Job searching when you have school-aged children can open up another world of possibilities. But how do you know which remote jobs are best for parents of school-aged children, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic? How can you expect a role to impact your work-life balance? Read on to learn the details of nine remote jobs for parents.
Before exploring the various remote jobs available for parents of school-aged children, you need to determine what type of job you want. As a result, you won’t spend precious time applying to positions that aren’t the best fit for you and your family’s needs.
Searching for a new job always comes with a laundry list of criteria. You probably have a good idea of the industry and type of position you’re looking for. In addition, you might even have preferences on the types and sizes of companies. But there are additional job details you might want to consider as a parent of school-aged looking for a remote position. COVID-19 has further complicated this idea, specifically because many children are taking 100% virtual classes. Nevertheless, here are some specifics:
Personal Considerations for Parents Seeking Remote Jobs
Income Requirements
What level of income are you currently looking for? Are you looking for something to supplement your family’s income—money that you can put toward discretionary spending? Are you looking for a full-time, professional-level salary?
Work Hours
Are there certain hours you will be required to work in the job you are interested in applying for? Even if it’s a remote position, there could be standard business hours required that may or may not suit your family’s schedule. Before you apply, make sure you understand what the requirements are and how they’ll fit your schedule and any changes you may have to make as a result of COVID-19.
Scheduling Flexibility
How much flexibility will you need in your new position? As a parent of school-aged children, you may want to work around school hours, regardless of whether your kids will take in-person or online classes. You’ll also want to find out if that will be a possibility with this role. Will you have the flexibility to set your schedule as needed each day, depending on the needs of your family?
On-site Requirements
Sometimes employers have onsite requirements, even if the majority of a job can be done at home. Make sure you have a solid understanding of whether or not any time is expected of you in the office—even if it’s just for training purposes. In addition, some positions might require a few weeks of training on-site before you can begin telecommuting. While that might not be a deal-breaker for you, you may need assistance from family during the training period, particularly if your kids are home due to COVID-19.
Travel Requirements
Usually, the employer knows the travel requirements a certain position can expect. Likewise, most jobseekers know how much—if any—travel they are up for. But even though travel sounds like a perk for some people, traveling for work might have an impact on your home life. Logistics may get tricky, so decide beforehand whether you want to travel.
Once you’ve had time to put serious thought into the details of the new position want, take a look at the different types of remote work opportunities available based on your preferred work schedule.
Full-Time Remote Jobs for Parents of School-Aged Children
Whether you’re jumping back into the workforce, changing careers, taking advantage of the migration to working at home, or just want more work-life balance, opportunities to work remotely on a full-time basis are everywhere—even in high-demand industries.
1. Information Technology
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IT field should grow by 12% over the next 10 years. Therefore, technical skills will continue to be in high demand, even more so than now. Remote IT jobs cover a wide range of positions, from tech support to engineers and developers.
Some full-time remote IT jobs available include:
- Telecommute Senior Full Stack Software Developer
- Remote Senior Software Engineer
- Telecommute Software Architect
View all available full-time IT telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database.
2. Nursing/Healthcare
As the baby-boom generation ages, nursing and healthcare jobs will become a high-growth industry. From case managers to licensed registered nurses, organizations are looking for remote workers to provide healthcare services.
Some full-time remote healthcare and nursing jobs available include:
- Remote Clinical Review Nurse
- Remote Medical Field Case Manager
- Telecommute Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
View all available full-time nursing/healthcare telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database.
3. Sales
Sales roles are some of the most diverse telecommuting positions available. At almost every level of business, companies require salespeople to push their products. Regardless of your expertise, available sales positions focus on a wide variety of industries.
Some full-time remote sales jobs available include:
- Telecommute Artificial Intelligence Account Management Director
- Remote Federal Software Sales Account Manager
- Remote Enterprise Sales Development Representative
- Telecommute Sales Representative
View all available full-time sales telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database.
Part-Time Remote Jobs for Parents of School-Aged Children
If you’re looking for a position with fewer hours to support a better work-life balance, you aren’t alone. But working part-time doesn’t have to mean your career is taking a back seat to your family. In fact, any experience makes you more attractive to employers in the future. Here are some examples of career-focused positions offering part-time schedules.
4. Marketing
Available marketing positions vary as widely as sales since every industry is in need of marketing services in one form or another. For example, brand ambassadors, social media coordinators, marketing assistants, and email marketing specialists are just a few of the roles available.
Some part-time remote marketing jobs available include:
- Remote Digital Marketing Coordinator
- Telecommute Brand Ambassador
- Telecommute Social Media and SEO Content Specialist
View all available part-time marketing telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database.
5. Finance
Financial roles also hire on a remote, part-time basis. Many small businesses look for part-time bookkeepers to manage their accounting. Accounting services also hire part-time and seasonal contractors ahead of April’s tax filing deadline.
Recent part-time remote financial jobs available include:
- Remote Bookkeeper
- Remote Accountant
- Telecommute Billing Analyst
View all available part-time financial telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database.
6. Education
Much like the healthcare industry, education positions are becoming more widely available on a remote, part-time basis. Universities are looking for online adjunct faculty members and teaching assistants. In addition, online schools are looking for language instructors, industry experts, and academic coaches.
Recent part-time remote education jobs available include:
- Remote Environmental Literacy Coach
- Telecommute Science Teaching Assistant
- Telecommute Cyber Security Adjunct Faculty Member
View all available part-time education telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database.
Freelance/Contract Remote Jobs for Parents of School-Aged Children
If being in charge of your own schedule is important to you, you might want to consider contract or freelance work. Freelancing provides several remote jobs for parents with the freedom and flexibility you need. Plus, you can choose your hours and who you work with.
7. Writing
Freelance writers and content creators are often used in business, marketing, and advertising. Whether your specialty is immigration law, sports, journalism, or copywriting, there is a writing niche to be filled, one in which you can be your own boss as a freelancer.
Recent freelance/contract remote writing jobs available include:
- Telecommuting Marketing Copywriter
- Remote Immigration Law Writer
- Remote Technical Writer and Editor
View all available freelance/contract writing telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database.
8. Recruiting
Contract recruiters are needed in a variety of settings. They help businesses and staffing agencies attract and hire top talent in their industry. For instance, some of these freelance recruiting roles consist of screening resumes or headhunting. Other recruiters work as technical or school recruiters, while others handle the entire recruiting process from beginning to end.
Recent freelance/contract remote recruiting jobs available include:
- Remote Talent Acquisition Sourcer
- Remote Business and Technical Recruiter
- Telecommute Candidate Reviewer
View available freelance/contract recruiting telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database
9. Customer Service
Customer service was one of the first industries to widely accept independent contractors for their positions. As long as they have reliable business equipment and a quiet place to work, customer service positions are ideal for freelance work. In addition, many different businesses have call centers that manage their customer service efforts. Additionally, some companies employ their own customer service representatives internally.
Recent freelance/contract remote customer service jobs available include:
- Remote Senior Living Customer Care Representative
- Telecommute Call Center Specialist
- Telecommute Customer Happiness Specialist
View all available freelance/contract customer/service telecommute jobs in the Virtual Vocations Database.
Final Thoughts on Remote Jobs for Parents of School-Aged Children
No matter what kind of work you’re looking for now that you have school-aged children, you’re sure to encounter a wide range of remote jobs for parents available. Not only are more and more remote jobs coming due to COVID-19 concerns, but they are also available in a work schedule that fits best with you and your family, whether it’s full-time, part-time, or freelance.
When beginning your search, remember to take into consideration what is important to you as far as salary, flexibility, and work schedule go. But by knowing your priorities, you can narrow down the next step(s) in your career and what will truly fit in with the needs of your family.
Do you have school-aged children, but you’re searching for a remote job? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to share your story. We’d love to hear from you!
iStock Image: VioletaStoimenova, Morsa Images, martinedoucet
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