Which jobs are best for mums with young children?
Your children are finally at school and you've got a little more time on your hands to dip your toe back into the workforce waters. Or maybe you have one child in school, and another still at home, and feel ready to take on some work again, even though you're not ready for full time hours.
The question is, are there jobs that actually exist for mums who want to return to work, but still need to pick up the kids at the end of each school day? And where you can attend the occasional sports carnival or Presentation Day without any guilt?
The short answer is yes, there are jobs out there. The long answer is a little more complex.
Here are a few work options to consider if you are actively seeking employment during school hours.
Occasional care centre staff
Sports or music teacher for pre-school children
Stenographer / transcribing documents
All of these jobs can be done within the 9am-3pm time bracket, if you happen to find the right employer or opportunity.
If however, you feel that your skills and experience do not quite fit into any of the above career suggestions, don't be disheartened. The early years of motherhood, particularly when your babies start school, allow you to transition into something new. Your spare time could be used as an opportunity for you to retrain; to study a little more and try your hands at a career that suits your lifestyle better than the one you had prior kids.
Jobs that don't require you to be in an office all day include:
Teacher (although you may not be there for school pick ups, you will for school holidays and that's a huge relief for any working mum)
Bookkeeper (you can schedule appointments to suit your schedule)
Travel agent (this is something you can do from home for yourself or as a contractor)
If you'd like to search for more opportunities to work within school hours, browse the following sites which may help with your search for part-time or flexible jobs within Australia:
justmumsrecruitment.com.au
au.work180.co
beamaustralia.com.au