A successful job sharing arrangement starts with finding and choosing a compatible work partner. I recommend you complete this step before you actually develop and present the proposal to share your existing position.

With that person identified, you can present a realistic, workable job sharing proposal filled with the details which the two of you have discussed. Referencing the person's experience and skills within the proposal, and attaching her resume, are also part of the 'sell' to your manager.

Ways to Find a Job Sharing Partner

Who's looking for a better work-life fit? Employees from the Gen X and Y are practically demanding flexible work, especially as they become new parents. Among older workers, there are baby boomers who want to stay on the job, but on a scaled-back schedule. They're out there.

Here are five avenues to finding your work partner.

1. Your Current Workplace: A compatible coworker or temporary worker who replaced you or a coworker during a leave are both possibilities. A pairing of two currently valued employees whom your employer would rather not lose could be your most favorable approach.

2. Professional and Personal Networks: Start putting the word out about your job partner search to contacts in your professional association, your LinkedIn or other social media networks, colleagues from previous jobs, people in your exercise class, etc., all of whom can be a direct or indirect source of referral.

3. Employment Agencies, Offline and Online: If there are nearby agencies that specialize in your field, you may want to let them know about your potential opening. Emphasizing the reduced hours involved in the job sharing arrangement will probably be a draw for many job candidates.

In some areas of the country, there are flexible staffing agencies which might be able to link you up with a suitable partner. Flexible Resources is the most well-established.

Online, you'll find several flexible staffing and job board sites such as Job Share Connection and FlexWork Connection.

4. Placement Offices: Those of nearby colleges and universities might be a good source for identifying leads as many students are past traditional college age, with families.

5. Advertisements: Classified ads, either online (e.g., on Craigslist) or offline (e.g., your regional business newspaper) may yield last-resort results if other avenues aren't fruitful.

Time and persistence in pursuing these pathways should result in finding several prospective job-share partners. From among them, choose a compatible, cooperative co-worker who is a good communicator and who has similar or complementary job skills.