Finding a job is tough enough, but to find one that is part-time, freelance or lets you telecommute is almost next to impossible – until FlexJobs.

This is a job and resource portal that matches employers and job seekers who want flexibility in their working arrangement. Unlike some of the other job portal services, they have honed a niche market.

The good news is there is incentive for employers to use the service – they can post jobs for free if the job has flexible options. Where can you find over 4,000 jobs from 1,000+ companies who want flexibility?

Time – it is valuable. You can waste a lot of time trying to find these kinds of jobs and qualifying the employer.

Take a look at the survey results of: How many hours a month do you spend searching for a work at home job (when you’re actively looking)?

Do employers really mean it when they offer flexibility or conversely, are employers willing to consider a flexible work arrangement?

Sarah Sutton Fell, CEO, gives some great tips in her article Freelance Jobs: Is Telecommuting Always an Option? She recommends pushing the envelope with companies – sometimes they may be willing to convert a location specific job to a telecommuting position.

Other Benefits

  • Let someone else verify the job is “for real”. FlexJobs has a trained staff of researchers who sniff out scams or fishing expeditions and find the legitimate jobs.
  • Set up your account to send job alerts.
  • Search jobs by over 55 categories or by location. Screen the jobs you want to see by selecting a combination of part-time, telecommuting or freelance criteria.
  • Narrow down results and conduct a flexible job search using your own key words.
  • Open your employment network and consider companies worldwide.
  • Put your best resume forward and qualify yourself for positions through skills testing.
  • Save time by tapping into the research done by FlexJobs on the companies you are interested in applying to.
  • Utilize the tips, articles and resources to help you land the job quicker! There are lots of links to: Telecommuting Resources, The Green Room, Work at Home Parents, Tech Tips, Work-Life Balance and miscellaneous Links FlexJobs Loves.

Now we get down to the question everyone asks – what’s the catch. Who pays for this? To use this service, the job seeker pays a fee. It is not exorbitant – you can opt to pay $14.95 a month or secure the yearly fee of $49.95.

Even though the pricing is fair (IMHO), I wrote Sara and asked if I might offer a discount to my readers and she came through!

FlexJobs is offering a 30% discount off any subscription. That’s right – try it for one month and pay $9.95 or sign up for the year service for $34.95. Just remember to use this coupon code: SAVE30 at checkout.

If you land one job, you have more than paid for the cost a yearly service plan. Even if you do not land a job, you have saved hours of time you would have spent looking for opportunities and now you can allocate the time to other profitable initiatives.

Sometimes it makes good sense to let the experts do some of the legwork for you. Good luck!