How to Have a High-Flying Career While Only Working Part-Time

How to Have a High-Flying Career While Only Working Part-Time Current notionsof what it takes to reach the top in the business world are still firmly basedin visions of long days full of hard, punishing work. Americans are terrified to take vacation timefor fear of falling behind in their careers.One study foundthat just 25 percent of workers are currently using all of their paid time off days. As if that werentbadeanstalt enough, 61 percent of respondents also admitted to working while on holiday. All of this is happening against a workplace backdropin whichhigh-flying Americans are averaging 50-60 hours in the office per week just to get ahead.The evidence suggests that manyworkers are not putting in long hours because they love their jobs or are passionate about working. In fact, it seems that most workers arecompelled to work so much simply because they believenot doing so will adversely affec t theircareers.But, is it necessary to grind ourselves into the floor with back-breaking 60 hour weeks to be super successful? Maybe not. Maybe theres another way.Take a look atTimewises 2014 Power Part Time List,which is composed of high-ranking, supremely successful professionalswho only work between 3 and 4.5 days a week.An individual of real note is Nicola Mendelsohn,who is Facebooks most senior executive outside of the U.S. and she only works four days a week Surely, she cant be the only one who canreach the upper echelons of the corporate world while only working part-time.These successfulpart-time leaders are, hopefully, paving the way, showing the world that it is possible to have a a greatcareer without spending all day, every day in the office. Part-time work, it turns out, doesnt have to just be a second job. Rather, it can be a valid route to long-term career success.How Can You Build a Successful CareerWhile WorkingPart-Time?I suggest that you start by target employers thatoffer reducedworkingschedules. There are plenty of these part-time friendly companies out thereresearch from SHRMshows that part-time, reduced-hours schedules are offered at 43-51 percent of companies.KPMG, a major U.S. employer,is among those offering compressed workweek options.Deloitte is now offering more flexiblecareerlattices, rather thanladders, making the companyanother likely option for those who want to succeed in part-time careers.Most of the companies mentioned on theTimewise list linked to above are alsolikely to offer high-level career progression for part-timers. Therefore, it may be good to focus your career on these kind of employers if you are looking to be a part-time high-flier.There are even companiesthatexclusively work four-day weeks, such as Basecamp and Reusser Design, but these are few and far between.The good news is that there is also a growing demand for part-time senior executives, or fractional executives, as they have been called. The move towards contingent work has affectthe higher ranks of businesses, creating lots of opportunities for part-time senior roles.The move toward contingent working means a whole new part-time, high-flying career pathway is opening up. You no longer have to commit to a long-term, 60-hour grind to build agreatcareer. Simplysearch forpart-time exec jobson Google, and youll have a list of powerful, part-time career opportunities and at your fingertips.