Been thinking about a career change since Junior came along? You’re not alone. I hear moms all the time talking about switching jobs to get more flexibility, so I decided to take a crack at figuring out the top careers for mothers.
Nancy Collamer, career coach and founder of jobsandmoms.com, helped me compile this list. Generally speaking, mothers are looking for work hours they can control, she says. They are also looking for work that is rewarding, both emotionally and financially
So, without further ado, here are our top picks:
1) Writing jobs.
Collamer didn’t have to tell me this. I am lucky enough to work from home. I complete my duties as DivineCaroline Career & Money editor during a flexible workweek. As a former newspaper reporter, I know lots of writers, including many moms, who now make their living as freelancers. They write everything from press releases to speeches to magazine features.
Meet young-adult fiction writer Elizabeth Lenhard.
2) Teaching.
This is another one I know personally. My mother was a teacher and kept the same hours that my brother and I did. Collamer says the schedule is just one of several positives. Teachers—from college professors to middle-school teachers at private schools—can often get meaningful financial breaks on their children’s tuition.
Meet middle school teacher Carolyn Tacey.
3) By appointment jobs.
This is the term Collamer has for jobs, like her own, that are made up of appointments that the mom can set to her liking. Collamer had no career-coaching appointments after 4 p.m. the day I talked to her because she was having out-of-town company. “I schedule my day,” she says. Professions in this category include nutritionist, financial planner, photographer, hair stylist, and personal trainer.
Meet life coach Deborah Bailey.
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