Being a single parent isn’t easy. In fact, it’s hard work. You have to deal with the emotional, mental, and physical struggles of doing a two-person “job” all on your own. But it’s like the world is testing your capabilities because on top of all this, you have to provide for your family’s needs… financially.
So how does a single parent balance taking care of the kids, cleaning up the house, and putting food on the table? The answer comes in the form of flexible jobs.
What are Flexible Jobs and How Do They Benefit Single Parents?
Like the name suggests, flexible jobs are jobs with easy-to-adjust schedules that make work-life balance possible. The pay you get from these professions are also good enough to feed your child/children and send them to school. Some of its benefits are:
• Happier and more valued time with the kids.
• Working from home is far less expensive than commuting to and from an office.
• Less time wasted and more time used for more important things—say, your kids.
• Contentment from knowing you basically have control of your time.
What are the Jobs Single Parents can Consider Pursuing?
Freelance
This covers a lot of different tasks. Depending on your skills and passion, you can choose to be a…
• Copywriter
• Proofreader
• Web Designer/Developer
• Graphic Artist
• Transcriptionist
• Virtual Assistant
• Social Media Manager
These are jobs you can practically do anywhere with a power outlet and stable internet connection. You may have to invest in a few tools that will help you with time monitoring and production recording, but it will all be worth it. A freelancer, depending on what he/she specializes in, can charge from $15 to $170/hr.
Education
Teachers, especially those teaching in kindergarten and elementary school, have good working schedules as they are practically in sync with the schedule of their child’s/children’s. You go to and from work at the same time, and you both have the same holidays off and vacation time.
According to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), as of May 2012, the median annual salary of kindergarten and elementary school teachers is $53,090.
Sales
Whether you’re selling your own product or someone else’s, you can still be in control of your own time. As long as you have your phone and laptop near you, you can communicate with prospective clients anytime and anywhere. Traveling is a downside for this job though, but it’s not always an important part of this career.
A salesperson’s earnings depend on how good he/she is at doing his/her job. Most sales jobs are commissioned based (on top of the base salary) so monthly income can change from time-to-time.
As a parent, you want to give your child or children anything and everything they need and want, from material things to valuable bonding time. Switching to a flexible job can guarantee all this and much more. What are you waiting for? Read our professional resume writing services reviews to help you choose the career development pros that will aid you in making this major change a smooth one.
Sources: Forbes|BLS|
Photo courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
