Applying to full-time remote work positions when I 'only' work 30 hours a week. How to explain?
I'm a professional engineer who specialises in a very specific niche industry. I freelance remotely overseas because my field hardly exists locally. My clients are mostly based in California, USA. I usually work for one client at a time. I apply for full-time remote jobs, but rarely bill more than 30 hours a week. When discussing my working hours at the negotiation stage of the contract, I always have difficulty explaining my reasons for working 30 hours a week. I subconsciously am concerned that I'm wasting the client's time because I'm not available 40 hours a week feeling defensive about 'only' working 30 hours a week (don't want to be considered lazy) feel the need to assure the clients concerns that I will be producing full-time work product. As a result, I get quite nervous and over-explain my reasoning. I struggle to find the balance between over and under explaining. I usually explain the following: I only bill for time that I'm 100% focused at my desk That I find that hours > 30 are rarely productive, and I don't feel comfortable billing them to my client. (I really don't want to burn out. Have been there) I don't bill lunch/bathroom/tea breaks that normal employees would take. What I would like to say, but don't: All my previous clients have been extremely happy with my work product and some have said that I work the equivalent of full time, even though I only bill 3/4 time. One even encouraged me to apply for full-time jobs, which I previously didn't do. I don't say this because I'm worried it will come across as arrogant. I don't know if I can claim that I'm this efficient. It seems arrogant to say "my 30 hours is an average employees' 40 hours". Which may or may not be true. My question: Is it necessary to explain about my work efficiency? How do I explain the above without coming across as defensive or arrogant? I'm a woman in my late 30s, 16 years of experience. I did look over the existing questions, including this one Applying to Full-Time Positions But Wanting 30 Hours/Week? but it spoke more about working 30h a week as a salaried employee.
I'm a professional engineer who specialises in a very specific niche industry. I freelance remotely overseas because my field hardly exists locally. My clients are mostly based in California, USA. I usually work for one client at a time.
I apply for full-time remote jobs, but rarely bill more than 30 hours a week. When discussing my working hours at the negotiation stage of the contract, I always have difficulty explaining my reasons for working 30 hours a week.
I subconsciously am concerned that I'm
- wasting the client's time because I'm not available 40 hours a week
- feeling defensive about 'only' working 30 hours a week (don't want to be considered lazy)
- feel the need to assure the clients concerns that I will be producing full-time work product.
As a result, I get quite nervous and over-explain my reasoning. I struggle to find the balance between over and under explaining.
I usually explain the following:
- I only bill for time that I'm 100% focused at my desk
- That I find that hours > 30 are rarely productive, and I don't feel comfortable billing them to my client. (I really don't want to burn out. Have been there)
- I don't bill lunch/bathroom/tea breaks that normal employees would take.
What I would like to say, but don't: All my previous clients have been extremely happy with my work product and some have said that I work the equivalent of full time, even though I only bill 3/4 time. One even encouraged me to apply for full-time jobs, which I previously didn't do. I don't say this because I'm worried it will come across as arrogant. I don't know if I can claim that I'm this efficient. It seems arrogant to say "my 30 hours is an average employees' 40 hours". Which may or may not be true.
My question: Is it necessary to explain about my work efficiency? How do I explain the above without coming across as defensive or arrogant?
I'm a woman in my late 30s, 16 years of experience.
I did look over the existing questions, including this one Applying to Full-Time Positions But Wanting 30 Hours/Week? but it spoke more about working 30h a week as a salaried employee.
