Employment for single parents can be a prickly concern. Not to suggest interest in a good job with a good wage isn’t a universal concern, but single people without children don’t have to worry about the time constraints that accompany looking after kids, nor do they have to monetarily support those kids. Couples with children, meanwhile, have twice the resources (obviously) of single parents- twice the childcare time, twice the income, or, usually, some combination of the two. As such, single parents need to find a career that both furnishes a decent wage and offers hours flexible enough to accommodate kids. What sort of careers are those? Well, read on.
Education
Despite the cliché about teachers being paid poorly, the average wage for educators is actually, generally pretty decent. It’s also one of those professions that will always be in demand, making it a fairly stable career. That’s particularly true of higher education where the prospect of tenure offers an additional layer of job security- something that’s often true employment options at schools beyond educator too- administration, library work, etc.
A decent wage and relatively stable career are obviously a bonus, but for single parents, one of the chief’s draws of work at an educational institution is the schedule. It’s full-time, which is great for the bottom line, but the schedule conveniently generally corresponds to kids’ school schedule, obviously- off in the morning and afternoon, during the summer, etc.
Any single parent who feels as though they’re not qualified for a teaching position should look to the vast amount of online schools before making any final decisions on the matter. American University’s online programs allow students to attain a teaching degree at their own pace. With 24/7 access to coursework, you can study exactly how you want to, which is perfect for single parents who commonly experience changes in their schedules. Combine this with the fact that students save thousands of dollars on traveling as well as room and board, and you’re left with few reasons not to give online education a try.
Virtual Assistants
The virtual assistant (VA) is great for single parents with a skill for the organization. The VA is fundamentally no different from the traditional variety. They are hired by an executive to schedule appointments, make calls, organize a schedule, book travel arrangements, and so on. Only the VA telecommutes and does all of this from the comfort of their home office. Any legitimate work that can be done from home, for a single parent, is good. VAs make, on average, around $40,000 a year.
Sales and Reselling
Of course, to a great degree, all of these careers hinge on the personality and temperament of the single parent applying. For the studious and personable, being a teacher would probably be a very satisfying career; for the relentlessly organized, the path of the virtual assistant will likely be a fit; and for those with the gift of gab, a talent for convincing discourse, and/or a keen business sense- check out sales.
Sales can often be done from home and depending on the pay structure, the salesperson can often work as much or little as they need or want to. Work in sales relies quite a bit on the company one works for. The payment structure differs, the requirement for travel varies, obviously the product being sold changes the requirements for sales, etc. So the first big step for someone interested in sales (and this is easier said than done), is finding a product and company that works well for you.
If working from home is a priority and the parent in question values freedom in their employment situation, consider reselling. Reselling takes two chief forms- the more freeform class involves buying or making items and selling them for a profit on a dedicated site or a resale site like eBay or Etsy. There is also “drop shipping”, where an individual buys a product or products in bulk from a supplier and resells them for a profit.
Graphic Design and Desktop Publication/Editing
Graphic design and desktop publishing/writing/editing represent another excellent work-at-home opportunity for those with talent. For those with a penchant and skill for design, painting, drawing, or art in general, freelance graphic design (or as a telecommuting member of a firm) can prove a lucrative outlet for that artistic impulse. If someone’s talents incline more toward the literary, channeling that skill for editing, writing, publishing, providing articles for a blog or several blogs, etc. The best thing about those possible career paths- they require only a laptop and a little free time.
Additional Suggestions
Some of these are common sense, but regardless of someone’s profession, appropriate money management is always going to be an extremely important facet of their financial life. A budget should be established by studying one’s finances month to month, plotted out according to average expenditures, and then followed closely. As important to that financial security is planning for leaner times. Save up an emergency fund. Some experts will assert that six months of emergency savings are sufficient, others insist eight months of an emergency fund is a better idea.
Furthermore, in a shaky economy like this one, the threat of being laid off is a perennial threat for a great percentage of the workforce. Particularly if a layoff seems likely or possible- as the old saying goes, the best time to search for a job is when you have one. At the same time, become familiar with the process for filing unemployment benefits and consider a backup like supplemental insurance to complement unemployment benefits (yup, that is a thing). Basically, with some research, originality, elbow grease, and preparation, there’s a great job and a great financial life waiting out there for anyone.
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