More than 90% of art directors and CEOs work at their own pace—these are other top jobs for a self-paced workstyle
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More than 90% of art directors and CEOs work at their own pace—these are other top jobs for a self-paced workstyle
CEO leading corporate team in boardroom.
It’s the most desirable thing a job can offer workers today—the ability to perform work anywhere and at any time.
Numerous surveys of workers taken since the pandemic forced employers to lean into remote working practices bear this out. In one performed by Citrix as part of its plan to assess what the future of work will look like in 2035 for so-called knowledge workers, 88% of employees said they were seeking complete flexibility.
Using 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics data, ClickUp ranked the 15 best jobs for working at your own pace. Occupations are ranked by the share of workers who say their workload is self-paced, and are the top jobs out of more than 150 occupations with available data.
Only about 17% of civilian workers nationwide said they control the pace of their workload, BLS data shows. BLS data also highlights that workers in management roles report the most flexibility.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, chief executive officers rank high on the job positions that report having the most self-paced jobs. When you call the shots from atop an organization, your workday is likely not audited by someone looking over your shoulder.
What may be more intriguing to rank-and-file knowledge workers is that a decent portion of public relations managers and those working in emergency management report similar levels of control over their schedules—despite working in jobs that often respond to crises.
Read on to see if your own role is reflected in those that report the most flexibility in their work.
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#15. Marketing managers
A marketing manager at work.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 76.2%
– Total nationwide employment: 278,690 (1.98 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $135,030 ($64.92 per hour)
A marketing manager oversees teams who plan and distribute marketing campaigns that convince people to buy their company’s products or services. The advent of digital marketing and automation has made it possible for the industry to work odd hours and set up campaigns ahead of time.
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#14. Compensation and benefits managers
Two people review documents in front of a laptop.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 77.6%
– Total nationwide employment: 15,330 (0.11 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $127,530 ($61.31 per hour)
Pay and benefits managers are human resources professionals who partner with health plans and outside vendors to get employees paid on time and provide them with attractive benefits. Entire software suites that automate aspects of this job, like Workday, Gusto, and Paycom, have successfully saturated the U.S. employer market.
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#13. Computer and information systems managers
Two technicians examine a server.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 78.1%
– Total nationwide employment: 485,190 (3.44 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $159,010 ($76.45 per hour)
Computer and information systems managers work as translators between the technical-minded computer engineers inside an organization and the less technical business leaders. They explore options for investment decisions in new technologies and help various company stakeholders communicate successfully about complex problems.
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#12. Archivists
Two hands sort through files in a filing cabinet.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 78.4%
– Total nationwide employment: 6,120 (0.04 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $60,050 ($28.87 per hour)
Archivists work in both private and public sector organizations collecting and documenting valuable information before storing it efficiently for future use. These are not managerial positions and pay less than other roles where workers reported the ability to work at their own pace.
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#11. Training and development managers
A woman in front of a whiteboard addresses a small group.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 78.7%
– Total nationwide employment: 35,830 (0.25 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $120,130 ($57.76 per hour)
Training and development managers help colleagues learn new skills and hone old ones. These are critical positions in modern companies, which have done immense hiring in recent years as workers shuffle around jobs looking to build new skills and better themselves.
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#10. Political science teachers, postsecondary
A man addresses a group of students.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 79.1%
– Total nationwide employment: 14,060 (0.10 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $81,980 (Hourly rate not available)
A few teaching roles, including college and university political science teachers, report high levels of self-paced work. They are among the lower-paid jobs in this self-paced work cohort. Political science teacher roles are also more scarce than positions as a computer and information systems management professional or marketing manager.
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#9. Curators
Two women shake hands in front of an oil painting.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 79.4%
– Total nationwide employment: 11,030 (0.08 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $60,110 ($28.90 per hour)
Curators work to obtain and present art pieces and other important belongings for organizations. They might work in an art or history museum and are not managers.
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#8. Natural sciences managers
A person gathers a water sample from a pond.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 80.6%
– Total nationwide employment: 74,760 (0.53 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $137,900 ($66.30 per hour)
Natural science managers are the supervisors who oversee the work of scientists. They help workers navigate research and testing of theories.
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#7. Emergency management directors
An emergency technician speaks into a walkie talkie.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 80.9%
– Total nationwide employment: 10,320 (0.07 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $76,730 ($36.89 per hour)
Emergency management directors have played a critical role in society in recent years, as no part of the U.S. was unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They plan and supervise the rollout of aid services and disaster mitigation efforts after storms, accidents, shootings, and other disasters.
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#6. Public relations managers
A woman takes notes while speaking on a phone.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 81.7%
– Total nationwide employment: 59,850 (0.43 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $125,780 ($60.47 per hour)
Public relations managers are the crisis response arm of most private and public organizations. These professionals also work to craft a message for the public that helps the company sell more goods and services.
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#5. Economics teachers, postsecondary
A hand writing out numbers on a whiteboard.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 82.3%
– Total nationwide employment: 11,790 (0.08 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $104,940 (Hourly rate not available)
Like political science teachers, there are fewer college economics teachers than in other self-paced jobs that make this ranking. These workers also have higher annual median earnings.
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#4. Urban and regional planners
A man stands on the balcony of an office building reviewing plans.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 83.5%
– Total nationwide employment: 38,940 (0.28 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $78,500 ($37.74 per hour)
Urban and regional planners often work to bridge the public and private sectors, communicating with private developers about land use and building projects.
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#3. Software quality assurance analysts and testers
A woman reviews coding on a laptop and monitor.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 86.7%
– Total nationwide employment: 190,120 (1.35 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $98,220 ($47.22 per hour)
Software and quality assurance analysts and testers stress test the software people use at work and home and the video games people rely on for entertainment. These workers seek out defects in code and fix them so programs run smoothly.
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#2. Chief executives
A woman looks out the window of an office building.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 90.2%
– Total nationwide employment: 200,480 (1.42 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $179,520 ($86.31 per hour)
Surprise, surprise—your CEO is likely setting their own work hours. They may be long hours, but chief executives report the second-most flexibility in their schedules and location of work.
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#1. Art directors
A woman looks at a computer screen on the set of a photo shoot.
– Percent who say their work is self-paced: 91%
– Total nationwide employment: 42,080 (0.30 per 1,000 jobs)
– Median annual pay: $100,890 ($48.51 per hour)
Art directors report the utmost freedom in working conditions. These professionals hold coveted positions atop entertainment, marketing, advertising, and other creative firms.
This story originally appeared on ClickUp and was produced and
distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
