It’s no longer the case that women stay at home to focus on childcare while their husbands head off to work. Now, absolutely everyone can have their own career without having to compromise on whether or not to have children.
In fact, more and more women are choosing to have kids later in life in order to establish their careers first. Meanwhile, other mums look to pursue their dream role after the kids have started school – giving them a little more freedom in their daily schedules.
Whatever position you find yourself in, there are plenty of people in the same boat. If you’re looking for a second career or want to make sure you’re set for the future, here are the best family-friendly jobs you can pursue.
What to look for in a family-friendly job
A good family-friendly job will be with an employer that understands the difficulties families face. These companies offer support for parents, flexible scheduling, or even work perks like free childcare. Working remotely also tends to be quite family-friendly, as you can manage your workload around your children’s schedules.
Below are a variety of things to look for when applying for jobs to determine whether or not the job, and the company, is family-friendly.
Remote working
The coronavirus pandemic has provided most families with a steep learning curve, trying to manage homeschooling and their own work. However, now you’re over the hill, remote working is the perfect solution to the challenges of a working family. You won’t need to pay for childcare, can break off to pick the kids up from school, and manage that work-life balance a little bit better.
Working remotely also tends to be quite family-friendly, as you can manage your workload around your children’s schedules. Some families even start investing their extra money so they can simply live on the profit they receive. They buy BNB or Bitcoin as investing in cryptocurrency is the fastest way to get extra income.
Healthcare and dental perks
Most companies offer healthcare to their employees; however, this tends to be funded by a premium cost that comes out of your monthly salary. When applying for your dream role, make sure to completely understand the ins and outs of the perks you’re provided and how much this will impact your paycheck.
A lot of kids will potentially need braces or glasses, so looking out for how much these procedures may cost with the provided healthcare is certainly a good idea.
Paid time off (PTO) policies
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests the average number of PTO days an employee receives is 10. However, some businesses actually offer unlimited PTO, which massively helps families in times of emergency – like when the kids need to stay off sick or have a doctor’s appointment during the day.
Childcare perks
Some companies do offer work perks that take into consideration the rest of the family. For example, you may be given a childcare reimbursement or have access to onsite childcare.
The best family-friendly jobs
In no particular order, these are some of the best family-friendly jobs available. Some will require qualifications, while others are available to just about anyone.
Delivery driver
While it might not seem the most glamorous job, most delivery drivers have complete autonomy over their shift pattern. That means you could work in the evenings while your partner is at home with the kids or stay strictly to a shift pattern that fits in with the kids’ school hours.
The best way to prepare yourself for a job as a delivery driver is to brush up on your defensive driving skills with a course from the National Safety Council.
There’s often more money to be made when driving large vehicles rather than simply delivering parcels or takeouts in your current car. For example, driving large HGVs could earn you a pretty penny but may mean you’re out of the house more than you’d like to be.
Delivery drivers can earn anywhere between $16 and $35 an hour. Gas is usually reimbursed too.
Teacher
A step further than a teaching assistant (which is another family-friendly job), you could train to become a teacher – either for high school or elementary.
If you’re keen to inspire and teach future generations and make a real difference in children’s lives, teaching is an incredible way to do it.
It’s also a family-friendly job as you’ll basically be on the same schedule as your children – especially if you manage to land a role in their school. Plus, you’ll get the whole summer off! And while that’s good for childcare, it also sounds bliss for adults too!
Teaching can be a challenging role, however, but it is hugely rewarding.
The baby boomer generation is nearing retirement age, meaning there will quickly be a shortage of teachers. As such, the job is going to see steady growth and high demand for the years to come.
To be a teacher, you’ll first need a bachelor’s degree (although this doesn’t need to be specific to a subject you want to teach) and a teacher prep program. Then, you’ll need to pass a licensure exam. After that, you’re good to go!
Content writer
If you’re the creative type, there is a lot of money to be made as a content writer (or copywriter).
This role is typically a freelance position, meaning you’ll have complete control over how much you work and how much you earn. Freelancing makes it much easier to balance your working life with your family priorities, which is why this position is highly sought after.
Everyone loves the idea of working for themselves, and content writing is one way to do it. You’ll have a wide range of topics to write about, and the types of content you’ll write will vary from blog posts to social media captions and long copy.
The work is usually remote, even if you’re working within a writing agency, meaning you have the flexibility to work full-time or part-time.
This is a thriving career that can lead to lucrative industries such as marketing, finance, or even healthcare.
You don’t actually need any qualifications to get started with content writing, although taking a course in either marketing or communications will certainly help. Larger clients will be looking for those with the qualifications to back up their skills, meaning a bachelor’s degree could help you land higher-paying roles.
Graphic designer
Another job for creatives is a graphic designer. There are plenty of online courses available to teach yourself, and if you’re only looking for a freelancing wage, this could be plenty. However, for those looking to make some serious cash or to be employed within a large company, you might need a degree to get your foot in the door.
Graphic designers are involved in creating brand logos, animations, and any other marketing materials that might be needed. They can be self-employed or full-time within a company.
As the work tends to be based on your computer, you should have no issue negotiating remote working or a flexible working schedule.
Realtor
Realtors often work on a commission basis, meaning the more you work, the more money you can typically make. That said, organizing open houses or viewings can be done around key times in your children’s day so that you’re available for school pick-ups and bedtime.
Realtors also have the perk of seeing beautiful properties and helping people to find their dream homes.
The role can be pretty lucrative depending on the types of properties you end up selling. You can also work self-employed or work for an estate agent.
Nurse
Nursing is often seen as a family-friendly career and is perfect for parents that are natural caregivers.
You’ll learn a lot while being a parent, and these skills of patience, multitasking, and communication will definitely help in a career like nursing.
Nurses often work three days a week with longer shifts, meaning you’ll be able to balance your work around your partner and reduce the amount you have to spend on childcare throughout the week.
Shifts are also pretty flexible, and if you work with other parents, you could work out a rota that means you can share childcare while the other one works.
The job is always in high demand, so you’ll have no issue with finding work locally.
To start your nursing career, you’ll first need a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). This can be done straight out of school, or if you already have a degree, there’s the option to do a one-year accelerated course. From here, you can become a registered nurse and get licensed.
The progression options for nurses are endless. For example, a step up from nurses are nurse practitioners. These have a little more autonomy and responsibility than RNs, with some practitioners able to have their own clinics.
Hairstylist
Hairstyling is a great role for anyone who loves to boost other people’s confidence. Your work will make others feel a million bucks, so you’ll immediately feel more positive in this rewarding career.
The job is perfect for anyone with creative flair who loves to socialize. You’ll naturally make good connections with your customers, so every day will feel like a coffee morning with friends!
Hairstylists can choose their own schedules, wear what they like, and are never stuck behind a desk.
If you own your salon, you can rent out space to other hairstylists to make further income while you work the hours you can fit in.
So, with so many possibilities, which family-friendly job will you choose?