may be evaluated and treated differently than your 100% office colleagues.
However, it is also possible that despite good intentions, office workers receive more praise and advancement compared to mixed workers.
Find out how your performance will be measured and evaluated or how the company defines the success of the position. If a company claims to be a results-only workplace but can’t define what good, satisfactory, or superior results are for a position, you may not be happy in that mixed situation.
Common Questions About Combined Operations
In addition to asking critical questions of employers in your hybrid job search, you may have some questions about hybrid employment in general. The following questions are among the most frequently asked questions by job seekers looking for a hybrid career.
1. How hard is it to find a hybrid job?
Although the demand for mixed jobs is high, this type of work arrangement is growing. Over the past few years, many companies have adopted a hybrid model, which is ideal for professionals looking for a hybrid career.
If you are looking for a hybrid job, it is helpful to identify companies that offer this type of work program. From there, job seekers can create a list of companies they are interested in and begin researching what opportunities are available.
After identifying other options, working to put together a relevant resume and cover letter for each role will help ensure that you are the best candidate for the roles you are applying for.
Additionally, when applying for hybrid roles, keep in mind the top soft skills you can include on your resume. Skills such as leadership, critical thinking, and teamwork are key to working in a mixed team. Showing your potential employer your strengths in these areas shows that you have the skills necessary to be a successful hybrid employee.
2. What jobs are most likely to be remote hybrid jobs?
Hybrid jobs can be found in a wide range of sectors and industries, with a variety of companies hiring for hybrid roles. Jobs that are most likely to be hybrid work from home jobs are those that involve a lot of time at a computer but also require occasional human interaction or the use of special equipment.
For example, application developers can write code or test programs from anywhere but may need to come to the office to access special testing facilities. Marketing professionals can create content and manage campaigns from home but may benefit from in-person chat sessions or client meetings.
Experience levels for mixed-use jobs can vary greatly, from entry-level jobs to senior positions, making them more accessible to most professionals.
3. Where can you find hybrid jobs?
While the top job categories with hybrid roles provide an excellent place to launch your hybrid job hunt, they aren’t your only options.
For one, niche job boards for remote, hybrid, and other flexible applications are a great source of remote hybrid jobs. At FlexJobs, for example, we post new flexible jobs every day in over 50 job sectors, so there’s something for everyone.
If you’re looking for more options, check out FlexJobs’ annual list of the Top 100 Companies for Integrated Jobs.
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