Are you a mom who’s tired of trying to make traditional office working hours work for you? Do you still want to have a career and bring some extra cash home?
Flexible working jobs are the holy grail for working parents.
In theory every employee has the right to request flexible working hours. In reality many employers choose to stick to the traditional 9-5.
This is leaving many working parents feeling stressed out about juggling their job with the needs of their family.
For so many working parents the traditional office hours just don’t work. When we’re balancing kids and a busy workload, many of us need to be able to choose our working hours.
If you’re looking for flexible working jobs, here are 10 of the best and how to find them.
Virtual assistant
Virtual assistants provide administrative support to businesses. This can include secretarial work, diary management or marketing support.
Virtual assistants, as it says in the name, work remotely. As long as you have access to email, video conferencing and a good knowledge of various IT packages (or a willingness to get up to speed with them quickly) it can work for you.
How can I train to be a virtual assistant?
There are a large number of online training courses.
The Society of Virtual Assistants has put together a list of their approved VA assistant trainers. This is a good place to start to find the best course for you.
How can I find jobs as a virtual assistant?
Platforms like Virtalent puts virtual assistants in touch with clients and also provide support in your role.
You do need experience and a proven track record to be accepted but, once you’re listed, it’s a great way to find work.
How much can I earn as a virtual assistant?
The average hourly salary for virtual assistants is £11.35 per hour.
Dog walker or doggy day care
Dog walking might sound like a simple job. But a trusted and reliable dog walker is like gold dust to pooch loving owners.
It’s a job that you can easily fit in around family life. And it’s surprisingly lucrative too. Add in a doggy daycare and your earnings soon add up.
How do I become a dog walker?
Before you start you do have to love dogs and feel confident about handling them.
Completing a dog walking or pet sitting course can give both you and your clients confidence. You can one of these affordable courses here on Reed.co.uk.
How can I find clients as a dog walker?
Word of mouth will be a vital part of building up your business. Happy dog owners will recommend you to others and your business can grow organically.
Local advertising might reap rewards too.
Alternatively you can find those first clients on job boards, or websites like this one: Dog Walking Now.
How much can I earn as a dog walker?
Recent figures reveal that on average a dog walker earns £27, 200 per year.
Social media manager
You might be a whizz on social media and up to date with the current trends and practices that get the most engagement.
You might already have a blog (or vlog) or small business. Perhaps this gave you experience with engaging your audience via social media platforms.
This kind of knowledge is highly sought after by businesses. And you can turn it into a lucrative flexible job that fits round family commitments.
How do I train to be a social media manager?
Your previous experience might be enough to allow businesses to hire you.
There are also companies like Digital Mums who specialise in training up mums to manage social media accounts for businesses.
They also help you find your first work with a number of job opportunities.
How do I find work as a social media manager?
As well as looking on job websites there are a number of listings on Upwork, Freelancer and Guru.
How much can I earn as a social media manager?
The average salary for a social media manager is £25, 800.
Freelance Photographer
Are you a whizz behind the lens? Do your photos sing?
If so, your talent could be in high demand. You can set yourself up as a freelance photographer, working from home or renting a studio.
How can I train to be a photographer?
Sometimes your experience, your portfolio and your talent will speak for itself.
If you want to advance your skills and get a recognisable diploma to add to your CV there are a number of great online courses that can assist.
Here are two resources to start with:
The School of Photography
Institute of Photography
There are also professional photographers who share their photography expertise online for free.
One example is celebrity photographer Walid Azami. He has a paid course How To Photograph but he also provides a lot of free guides online as well.
How do I find jobs as a freelance photographer?
There are lots of remote freelance photography jobs on sites like Upwork, Freelancer and Guru.
How much can I earn as a freelance photographer?
The average hourly pay for freelance photographers is between £20 and £40 of $25.35 in the US.
Teaching assistant
Although this is not technically a flexible working job, the timetable does fit well around family commitments.
Your working day could start soon after school or nursery drop off and end in time to pick up your kids. Sometimes there is a small overlap, which may easily managed.
You only work in school term times which leaves you the holidays to be with the kids.
How do I train to become a teaching assistant?
You can become a teaching assistant without any specific training. Often the schools that employ you will arrange training ‘on the job’.
There are online courses that train you too. Such as these from the Online Learning College.
How can I find work as a teaching assistant?
Try the TES website as your first port of call. They have jobs, resources and an online community.
If you volunteer as a parent helper at your child’s school it can help you to become well known. You might be considered as a trusted person to fill any upcoming vacancies for teaching assistants.
How much can I earn as a teaching assistant?
The average salary for a teaching assistant is just over £13,000.
Accountant
Freelance accountants are always in demand. Once you are qualified and build up some experience you can earn a significant salary.
How do I train to be an accountant?
There are two main providers of accountancy courses in the UK:
- The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and
- The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
The courses are costly but the salary you would get as a qualified accountant could make it worthwhile.
How do I find work as a freelance accountant?
Creating a high quality website that details the services you offer is important. You can design your own website using sites like Wix.com that offer websites for free or very cheaply.
Listing in local business directories can be a good way to find your first clients.
Paro is a specialist website for virtual finance experts. It can match experienced freelance accountants to a wealth of roles.
You have to apply for membership but when accepted this can also be a valuable resource.
How much can I earn as a freelance accountant?
The average salary in the UK is just under £40,000. Experienced accountants can charge a lot more.
Transcriber
Transcribing words from audio recordings can be a lucrative and flexible working job.
This might mean listening to TV programmes and providing typed subtitles, writing up podcasts or video conferences.
How do I train to become a transcriber?
Having a degree in English can help. You can train through courses such as Canscribe or Udemy.
How do I find work as a transcriber?
Searching on job websites like Indeed might be your best bet to find transcribing jobs that you can fit in around your family commitments.
How much can I earn as a transcriber?
The average pay annual salary is just over £18,000 a year.
Mobile hairdresser
If you’re trained as a hairdresser then you can set yourself up as a freelancer.
Either work from home, travel to your clients’ homes or rent a chair in a salon. You can then choose to work the hours that suit you.
How do I train to be a mobile hairdresser?
Some salons offer training as part of an apprenticeship, which might be a first step towards becoming qualified and setting up on your own.
You could also take an NVQ or diploma in hairdressing through City and Guilds.
How do I find work as a mobile hairdresser?
Creating strong social media pages for your business can be a good way of attracting clients. You can also advertise locally.
Another good platform for professionals to list their services on is Bark.com.
How much can I earn as a mobile hairdresser?
On average hairdressers earn £7.87 per hour.
Private or online tutor
If you’re educated to a high level in a subject (such as having a degree) then tutoring can be a lucrative freelance job.
You can tutor face-to-face or online. Both allow a large degree of flexibility.
How do I train to be a tutor?
You can get a certificate in online tutoring through International House.
How do I find work as a tutor?
You can join sites such as TutorHunt and Tutorful to add your profile. You can also advertise locally.
How much can I earn as a tutor?
The average hourly wage for a tutor is about £17.
Copywriter
Are words your thing? Can you write articles that fit a brief and are optimised for search engines? If so, a career as a freelance copywriter might be right up your street.
How do I train to be a freelance copywriter?
You can take online courses to train as a copywriter. The Writer’s Bureau’s courses are popular and held in high regard.
You could also check out The Blackford Centre for Copywriting.
How do I find work as a freelance copywriter?
As well as looking on job websites, try Upwork, Freelancer and Guru.
How much can I earn as a copywriter?
Freelance copywriters can earn an average of £262 a day.
Websites that list remote and flexible working jobs
There are a number of websites that you can join to list your services or browse to seek jobs.
Here are some of the top sites to find freelance and flexible working jobs:
Finding flexible working jobs that fit more easily around family commitments can make a massive change to your well being.
Some jobs will require a bit of hard work up front from you, to complete your training and find a regular supply of clients.
Others can be started more easily or with skills you already have.
If you persevere you can find a career that works around family time and not only makes you but your children and family happier.
