Working from home has long been the dream for many parents. It’s a dream that Covid 19 accelerated into messy and unplanned reality in many cases. But now that we are settling in for the long haul and more of us are looking ahead to having to find new jobs, careers and ways of working, it may be a good time to revisit the dream in a more organised way.
When you are a parent, working outside of the home can give you a positive break and welcome change of scene, but there are also potentially some down sides. Firstly, there is the separation anxiety you and your child may feel, or the concern that you are constantly dependent on childcare in order to be out of the house working. Childcare can be very expensive, it is not always easy to find and does not provide you with great levels of flexibility. For these reasons, working from home is often a good choice for busy parents. In this article, we will discuss eight great jobs that you can do, flexibly, from home.
Blogger
If you have something to say and like to write, then sharing your ideas and tips could be the basis for a career as a blogger. You will need to have a niche focus, like specific types and approaches to food, parenting, travel, fashion and so on. You’ll also need an interesting take and to publish regular updates on your blog and associated social media platforms. The more individuals read and subscribe to you, the more money you will start to make. However, this will not happen overnight and it will indeed require some work from you.
A blog is essentially a website with articles. You make money either through adverts, affiliate programs or associated product sales. The blog part of the site is key to attracting traffic. It’s not enough just to write with flair. You also need to understand Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and how to write in a manner that gives the right signals to search engines. You can follow a simple SEO Checklist to improve the targeting of your blog posts and subsequent ranking success.
Freelance Writer
Alternatively, you could focus those writing skills on writing for others. That way all you need to do is write and leave the technical side to someone else. You can find writing gigs on freelancer platforms like upwork and peopleperhour. If you have specialist knowledge or experience you can generally command better rates and secure better quality contracts.
Some companies will tell you exactly what needs to be written and you simply have to do some research to write your stories. Whereas other employers will allow your creativity to flow as you are required to come up with your own content. If you love writing, becoming a freelance writer is a great way to get a jump start on your writing career as you improve your skills. You can then develop into a ghost-writer or possibly even give you the confidence to write your own book.
Tutor
If you enjoy helping others to learn and you have a degree or higher education qualification, then tutoring may be for you. There is good demand for private tutors at all levels, especially in the foundation subjects: science, English and maths. You can market your services on marketplaces like Gumtree, specialist tutoring sites and agencies and via word of mouth.
There is also massive demand for tutors to teach English to foreign language students online. The burgeoning market of English language tutoring to Chinese students generally require that you sign up to tutor for at least 10 hours per week.
Online trading
The internet has democratised share and currency trading. Now, anyone can become a trader from the comfort of their own home. For those who take the time to learn and prepare, a good living can be made. You can trade shares, foreign exchange and even bitcoin via a platform such as bitcoineranew.com/tr But be aware that your funds are not protected and you can lose as well as earn, so be prepared and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Childminder
If you love children and being around children, becoming a childminder is a great way to ensure that you are able to stay home with your children and still make money by looking after other people’s little ones. Becoming a childminder requires quite a bit of paperwork and regulatory approval, which is no bad thing as no one would want to entrust their children with anyone who hadn’t met strict standards. You will require a DBS check as well as OFSTED approval in order to ensure that you are qualified and have a safe space for the children. Additionally, you will have to promote yourself on appropriate websites or by simply spreading the word to other parents about your new business.
Ebay store
If you have products to sell – whether that is clearing out the attic, making jewellery or selling a job lot of goods you’ve brought back from your travels – setting up and selling on the Ebay platform is one of the easiest ways to start. The platform takes care of payment procedures and marketing. You just need to make sure that your goods are posted and packaged nicely and that you respond promptly to customer service enquiries.
Hosting foreign students
If you have a spare room and live in a city then there is generally lots of scope to turn that room into a job for yourself. You could take in a lodger or a revolving door of guests via Airbnb. However if you have children in the house, hosting a foreign student can feel more stable and also serve as a way of introducing your children to other cultures and traditions. Contact your local English language school to register your interest. They will expect you to provide an evening meal and often a packed lunch as well.
Virtual assistant
If you have good admin skills and are well organised, perhaps you could offer these skills to others as a Virtual Assistant (VA)? Small and growing businesses often look for this type of assistance, particularly in the early days. If you have experience in a particular industry then that’s a good place to start. Send out some introductory messages via Linkedin or by direct emails. You can also find VA opportunities on the freelancer platforms and there are a number of VA agencies you can contact.
Being a parent is always a balancing act and never more so than when it comes to work that fits around childcare. Working from home can be the perfect fix and there are so many options for getting it right. This article has outlined just a few to get you started.