Most jobs leaves moms with little or no energy or time for their family. As such having a flexible and manageable job that allows you to progress in your career as well as have enough time for your kids is hard to find.
Some careers and job types that are more accommodating for working moms than others. A mom-friendly career allows you to work and yet still feel and be involved in your child’s life.
The top most appropriate and convenient job types to a working mom include private consulting, field jobs, certification jobs, and part time jobs among others.
Top Careers/Job Types for Working Moms
1. Private Consulting
Consulting jobs are jobs you are hired as a consultant for your services on a job basis. As a consultant in your field, you can work for one or different clients under your employer or your own company.
Private consulting ranks high as as one of the best most family-friendly jobs for allowing moms a great flexibility for work-life balance. You work on your schedule, letting you decide the time you want to have for your family.
You simply set appointments with your clients depending on your availability. It is easy to cancel these appointments and reschedule as well when you have family emergencies. Further private consulting is very accommodating of remote work and therefore you can work from home or anywhere else
Any skill that you have is a resource that you can offer to others as a consultant. You can consult in IT, legal matters, physician, accounting, tutoring, marketing, content creation, designing, human resource, and therapists among many others.
2. Field Jobs
While key support office staff are required to work from the office, the arrangement is more flexible when you work from the field. Mostly field works such as sales and marketing, content creation, servicing clients, media and other related jobs will take you out of the office, giving you a time advantage.
You may not be required to report physically in the morning or in the evening. You hence mostly work under your schedule, giving you some allowance to carry out some routines like drop off your kids in the morning,or pick them up. Cumulatively you get to spend more time with your kids than you would if it was a typical office job.
What is mainly required of you is office collaboration and submitting reports on your activities. Nonetheless, you may be required to report to the office physically once in a while which will not greatly affect your routine. As a result you will have adequate time for your family.
3. Certification Jobs
Certification jobs such as teaching, nursing, and accounting among others are great mom-friendly careers. These jobs are friendlier to leave for a few years, re-certify and come back.
As a working mom, a career that gives you the option of taking some time off and re entering work later sounds great. This is critical in cases where your parenting needs such as sick child forces you to take some time from work. Also with these jobs, it is easier to work part-time which allows even more time flexibility.
Another advantage of this job types for working moms is that they have a set schedule/shift. For instance, many teachers have reported that teaching allows them a good work/life balance. There are no odd working hours and no need for child care arrangements as you are working for the hours that the kids are in school (unless they are toddlers). Also with teaching, moms enjoy time offered by the major school holidays in addition to other national holidays.
Nursing is also one of the topmost family-friendly jobs. It has set shifts and you are not required to work on a day-to-day basis. In some cases, a nurse can change shifts, or pick more if desired and the set routine allows you to create and stick to your family and parenting routine. Knowing which day and what time you are not working makes it easier to plan.
Read: How to Transition to Working from a Career Break
4. Part-Time Jobs
If you are unable to undertake a full-time job because of family needs, there are many companies offering part-time jobs in various capacities. This includes sales, accounting, IT, catering, and media, among others where working moms are able to have a balance.
Other jobs suitable for part-time work include software and website development, and content creation (blogging and vlogging), among others. Just like private consulting you will be getting more time to devote to your family and the employees are happiest.
Also, you can opt to have your business that you run on a part-time basis. You can have a catering company that serves clients during the weekends and holidays. You can run your human resource agency part-time serving clients on a demand basis. As an artist, you can create content part-time. You can even run a daycare from specified hours for other moms.
All these jobs are very appealing to working moms. While the pay is way less than a full time you get the flexibility you need as you get half the day to yourself. You can use this time to spend with your kids or your partner as you wish.
Read: What you need to Know about Running your Own Business
Tips to Find a Mom Friendly Job
1. Research on your Ideal Family Oriented Company
Don’t shy from asking and researching about a prospective company that aligns with your needs in relation to family. While the company policies may state otherwise, the real day-to-day experience of the employees is more accurate in painting a picture of what kind of a company it is.
Good places to start are employees working there or those who have worked there before. They are the best portrayal of the company organization’s culture. Create a list of potential companies you would like to work for.
2. Target a Specific Mom Friendly Company
A mom-friendly career has more to do with the company more than the job type itself. The best way for someone to get a suitable career for a working mom is finding the right company in addition to finding the right job . Some companies are more welcoming and accommodating for working moms than others.
From your list, pick a specific company or two that you have decided to work for them. The match will allow you to meet both your career and parenting goals as the working environment offers you the right support and resources to excel in your work and also have time with your family.
3. Discuss your Workplace Concerns with Employer
It is best to find out and discuss company policies or cultures upfront that you think may become an issue later in your work. Ensure that you let your concerns be known to your employer during your first engagement.
All this will help in making the right judgment about the job expectations and the company’s role in supporting your goals. By doing so you may realize that your workplace becomes more family friendly than before.
4. Be Guided by Passion
Your working experience will impact both your personal and family life. As such making the right decision on the career and the company is important. The goal is to work in a job that you love and enjoy as it will easily allow you to find the right balance.
If you lack passion for it, it is easy to hate what you are doing. This will ensure that your job will support and complement your family positively. By thriving in your job you will thrive in parenting and marriage.
5. Focus on High Paying Jobs too
Don’t shy away from high-paying jobs on the myth that they are more demanding. Don’t be afraid to aim high and get a high-paying job if you have the qualifications. The fact is they are more flexible than what people think as you are more irreplaceable than entry and mid-level jobs.
6. Consider your Individual Needs
Some careers will be more suitable for individuals than others. In addition to other personal factors, your choices of career will rely on your educational background, experience, or passion.
If you are leaning towards a career that is skill intensive then you will need to get adequate training. For instance, if you are looking to make a career transition it is hard to get into law if you don’t have the training background for it.
7. Have a Long Term Goal
If you are re-entering the workforce, think long-term. Emphasize your education, and find a support system. This way you will be able to avoid turbulence and instabilities in your life related to your job that may affect your parenting and family life.
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