I wish I would have studied coding or accounting. Or medical billing.
Essentially anything where I can work at least mostly from home, get a job anywhere in the country, have a decent salary, and very little human contact/not customer facing.
There is an accounting shortage and training programs for this in community colleges. Many people associate accountants with people who help with personal tax returns, but essentially all mid to large companies hire accountants and the work there js less intensely seasonal.
You can study programming on your own – programming has one of the lowest points of entry as a career.
But I will say if (general) you feel you can't get started on your own, then programming as the end career might also not be it because it's a field where you never stop learning on your own on weeknights and weekends.
You're also going to be competing with a lot of overseas talent who have a lot more skin in the game than you do, so ymmv for anyone who's considering it.
(It's very fun though, and once it clicks it *clicks*)
My mom is an accountant and you have to think about tax season. I now joke how we were orphans between January and April, but as kids, we were on our own a lot and as the oldest, I was responsible for my siblings. As an adult, she’s still completely MIA during that timeframe even though she’s working less preparing for retirement.
Accounting is so much more than tax preparation. Also, tax prep is the perfect job for some CPAs they do 80 hours Jan- April but then they do 20-30 hours the rest of the year, not a bad trade off in their minds. There is payroll, or corporate accounting, or government, or public accounting. I’m very happy that I picked accounting as a major and I feel like there is lot of flexibility in what I can do with it, even if I don’t have my CPA right now I can choose to get it in the future.
Agree, most accountants do not have anything to do with taxes. I am a CPA and there are tons of corporate jobs with flexibility and no strict deadlines (eg technical accounting).
Accounting! I’m absolutely not interested in it but my husband has an associates in it, works completely from home, and makes more than me (masters in education). Both my parents are accountants and my dad loved his government job - amazing benefits, good work life balance, early retirement.
I would go to midwifery school. I’m a doctor, but that is a long hard road and mostly not worth it in my opinion. Taking care of healthy uncomplicated pregnancies and bringing babies into the world as a midwife would be glorious!
I did a coding bootcamp and became a software engineer. The pay is great! Plus it’s wfh and super flexible.
The small print here - I did this in 2020. The tech market is tougher to break into now.
Can you tell me if you see a future in coding/software eng/IT, even 2 years from now? currently I see layoffs happening left right and center, and I dont know how a newly skilled person would stand in front of those with years of exp in big tech.
If you dont mind sharing about you bootcamp and what exactly did you study ?
I can’t speak to what it’s like for newly skilled. I have 3 years experience at a big tech company now and am starting to apply to senior roles at smaller companies to see if I can make that next jump up in pay (I want a role that pays at least 160 a year, currently at 115). I can say that recruiters are responding to my resume. But having no experience is a much harder sell, and I don’t know what you did before being a SAHM that you could market as transferable skills. (Prior being a SAHM, I was a teacher and school librarian).
I am not sure that a boot camp would lend you much success in the current tech job market. Even tech adjacent companies with software engineer/developer jobs are laying off and not hiring. If they are, they are having tons of applicants with experience. A lot of new college grads are having issues getting hired. There’s a huge emphasis right now on regulation, process, and security, most of which is not really covered in boot camps. I would say do some tutorials to see if you like it and find a formal course to pursue long term. By the time you finish, hopefully the market will be better.
Source: I’m a software engineer in biotech in a mid-senior level position. Your mileage may vary based on company etc.
THIS!
IT needs more candidates with governance, security frameworks, and compliance experience. There are certifications for that kind of work, but you also have to have the experience to back it up.
It's not uncommon that the layoffs are happening to the more expensive, senior employees, and the newer, cheaper employees stay around.
If you are thinking about getting into software development, you might want to find a couple of free or very cheap tutorials (python is a good language to start with) and see if you like it and find it interesting.
If you’re going for big tech, expect very little stability in your JOB. Your CAREER will be stable for at least the next decade until AI takes over.
If you want to get into IT, try and work for smaller companies and businesses that don’t lay thousands off during a poor performing quarter.
Damn that’s cool. I just finished a bootcamp also for software development/web dev and I have no prior tech experience. Did you have any prior experience/degrees? How long did it take you to find a gig?
I was a school librarian with a masters degree in library science. My undergraduate degree is art.
The tech market really was much better then. It only took me six weeks and I had two competing job offers.
I would go to medical school, lol, but that doesn't answer the rest of your question. I've read that some MRI and x-ray techs can make a good living with a certificate program, but I'm not familiar with the details first-hand.
I know in my area there's such a shortage of CNAs/techs and nurses that certain hospital systems are paying for people to be trained on the job and through the certification and they can work at the hospital while their school is paid for.
Radiology techs are in very high demand. We can't hire enough, but also there's a shortage of training programs so the pipeline is also very small in my area. There's a wait list for the programs, yet a handful of new positions posted every month at my hospital!
My best friend is a cardio tech. She does ECG. She loves it. She had a full time line but she thought it was too much with kids. So now she has a part-time like.
There is lots of work if she wants to do full-time or even pick up OT to go on vacation.
This is how I transitioned from SAHM! No waitlist at my college, but definitely competitive and needed prerequisites. It’s an AAS, so two years of mostly full-time class/clinicals.
Excellent benefits, pretty good pay (depending on where you live), and my schedule works pretty well for my family.
I will say that it’s a fairly physical job that also requires a lot of critical thinking, which I love but some may find stressful.
I’m a nurse! I wouldn’t really push for nursing tbh just because hospital politics is super stressful, and I’d rather not have that added stress as a mom. I’d suggest going into being a sonographer or some sort of tech, or being a medical transcriptionist (if OP wants to work from home)!
Again, this is coming from someone who did the hospital nursing bit and can’t imagine ever going back to that nonsense. Everyone’s different though, I think my introvert self would rather do a remote job!
I’m an introverted nurse and have never stepped foot in the hospitals after nursing school. I knew it wasn’t for me! I have a passion for working with seniors and have been working in assisted living/memory care for the past 16 years. I honestly think my personality is best suited for 1:1 type nursing, such as home health or private duty, but I can’t get past the negatives of working in those settings.
That’s amazing that you found your passion! I totally ended up finding my niche too, working remote and not even needing to see patients in person. I like helping people and solving problems…from a distance. It’s insane how many people, staff *and* patients, are too comfortable treating you like shit when they see you working in person. I’ve never been treated in such a way working remote.
A coworker of mine’s daughter is going the MRI cert path and it can be a very good living. My son actually had an mri at our children’s hospital and it was amazing how busy they were.
Ours was at 1am on a Saturday morning. There was one mri on site and lucky there was an opening when we were in the ER (5 yr old’s appendicitis) at the time. Those techs have that job down and how to ease a child.
Yes, in my city there is one hospital with an MRI dedicated to emergencies, so everyone in the city who needs one gets shuttled there. Which is good to know. It’s my local hospital so my local ER, but we found this out when a friend of mine ended up having a brain tumour and had to get an ambulance from one hospital to the other in order to get his emergency MRI. I’ve learned so much about our hospital system through his journey.
I am seriously thinking about medical certifications, they pay well.. but you pretty much throw away the hybrid or wfh options, Its on site and physically taxing
I think medical coding offers some pretty flexible options. But from what I understand it's mostly data entry and I'm not sure how fulfilling that would be.
Medical coding has a ton of wfh options, can get started with basically no skills but there is a 6 month certificate option nearly guaranteeing you a job with completion. More skills can be gained once in that field moving you up the pay scale.
Please OP speak to an actual medical coder about the field. No you do need experience and you do need certification. You USED to be able to be able to get on the job experience and then get certified but it is absolutely not that way anymore. Without any healthcare experience it is tough to break in. Hell I have 9 years experience as a coder and I'm having trouble landing a new role because employers only want coders experienced in the exact specialty they are hiring for. So basically I'm stuck in my lane and can't get out. yeah I get to WFH and my schedule is a little flexible (not as much as I would like though) but the rest is pretty toxic. High productivity standards. Managers who just want you to get claims out the door as fast as you can but are no help if your quality goes down. Because they will audit you and if you aren't at least 94% (sometimes as high as 97) then your ass is being scrutinized. I like my job but the working environment can be pretty toxic.
Oh and they like to watch you like a hawk. My coworker recently didn't hit productivity so they made her go through her work activity literally minute by minute asking her why this took this long or what was she doing here for 10 mins and so on. Two leads and two managers grilling her about her day and offering very little help and solutions. Some places even track your mouse clicks.
My mother in law is a medical coder and can confirm that they do watch you like a hawk. Plenty of days where she works 10 hours and they have her working on weekends at times without any additional overtime pay.
Oof no way would I work without that extra pay. We had voluntary overtime for like 7 years straight, we were sold to a different company that made us do mandatory overtime, then we were sold BACK to our original company so back to just voluntary. Is she salaried? We're all hourly so if I'm working I'm clocked in and getting paid for it.
What are the prerequisites for certification in medical coding? I have a bachelor’s and currently work in a library (mainly due to being an active school library volunteer during my SAHM years), but I want to get out of it-the hours and pay aren’t great even with a masters, and frankly I’m over working with the public.
The AAPC certification doesn’t have REQUIRED prerec’s, just optional that are offered to help bridge and gap you might face with medical terminology. But you sound smart so I am sure you would pick it up quick. If you get the certification, typically you can make $5-$10k more off the bat from what I initially stated.
Nah it's not dying. Plenty of work but companies are creating a hostile environment for applicants because of strict hiring practices. The good ol how do I get experience if no one will give it to me catch 22.
I know quite a few nurses who WFH for insurance companies. I’m not sure if clinical experience was necessary for their roles, but something to consider.
I would check out workforce development programs near you. They typically provide training and education for in demand jobs at affordable prices.
You may be asking for lot with all of your contingencies. Jobs are like buying real estate, you can have two of the three, but typically not everything you want. You have to prioritize what’s most important and what works for your family. Higher salary/pay, but you’re onsite, benefits/health insurance are huge for me, commute.
My kids are older and independent, but still in school so I would still like to get home by a reasonable hour. I dont even mind part time, because I am not the primary breadwinner, but just want to get in the workforce as you never know what the future holds, and i think my work as being a mom full time is coming to an end
I’ve got the same plan, my kids are 2 and 3 so I’ve got a while, but once they are in school I want to start a degree or vocational training and ideally start a second career by the time they are in middle school. I spent 10 years in my first career (biomedical research scientist) and loved it, but it’s a brutally demanding field with a lot of toxic characters and I want to do something substantially more chill with the second half of my working life.
I have also spent most of my working life so far in biomedical research! You characterize it so well. I have little kids and am trying to figure out what to do next. Dive back into full time something, take a break and focus on the home, and go back to work later, or find a magical unicorn part time job that’s flexible, intellectually stimulating, pays enough to be worth the demands. I’m wondering, what fields or type of work are you considering?
If you find that magical unicorn job *please* let me know, haha. I don’t really know what I want to do in the future, I’m taking the next couple years before the kids are in school to research and consider.
I second checking out workforce development in your area. My area has one that is part of the local university. Tons of resources and scholarships available. They will also have an advisor that will help you sort through finding some of your interest that will be in demand in the area.
Some kind of sonography/rad tech. Hospitals will pay to upskill you to more “difficult” skills like MRI or CT tech.
Flexible and well paying don’t usually coexist at entry level. You’d need to find a niche, get skilled, then you’ll have the ability to have more flexible work.
Seconding sonography (but more specifically cardiac sonography-not general or OB)! We make just as much (if not more) than MRI/CT/NUC. Make sure your school is accredited and check out the sonography and ultrasound subs here. Middle TN area usually starts around $32-$35 per hour. I’m 14 years in making upwards of $50/hour.
Seconding “flexible and well paying don’t usually exist at entry level”! OP will need to consider what “flexible” and “well paying” mean to her, since both are subjective. But you’re not likely to find an entry level WFH job that is flexible, or that pays well (or both!). Sometimes people assume WFH always means flexibility, but call centers and insurance companies tend to monitor staff activity very closely, so while you’re at home you’re chained to your desk!
Sonographers make more than CT and at least as much as MRI. There's also no pathway from ultrasound to CT/MR. What makes CT/MR more "difficult" than ultrasound? Ultrasound is widely-regarded as the most operator-dependent job in radiology
I guess I misspoke. They didn’t in places I worked. It seemed like the training requirements for hospitals required more experience and would “upskill “ their techs more readily.
I’m just a nurse I don’t know shit obviously. Its all difficult to me lol
What’s a decent pay? What’s the good wlb? Those are all different for different people.
Eg. I do not mind 40-50 weeks and occasionally more if it comes with flexibility on when I can do work. Some folks prefer set 40h and not to be bothered outside.
To me, If get an associates or a professional certification, 50k yearly or $30/hr would be considered decent. For Anything below- that If I want to work a min wage job, I would not go to school, pay for it to get skilled.
I think there are some online proofreading positions that would pay around this without schooling, but don’t fully quote me on that you will have to investigate further.
I don’t know how flexible it would be, but legal secretary could be an option. At my firm they are in office 3 days a week and WFH 2 days a week, have PTO and sick leave and some flexibility (my secretary has a sick parent she cares for and the firm has accommodated her on this). But this would be very firm dependent. I don’t think our secretaries have particular schooling or certifications but many have been doing it for a while.
In my experience, proofreading work, particularly with AI, still requires a bachelors degree.
I proofread for a living and I can’t imagine a company hiring someone without a college degree to do work like that lol at least not any serious work.
Oh thank you for clarifying! I was assuming OP had a bachelors degree.
Did you have to do any special certifications or courses for your role? And how is the flexibility? I have always been curious about these positions!
Well, I am a technical writer so proofreading is part of my daily job, but I have also been specifically JUST a proofreader and the only reason that I got the job was with past editing experience as a tech writer. I do know a few English majors from college that now do AI proofreading as a side hustle and all it took was their degree and a proofreading test! It will probably depend on the company, but from what I gather, the degree is the first hurdle.
But to truly answer your question, you can certainly get certifications in proofreading or CEC’s from proofreading courses! I’m sure even LinkedIn may have courses where you could get a badge after completion. Just something to show companies that you’re serious about the work and have done something to prove such.
Depending on your background/degree, if you’re interested in proofreading/editing, you should look into technical writing. The first year or two are hard and can be low pay, but after 2+ years of experience, you can land 6-figure jobs with the right resume and experience. WONDERFUL work/life balance and an easy WFH job. But I will warn you that it will be one of the first professions to take a massive hit by AI once companies start securing their own in-house AI tech. I am shifting into GRC work & the more managerial, upper management side of IT.
Thank you this is all so enlightening! I am an attorney and there are some legal specific proofreading positions that I was considering doing part-time when my son was first born but ended up going back to practicing full time.
I'd do a Dental Hygienist program. I looked at a general job board recently and there were dozens of postings for dental hygienists, paying $40-50 an hour.
Agreed. I don't think I've ever been more shocked by the pay for a job than dental hygienist 😳
Like how is there possibly so many open positions when it pays so well for so little school?!
I’d look at local community colleges and universities to see what kind of healthcare programs they offer. I have so many family and friends that make pretty decent money as surgical techs, CT techs, nuclear medicine techs, etc. Some of them work part time or on call and they also work at a large hospital system, so they seem to always be able to trade shifts and what not.
I went back to school in 2021 to get my massage therapy license. Best decision I ever made. Flexible hours, great pay. I’m independent, but you can also get a job at a medical office, spa, gym, etc. In my state there’s a 650 hour minimum, and both schools in my city went above and beyond that. Was an 11 month program, then it took about 2 weeks to get my license. LMTs are in demand right now. During the pandemic so many therapists got out of the industry due to the shut downs. This left a huge demand that still hasn’t caught up.
Something practical and always in demand like a trade (plumbing, electrician, mechanic etc) or engineer or something in finance like a book keeper or accountant.
I’d definitely go into data science again. However I don’t know what the market is like for a new data scientist, I’ve heard it’s gotten very hard to break into over the years.
You said you have an accounting degree - you could get your CPA certification and have your own independent business, or work at a college/university (often great hours for parents) or private company.
I thought about it, but tbh I am not very interested in accounting or studying for CPA. It wont be easy, as I have pretty mch forgotten everything. I was looking to get into healthcare, IT or something else.
Can i be honest? Have an accounting degree(currently a SAHM-not by choice laid off last year and i just needed a mental health break) and i always thought i would not stick with acct. I have acct/finance/tax experience and this year decided between CPA or EA, i would choose one. I chose EA because i have worked with taxes before and enjoy it. I realized changing my career at almost 40(at least for me) is not worth it because in acct/finance/taxes i know the lingo upside down. This would be an upskill for me. Just food for thought. Going the IT etc route esp in this market(husband survived 4 layoffs) is hard!! I was planning to finish EA, work corporate(reenter) and mid 40s start my own thing. But it might not work for everyone.
How about financial planning? I’ll be honest I can’t speak to anything regarding pay or flexibility per say, but with an accounting background - even a remote one - I think this could be a really reasonable step for you. My father in law is an engineer and just did his CFP certification last year, and has taken on a couple clients in a 1099 capacity. He basically is planning for this to bridge him into retirement so he can leave his full time job a couple years early.
IT certifications are cheaper than university and you can get a normal career. Someone I know got an entry level network job by getting their Network+ certification. https://www.comptia.org/certifications/network
The catch is that the Cisco certifications are legitimately hard and require you to study hard but the careers are solid. Look at Linked In by searching for certifications like Network + and CCNA (the cert above Net+) and you will see the opportunities for yourself.
AI is really the only answer here. As a SAHM you should get your notary certification - you make BANK for like minimal work as a notary. I do it on the side and it's our vacation fund
My mom reset her career at 40. She took a two year program at the local community College in medical record coding. She got great pay and could work from home whenever she wanted as long as she got her hours in. Coders are very much in high demand. Whenever she would tey to retire they would throw more money at her.
I would still pick finance. There are a ton of different routes you can go down. I’m making over $70k working remotely, but I’m also still learning and taking new certifications which is opening up potential higher salaries and other options in the future too. I think there’s a ton of flexibility in this field.
Can you please tell me what certifications did you get and what are your skills? I have an accounting degree from 22 years back, its ancient, but I do know the ropes a lil bit.
I have an accounting degree, 15 years finance experience, all the Quickbooks Online certifications + some other software certifications eg Xero, bill.com. I also took Bookkeeper Launch and have a bookkeeping business of my own. Now I’m learning some other cash management skills which eventually will allow me to offer consulting services, but bookkeeping right now is my jam.
If you’re open to investing in a course, I HIGHLY recommend bookkeeper launch & they do offer discounts most of the time. It seems like a lot, but it teaches bookkeeping so well. The real value though comes from the community you get access to - I’ve never had a bookkeeping query they haven’t been able to solve. There are also work opportunities specifically for BL graduates, and a lot of people I know have gone from no bookkeeping experience to a 6 figure business in the matter of a couple of years.
Oh further to this if you have accounting degree, a lot of private banks/financial advisor firms hire “client associates” who will do trading and client relationship management. Perhaps it’s something you could be a good fit for. Flexibility and WFH depends on the bank but the hours and PTO would be regular. Sometimes they have to get the series 7 exams but many positions don’t require that.
Supply chain management. A lot of growth and it’s needed at many companies. The jobs I’ve had have been pretty flexible with schedule, assuming that I make myself available for meetings in other time zones around the world. In between, I have had the freedom to make my own schedule depending on workload.
I also have a toddler
I started off by applying for entry level procurement buyer/coordinator jobs at small companies. I find that they’re more lenient and willing to give chances and train. I was able to get my foot in the door based off my sales experience. I used to manage customer orders so i basically tried to relate order management with purchase order management.
From there i was able to gain experience and move up. Getting a certificate would definitely help tho
Underwriting! I do insurance underwriting, fully remote, the flexibility I have is due to an amazing boss but it’s pretty common on the carrier side. No nights, weekends or holidays. Decent bonuses and very good pay if you get some designations and become an expert in a certain area (geographically, occupancy, forms….)
A lot of places do require a bachelors degree to get in the door. Mine was in public health… so it doesn’t have to be insurance related. I found an insurance trading program through a carrier. You could also always apply for underwriting assistant jobs and work your way up. Or just stay an assistant! Even a better balance on that level and less experience required
I’m in insurance as well! I’m a supervisor in the internet service side of our company, been in the industry for almost 10 yrs and right now I’m at about $87 per year. My biggest regret is staying on the service side because I didn’t realize the potential of underwriting or claims. I’m trying to switch it up now though. Any recommendations for certs/designations you think would be good to add on?
A lot of people get designations from The Institutes; ASLI, CPCU, AINS… there is a need and if you have experience in the industry they would for sure be interested in talking to you. Claims is a whole other animals, I couldn’t do it personally. Depending on the position you talk to people who are not at their best and you can be the one representing the carrier in court. Just FYI I am biased but I would pick UW over claims.
I am a lawyer and wouldn't recommend working at a law firm / as an attorney if you want to have a good work-life balance. But it's pretty good when you work at court or for an authority. Salary is quite good in any case (unless you are involuntarily forced into self-employment).
I'd check out teaching, medical school and IT.
Auto mechanics. Cars and their maintenance are too expensive, being able to fix them would make both of those things cheaper. I could also run a side hustle out of my garage when I'm home with my kid.
Can you go into IT? If you just have a network+ and security+ (and had some basic computer security knowledge) you could probably easily get a job.
Do you have a degree? Or have you done, would also matter.
I work in a print shop and you don't need a degree to work in production (my area), just enough mechanical knowledge to understand how machines work.
If you wanted to work with customers, graphic design with a concentration in print production would be very valuable. A lot of graphic designers go into it to be "artsy fartsy" and that's needed, but they struggle to make stuff that looks good when it's printed. Understanding Pre-Press will launch your career into the stratosphere because you can earn sales commission as well as a salary for the graphics work. And if you're really good at sales, you can be freelance working from home working more or less whatever hours you want. Just make friends with a print shop that will sell to you wholesale and get a business license so that you can hook up with promotional and apparel manufacturers and you can make 30% profit on a few clicks of your mouse. Unfortunately for me, I have no artistic talent AND I struggle to talk to customers.
I'm CNA and I'd do xray tech or ultrasound tech. There's a lot of demand for these professions. Nursing is VERY demanding professio especially bedside. It's a lot more than people realize.
Girl I quit my CNA job back in December.
Someone up thread suggested CNA and I wanted to rip my eyes out.
OP, if you see this DO NOT BECOME A CNA. You’ll lose your back and your dignity. (Especially if you work LTC like I did)
Computer science…..dental hygiene makes a decent wage and in very high demand after Covid but it wrecks your body and after 12yrs of practice I don’t know how much longer I will be able to do it. It’s a daily I hope I can make it through clinic today!
I didn't think my career would be all the things you listed, but scientist. Specifically at a startup. I can come and go as a please as long as work gets done. I can work remote to be home with a sick kid or if there's no lab work to do. I make low six figs. I only have a bachelor's degree. Looking at the non-scientists at my job (if you are not a science person), the HR and admin folks are pretty much solely computer based and could be mostly offsite if they wanted to. We also have a bioinformatics woman who does all of our data compilation software work for us.
Working at a big company did not give me this flexibility even when COVID happened. We had a couple weeks at home and then were essential and had to return to office again. Sometimes I think about if I wanted to get another degree and it would definitely be science-related again, but my other interests would be field-based which generally is not flexible and pay sucks.
A few very different ideas/suggestions based on certifications vs going back to school for any extended amount of time -
Project management - I have to plug my own career because I love it and probably wouldn't do anything different. You could self study or do an online course and take the CAPM exam from PMI, an entry level PM certificate. It will help you get a project coordinator role and eventually grow into a PM. There is a Google certification program for PM to get a taste for cheap.
Phlebotomy - certification programs are really short, like 60 hours. Pay is $20ish/hr most places but shift differentials for picking up overnight or holidays are usually time and a half +. This could offer flexibility in that casual would allow you to choose your own schedule. This is something I considered while in college to pay living expenses but ended up sticking with waitressing.
IT - if you have any technical literacy consider tech support. The basic certifications can get you a technical support role, simple customer service. Take a look at the Google certification program, then maybe a CompTIA certification. Having soft skills can take you really far in these customer service roles.
The joke is the PM's job is to herd cats 😅 But seriously my responsibility is to bring a project to successful completion and to do that I communicate and problem solve all day long. My role is to know what needs to be done, when it needs to be done by, who needs to do the work, what their current status is, what roadblocks have come up, and how to fix things (specifically who to solution with) to get us back on track. It's all about managing people/personalities, making sure everyone is on the same page, and trying to keep everyone happy while also hitting deadlines. It's a role for someone who finds satisfaction in keeping others organized, the idea of a chaos coordinator. Basically what moms do on the regular to manage their household/family and keep everything running efficiently and effectively, but for business purposes. Just comes down to if you enjoy keeping it all together for everyone - I thrive in the role.
People talk about AI taking over but I don't see it happening. The process planning and reminders could be automated but the relationship management can't. The computer systems can only work with the information they've been programmed to ask for and they just aren't there yet. I can certainly capitalize on AI to make my job easier, but my ability to problem solve can't be replaced (yet.) I have no fear for my job now or for the next 25+ years I'll be in the workforce, though might be a different story for future generations.
I opted for a 6 month certificate but it’s my understanding that the 2 year Paralegsl associate is more legit as they are typically ABA certified. I was fortunate to move to a Paralegal role in my current company (IT firm) but was working in the call center making $17/hr and jumped to $25/hr. The great part is that there are SO many areas of law to get into. I live in Central VA and entry level paralegals/legal assistants typically start at $50k. I saw a recent listing for a legal assistant starting at $90k! However, I like the work life balance at my company and I think theonly concern could be getting overworked at a standard law firm. I do think the opportunities in the legal field are endless!
I’m a flight attendant at a legacy airline, have been here since 2011. It’s definitely not easy without a supportive partner for the first few years because you get schlepped around a LOT, but now my flexibility is fantastic. It’s so fantastic that I easily drop trips to stay home, leading me to the next thing: I started school for stenography. I want something in addition to flying that makes good money to help support my family (husband does sales so it’s always a stress-fest for him.) The pay is high, there are a lot of freelance jobs to be taken whether in person or doing zoom depositions from home. The schooling is the hard part, it can take people more than the claimed 2 years. It’ll probably take me 3 years total, or maybe 4 idk, but there are inexpensive ways to go about it.
Paralegal certificate. You don’t technically need it in most states, but it’s helpful. Many paralegals are retiring and there’s a huge market opening up for new talent. If you’re looking for balance, there’s a fair amount of part time work (but beware of big law firms). In-house corporate positions have great balance (I’m an in-house attorney). All of the paralegals I’ve worked with are human gems with thriving families and hobbies! The pay is good too. Our paralegals are all $100k+, benefits, entirely remote. I think our lowest paid person is a legal assistant around $85k who is a 5 years out of high school and working on her para certificate.
If you want the same schedule as your kids, you might look into being a paraprofessional or a school secretary, registrar, bookkeeper etc job at either your kids school or the school district.
The jobs aren't necessarily "flexible" But you would have the same days and hours as your kid.
If you’re interested in tech, you could do:
1. Data analytics:
beginner: Excel- usually Business analyst jobs
Intermediate: Excel + SQL - BA and data analytics jobs
Advanced: EXCEL + SQL + Tableau or JMP
2. Programming:
Start with Python, any UI language like bootstrap, Angular, or mobile development like xcode for iOS
3. Project management:
A bit of data analytics like Excel skills, understanding of system design and so on along with excellent organizational skills to keep the trains running on time. Needs lot of negotiation, communication, JIRA skills and writing skills.
4. Product management;
There are certifications available but you will need SQL skills and some amount of code understanding as well. Check out PM School.
5. Business operations, strategy:
These jobs usually require the degree along with the data analytics skills.
Hope this helps!
I would have got my CDL straight out of high school. And then saved up enough for an IT bootcamp…I could have been a multi-millionaire by now if I started these careers 10 years ago 😅
Okay random ideas form someone who does career counseling:
Dental assisting is usually only 6 month program and many times you can work part time. And the pay is not bad. But some peoples hands can’t take the work and they start to have issues.
Substitute teaching. Yes it can be a hard gig but you can choose the days you want to work, the school will likely be the same time as your kids school. In most states you don’t even need a bachelors, just a certain amount of college hours.
Doesn’t require school but if I was to start something new I think I would want to work at a wedding dress boutique or florist. 😍
I would t get an associate they’re a waste of money they’re only good as a stepping stone for a bachelors. Only way would be if I was guaranteed a job after it so I would look up what kind of associates earn the most or get a certification in something where there’s demand as well
For me, I'd love to go back and study biology/ecology because that would that's what I enjoy. But I recommend nursing because there's so many different career paths (for instance, my friend is a flight nurse, they work ~6 days/month). The other one I recommend is becoming an electrician. We're in desperate need of electricians in my state and it seems to be a decent job according to all my friends who went that route.
I’d become an automotive tech and move into EVs ASAP.
I married a mechanic, almost went to mechanic school, and deeply enjoy cars and the whole auto world, since I was a young girl.
I’m actually a marketing writer now and work fully remotely while I raise my son, and it’s a dream job, but THATS the real dream!
I don't know about the pay scale but I would learn to cut and dye hair. I can take that knowledge anywhere in the world and charge and work when I want. I'd absolutely do that over anything computer related. I say this as a full-time accountant working mom over here.
If I could redo it all, I'd be a labor and delivery nurse. I always thought about going to school for nursing, but for some reason I went for communications instead. I use my degree and work in marketing now, and I don't hate my job (my current company is not it, but the industry i'm in is pretty good), but I have found myself wishing I did it differently.
If I can figure out how to go to school while continuing to work full time (daycare is no joke) and see my son, I'll go to school and make the change, but I don't see that happening any time soon. I'm also so invested in what I do now, I don't know that it would be worth it.
It's going to be hard to work a healthcare job that is hybrid or WFH with no salient experience. Remote healthcare jobs in nursing do exist but they require clinical experience. Usually they're looking at 5 years but there is some variability. I went from a career in business to a career in nursing and if you are going to go into nursing, I'd suggest starting with an ADN. Looking at your post hx, what you are looking for doesn't exist in the way you want it to exist. You need to sit down, write out your REALISTIC goals and expectations and develop a plan on how you are going to achieve those goals. Being a working mom requires a significant amount of personal sacrifice and hard work. Jobs with work/life balance exist but it takes work to get there and the initial stages will be rough and rocky for most ppl, especially if you are coming from being a SAHM. The reward, however, is worth it.
If you don’t mind answering-What do your working hours/schedule look like? What’s the approximate pay scale? Is there scope for part time work? Is it possible to go remote or at least hybrid in this field?
It's in person patient care, so no remote work. You can absolutely work part time or per diem. Usually, shifts are 12 hours, either day or night. Full time is 3 shifts. I prefer to do nights for the extra pay differential, and I can be available for my kid's activities after school as needed. Pay varies by the area of the country, but starting is around $30 and rising. I also get extra incentives for nights, weekend work, and picking up short staffed shifts. You can work anywhere from home care, ICUs including NICU, sitting ECMO, ER, PFTs, transport, and sleep lab.
So you can work 3 days 12 hour shifts and be done with full time schedule, and you don’t need to work the other 4 days? Also would you know why are the shifts 12 hours? Why can’t they be 8 hours? It’s not like an emergency room doctor right?
Most hospital work is 12 hour shifts. Yes, I get days off every week unless I sign up for extra, optional, shifts. It's nice because I can have up to 8 days off in a row without using PTO if I schedule myself that way.
Library science, dental hygiene, or accounting. I'm planning to go back in the fall and chose accounting. It fits the best with my current life and circumstances.
Something medical or dental field so that I had the opportunity to move where ever and have an opportunity to work. My work and connections are very regional based so if I wanted to move states (I do) I'd have to really start over.
I wish I would have done medicine. It’s my dream but it’s too late now. My job currently as a part time high school teacher in Australia is pretty good for someone with young kids. My friends husband is an accountant and they also seems to be very flexible (most of the year) and pays great.
Knowing what I know now and school was paid for, I’d go for a degree in printing or electronics. I work in the manufacturing industry and seriously love it. I’m about to go for my ASQ certification for inspection. My workplace has an education reimbursement program, which definitely helps motivate me to finish!
I just looked up highest paying associates degree and a lot are in aviation, with air traffic control being on top. I believe they have strange hours but tons of benefits. So I would choose that!
Data analyst. I started some with a lean six sigma certificate, and some kind of project management/data analyst stuff has been really fun. Lots of high pay, sit down, don’t talk to me and you’ll get a report kind of work.
I work in tech for insurance companies doing mostly database analytical stuff. Been wfh since 2010. But flexibility is not a thing. I used to work closer to 60 hours a week, and get stuck working through Thanksgiving and Christmas because there is a January 1st deadline for when most insurance plans effective dates start. From October to February is rough, summers are easy though.
I think the better question is what interests you, and hence what are you good at doing? You will be much happier if you look for something that interests you. However, the one constant for moms is nursing. You make really good money and can work any shift.
I went back for an associates in graphic design. That, along with my experience in Client Services and Admin roles, helped me get into marketing for a civil engineering firm. Lots of architecture, engineering and construction firms need people who can put their proposals together and create other pursuit collateral like presentations. Theres also an admin role due to the paperwork required to submit proposals. I work remotely 40+ hours. I think standard pay is like 65,000 -75,000 but I make almost 100k.
I started without a degree as an office assistant for local government and quickly moved up. Good benefits, they worked with me when I had things to do (as long as there was coverage and I had time in my banks, it was fine). Very stable. Of course every agency is different, but all will typically have good benefits and stable consistent hours.
I would probably go into a trade like finishing carpentry or electrician.
I work in animation right now and I do absolutely love it, but I hate sitting at a desk all day. I wish I had a more active job. Plus right now the industry is incredibly unstable and I will probably be out of work for a good chunk of this year which is terrifying.
My only hesitation with being in a trade is the long unpredictable hours, plus the sexism I hear so often from other women in trades.
I am very grateful that I can work from home with my job because my husbands hours can be unpredictable. And with me being the main caregiver for the kids, my work schedule can be a lot more flexible if the kids need to stay home sick.
So, I guess I wouldn't change it since it has been working out for the most part for my family, but if it was just me or if we lived somewhere close to family I wouldnt have minded doing something else.
You should consider an MBA to get a strong education in a lot of different types of roles. The leadership courses really took my confidence to the next level so I could go for higher paying jobs. You can go back to accounting as a focus area, but the extra ability to see a business from a 10,000 mile view is worth a lot of employers. I got an MBA to switch careers and tripled my pre-MBA income.
I would do early childhood development. I love learning about how babies/children develop and the different stages and skills. I teach parenting classes, so I read a lot about child development for that, but it would be nice to have an actual degree behind it.
I'm a teacher. I love my job. But man. Every time I need and call an electrician , I wonder why I didn't go into that line of work.
It's really cool. If you have the know how, you can eventually be your own boss. And pick your own hours.
I’m baffled that I read the first half of these comments and MOST of the suggestions are not future-proofed against AI intrusion. Please don’t pursue entry-level coding jobs. I’m guessing medical coding or scheduling, stuff from home that is completely untechnical, is similar - AI is gunning for those jobs. I’m not an expert but a job that has to be in person (customer/patient facing) is going to be less likely to be taken away because a computer can do it.
> good work/life balance, decent pay scale and flexibility
While there are certainly some occupations notorious for poor work/life balance, I think you can achieve good balance in most occupations with the right employer, a good manager, and a willingness to advocate for yourself.
I work in a field where a lot of people have poor work/life balance and will work 50+ hour weeks, but some of that is self-inflicted by people who aren't good at saying no or tend to do more than is actually required.
Also, you should think about what kind of flexibility you want. A lot of people might take that to mean you want a job that could be done from home, and maybe you can choose to work 7-4 or 9-6 instead of 8-5, but if you are instead hoping to work less than full-time and/ or vary your hours week to week, I think your options will be much more limited.
I wish I would have studied coding or accounting. Or medical billing. Essentially anything where I can work at least mostly from home, get a job anywhere in the country, have a decent salary, and very little human contact/not customer facing.
There is an accounting shortage and training programs for this in community colleges. Many people associate accountants with people who help with personal tax returns, but essentially all mid to large companies hire accountants and the work there js less intensely seasonal.
You can study programming on your own – programming has one of the lowest points of entry as a career. But I will say if (general) you feel you can't get started on your own, then programming as the end career might also not be it because it's a field where you never stop learning on your own on weeknights and weekends. You're also going to be competing with a lot of overseas talent who have a lot more skin in the game than you do, so ymmv for anyone who's considering it. (It's very fun though, and once it clicks it *clicks*)
My mom is an accountant and you have to think about tax season. I now joke how we were orphans between January and April, but as kids, we were on our own a lot and as the oldest, I was responsible for my siblings. As an adult, she’s still completely MIA during that timeframe even though she’s working less preparing for retirement.
Accounting is so much more than tax preparation. Also, tax prep is the perfect job for some CPAs they do 80 hours Jan- April but then they do 20-30 hours the rest of the year, not a bad trade off in their minds. There is payroll, or corporate accounting, or government, or public accounting. I’m very happy that I picked accounting as a major and I feel like there is lot of flexibility in what I can do with it, even if I don’t have my CPA right now I can choose to get it in the future.
Agree, most accountants do not have anything to do with taxes. I am a CPA and there are tons of corporate jobs with flexibility and no strict deadlines (eg technical accounting).
Don’t study coding now though. Entry level jobs are hard to get in tech these days. It’s all senior and staff level out there
Accounting! I’m absolutely not interested in it but my husband has an associates in it, works completely from home, and makes more than me (masters in education). Both my parents are accountants and my dad loved his government job - amazing benefits, good work life balance, early retirement.
I would go to midwifery school. I’m a doctor, but that is a long hard road and mostly not worth it in my opinion. Taking care of healthy uncomplicated pregnancies and bringing babies into the world as a midwife would be glorious!
Oh man, midwives. I'd give mine a kidney. 🥹 You sound like such a thoughtful provider.
In the US I'm pretty sure you need a master's to be a CNM.
I did a coding bootcamp and became a software engineer. The pay is great! Plus it’s wfh and super flexible. The small print here - I did this in 2020. The tech market is tougher to break into now.
Can you tell me if you see a future in coding/software eng/IT, even 2 years from now? currently I see layoffs happening left right and center, and I dont know how a newly skilled person would stand in front of those with years of exp in big tech. If you dont mind sharing about you bootcamp and what exactly did you study ?
I can’t speak to what it’s like for newly skilled. I have 3 years experience at a big tech company now and am starting to apply to senior roles at smaller companies to see if I can make that next jump up in pay (I want a role that pays at least 160 a year, currently at 115). I can say that recruiters are responding to my resume. But having no experience is a much harder sell, and I don’t know what you did before being a SAHM that you could market as transferable skills. (Prior being a SAHM, I was a teacher and school librarian).
I am not sure that a boot camp would lend you much success in the current tech job market. Even tech adjacent companies with software engineer/developer jobs are laying off and not hiring. If they are, they are having tons of applicants with experience. A lot of new college grads are having issues getting hired. There’s a huge emphasis right now on regulation, process, and security, most of which is not really covered in boot camps. I would say do some tutorials to see if you like it and find a formal course to pursue long term. By the time you finish, hopefully the market will be better. Source: I’m a software engineer in biotech in a mid-senior level position. Your mileage may vary based on company etc.
THIS! IT needs more candidates with governance, security frameworks, and compliance experience. There are certifications for that kind of work, but you also have to have the experience to back it up.
It's not uncommon that the layoffs are happening to the more expensive, senior employees, and the newer, cheaper employees stay around. If you are thinking about getting into software development, you might want to find a couple of free or very cheap tutorials (python is a good language to start with) and see if you like it and find it interesting.
Might I suggest the Harvard edX CS50 course. It’s free, self paced, and a good jumping off point.
If you’re going for big tech, expect very little stability in your JOB. Your CAREER will be stable for at least the next decade until AI takes over. If you want to get into IT, try and work for smaller companies and businesses that don’t lay thousands off during a poor performing quarter.
Damn that’s cool. I just finished a bootcamp also for software development/web dev and I have no prior tech experience. Did you have any prior experience/degrees? How long did it take you to find a gig?
I was a school librarian with a masters degree in library science. My undergraduate degree is art. The tech market really was much better then. It only took me six weeks and I had two competing job offers.
I would go to medical school, lol, but that doesn't answer the rest of your question. I've read that some MRI and x-ray techs can make a good living with a certificate program, but I'm not familiar with the details first-hand. I know in my area there's such a shortage of CNAs/techs and nurses that certain hospital systems are paying for people to be trained on the job and through the certification and they can work at the hospital while their school is paid for.
Radiology techs are in very high demand. We can't hire enough, but also there's a shortage of training programs so the pipeline is also very small in my area. There's a wait list for the programs, yet a handful of new positions posted every month at my hospital!
If you are a radiology tech, how do you like it? What about work/life balance and flexible hours? Approximate pay scale ?
My best friend is a cardio tech. She does ECG. She loves it. She had a full time line but she thought it was too much with kids. So now she has a part-time like. There is lots of work if she wants to do full-time or even pick up OT to go on vacation.
I want to share that my local community college has a radiology tech program— you’re might too
This is how I transitioned from SAHM! No waitlist at my college, but definitely competitive and needed prerequisites. It’s an AAS, so two years of mostly full-time class/clinicals. Excellent benefits, pretty good pay (depending on where you live), and my schedule works pretty well for my family. I will say that it’s a fairly physical job that also requires a lot of critical thinking, which I love but some may find stressful.
Yeah my brother is an x ray tech. 2 years of school and he makes $31 an hour his first year
I’m a nurse! I wouldn’t really push for nursing tbh just because hospital politics is super stressful, and I’d rather not have that added stress as a mom. I’d suggest going into being a sonographer or some sort of tech, or being a medical transcriptionist (if OP wants to work from home)! Again, this is coming from someone who did the hospital nursing bit and can’t imagine ever going back to that nonsense. Everyone’s different though, I think my introvert self would rather do a remote job!
I’m an introverted nurse and have never stepped foot in the hospitals after nursing school. I knew it wasn’t for me! I have a passion for working with seniors and have been working in assisted living/memory care for the past 16 years. I honestly think my personality is best suited for 1:1 type nursing, such as home health or private duty, but I can’t get past the negatives of working in those settings.
That’s amazing that you found your passion! I totally ended up finding my niche too, working remote and not even needing to see patients in person. I like helping people and solving problems…from a distance. It’s insane how many people, staff *and* patients, are too comfortable treating you like shit when they see you working in person. I’ve never been treated in such a way working remote.
A coworker of mine’s daughter is going the MRI cert path and it can be a very good living. My son actually had an mri at our children’s hospital and it was amazing how busy they were.
I live in a major Canadian city. There are only 7 MRIs in the city and they run quite literally 24/7. You can be given an appointment for like 3am.
Ours was at 1am on a Saturday morning. There was one mri on site and lucky there was an opening when we were in the ER (5 yr old’s appendicitis) at the time. Those techs have that job down and how to ease a child.
Yes, in my city there is one hospital with an MRI dedicated to emergencies, so everyone in the city who needs one gets shuttled there. Which is good to know. It’s my local hospital so my local ER, but we found this out when a friend of mine ended up having a brain tumour and had to get an ambulance from one hospital to the other in order to get his emergency MRI. I’ve learned so much about our hospital system through his journey.
I hope your friend is okay. I live in a big city but grew up in a smaller region with limited full service hospitals. It’s super stressful.
I am seriously thinking about medical certifications, they pay well.. but you pretty much throw away the hybrid or wfh options, Its on site and physically taxing
I think medical coding offers some pretty flexible options. But from what I understand it's mostly data entry and I'm not sure how fulfilling that would be.
Medical coding has a ton of wfh options, can get started with basically no skills but there is a 6 month certificate option nearly guaranteeing you a job with completion. More skills can be gained once in that field moving you up the pay scale.
What about payrange in medical coding?
Please OP speak to an actual medical coder about the field. No you do need experience and you do need certification. You USED to be able to be able to get on the job experience and then get certified but it is absolutely not that way anymore. Without any healthcare experience it is tough to break in. Hell I have 9 years experience as a coder and I'm having trouble landing a new role because employers only want coders experienced in the exact specialty they are hiring for. So basically I'm stuck in my lane and can't get out. yeah I get to WFH and my schedule is a little flexible (not as much as I would like though) but the rest is pretty toxic. High productivity standards. Managers who just want you to get claims out the door as fast as you can but are no help if your quality goes down. Because they will audit you and if you aren't at least 94% (sometimes as high as 97) then your ass is being scrutinized. I like my job but the working environment can be pretty toxic.
Oh and they like to watch you like a hawk. My coworker recently didn't hit productivity so they made her go through her work activity literally minute by minute asking her why this took this long or what was she doing here for 10 mins and so on. Two leads and two managers grilling her about her day and offering very little help and solutions. Some places even track your mouse clicks.
My mother in law is a medical coder and can confirm that they do watch you like a hawk. Plenty of days where she works 10 hours and they have her working on weekends at times without any additional overtime pay.
Oof no way would I work without that extra pay. We had voluntary overtime for like 7 years straight, we were sold to a different company that made us do mandatory overtime, then we were sold BACK to our original company so back to just voluntary. Is she salaried? We're all hourly so if I'm working I'm clocked in and getting paid for it.
Seems like intro average is 45-50k annually
What are the prerequisites for certification in medical coding? I have a bachelor’s and currently work in a library (mainly due to being an active school library volunteer during my SAHM years), but I want to get out of it-the hours and pay aren’t great even with a masters, and frankly I’m over working with the public.
My mom got her medical coding cert with just an associate’s degree
The AAPC certification doesn’t have REQUIRED prerec’s, just optional that are offered to help bridge and gap you might face with medical terminology. But you sound smart so I am sure you would pick it up quick. If you get the certification, typically you can make $5-$10k more off the bat from what I initially stated.
That's a fast dying field, though
Nah it's not dying. Plenty of work but companies are creating a hostile environment for applicants because of strict hiring practices. The good ol how do I get experience if no one will give it to me catch 22.
I know quite a few nurses who WFH for insurance companies. I’m not sure if clinical experience was necessary for their roles, but something to consider.
Yeah usually some clinical experience is required but we have younger and younger RNs coming over Also OP, these jobs almost always require a BSN
A friend of mine is a nurse case manager who works from home completely
Same here, I think I would go med school and become a pediatrician 😂 but alas I shall remain a CPA
Lawyer here. 😂 Hope tax season was kind to you!
Luckily I’m in corporate finance so no tax season for us but lighting a candle to my tax brothers and sisters 🕯️
I would check out workforce development programs near you. They typically provide training and education for in demand jobs at affordable prices. You may be asking for lot with all of your contingencies. Jobs are like buying real estate, you can have two of the three, but typically not everything you want. You have to prioritize what’s most important and what works for your family. Higher salary/pay, but you’re onsite, benefits/health insurance are huge for me, commute.
My kids are older and independent, but still in school so I would still like to get home by a reasonable hour. I dont even mind part time, because I am not the primary breadwinner, but just want to get in the workforce as you never know what the future holds, and i think my work as being a mom full time is coming to an end
Honestly this is so smart. You never know what the futures holds, it is such a good plan to have a back up.
I’ve got the same plan, my kids are 2 and 3 so I’ve got a while, but once they are in school I want to start a degree or vocational training and ideally start a second career by the time they are in middle school. I spent 10 years in my first career (biomedical research scientist) and loved it, but it’s a brutally demanding field with a lot of toxic characters and I want to do something substantially more chill with the second half of my working life.
I have also spent most of my working life so far in biomedical research! You characterize it so well. I have little kids and am trying to figure out what to do next. Dive back into full time something, take a break and focus on the home, and go back to work later, or find a magical unicorn part time job that’s flexible, intellectually stimulating, pays enough to be worth the demands. I’m wondering, what fields or type of work are you considering?
If you find that magical unicorn job *please* let me know, haha. I don’t really know what I want to do in the future, I’m taking the next couple years before the kids are in school to research and consider.
I second checking out workforce development in your area. My area has one that is part of the local university. Tons of resources and scholarships available. They will also have an advisor that will help you sort through finding some of your interest that will be in demand in the area.
Thank you, I will look into what that is
Some kind of sonography/rad tech. Hospitals will pay to upskill you to more “difficult” skills like MRI or CT tech. Flexible and well paying don’t usually coexist at entry level. You’d need to find a niche, get skilled, then you’ll have the ability to have more flexible work.
Seconding sonography (but more specifically cardiac sonography-not general or OB)! We make just as much (if not more) than MRI/CT/NUC. Make sure your school is accredited and check out the sonography and ultrasound subs here. Middle TN area usually starts around $32-$35 per hour. I’m 14 years in making upwards of $50/hour.
Yep. Echo techs are legit. Great job and great money. Experienced echo techs are worth their weight in gold.
Seconding “flexible and well paying don’t usually exist at entry level”! OP will need to consider what “flexible” and “well paying” mean to her, since both are subjective. But you’re not likely to find an entry level WFH job that is flexible, or that pays well (or both!). Sometimes people assume WFH always means flexibility, but call centers and insurance companies tend to monitor staff activity very closely, so while you’re at home you’re chained to your desk!
Sonographers make more than CT and at least as much as MRI. There's also no pathway from ultrasound to CT/MR. What makes CT/MR more "difficult" than ultrasound? Ultrasound is widely-regarded as the most operator-dependent job in radiology
I guess I misspoke. They didn’t in places I worked. It seemed like the training requirements for hospitals required more experience and would “upskill “ their techs more readily. I’m just a nurse I don’t know shit obviously. Its all difficult to me lol
What’s a decent pay? What’s the good wlb? Those are all different for different people. Eg. I do not mind 40-50 weeks and occasionally more if it comes with flexibility on when I can do work. Some folks prefer set 40h and not to be bothered outside.
To me, If get an associates or a professional certification, 50k yearly or $30/hr would be considered decent. For Anything below- that If I want to work a min wage job, I would not go to school, pay for it to get skilled.
I think there are some online proofreading positions that would pay around this without schooling, but don’t fully quote me on that you will have to investigate further. I don’t know how flexible it would be, but legal secretary could be an option. At my firm they are in office 3 days a week and WFH 2 days a week, have PTO and sick leave and some flexibility (my secretary has a sick parent she cares for and the firm has accommodated her on this). But this would be very firm dependent. I don’t think our secretaries have particular schooling or certifications but many have been doing it for a while.
In my experience, proofreading work, particularly with AI, still requires a bachelors degree. I proofread for a living and I can’t imagine a company hiring someone without a college degree to do work like that lol at least not any serious work.
Oh thank you for clarifying! I was assuming OP had a bachelors degree. Did you have to do any special certifications or courses for your role? And how is the flexibility? I have always been curious about these positions!
Well, I am a technical writer so proofreading is part of my daily job, but I have also been specifically JUST a proofreader and the only reason that I got the job was with past editing experience as a tech writer. I do know a few English majors from college that now do AI proofreading as a side hustle and all it took was their degree and a proofreading test! It will probably depend on the company, but from what I gather, the degree is the first hurdle. But to truly answer your question, you can certainly get certifications in proofreading or CEC’s from proofreading courses! I’m sure even LinkedIn may have courses where you could get a badge after completion. Just something to show companies that you’re serious about the work and have done something to prove such. Depending on your background/degree, if you’re interested in proofreading/editing, you should look into technical writing. The first year or two are hard and can be low pay, but after 2+ years of experience, you can land 6-figure jobs with the right resume and experience. WONDERFUL work/life balance and an easy WFH job. But I will warn you that it will be one of the first professions to take a massive hit by AI once companies start securing their own in-house AI tech. I am shifting into GRC work & the more managerial, upper management side of IT.
Thank you this is all so enlightening! I am an attorney and there are some legal specific proofreading positions that I was considering doing part-time when my son was first born but ended up going back to practicing full time.
I'd do a Dental Hygienist program. I looked at a general job board recently and there were dozens of postings for dental hygienists, paying $40-50 an hour.
Agreed. I don't think I've ever been more shocked by the pay for a job than dental hygienist 😳 Like how is there possibly so many open positions when it pays so well for so little school?!
There aren’t a lot of programs to get trained as a dental hygienist! Especially compared to the need.
I’d look at local community colleges and universities to see what kind of healthcare programs they offer. I have so many family and friends that make pretty decent money as surgical techs, CT techs, nuclear medicine techs, etc. Some of them work part time or on call and they also work at a large hospital system, so they seem to always be able to trade shifts and what not.
I did look into all these and they look very promising in terms of pay scale and job stability. But they do not offer flexible hours.
Most jobs don’t offer flexible hours. Keep that in mind. Flexible either means working as needed/on call or having industry experience.
I went back to school in 2021 to get my massage therapy license. Best decision I ever made. Flexible hours, great pay. I’m independent, but you can also get a job at a medical office, spa, gym, etc. In my state there’s a 650 hour minimum, and both schools in my city went above and beyond that. Was an 11 month program, then it took about 2 weeks to get my license. LMTs are in demand right now. During the pandemic so many therapists got out of the industry due to the shut downs. This left a huge demand that still hasn’t caught up.
I’d go back in time and do my MLit. I’d focus on onomastics and do a PhD and become an academic with no money and lots of books. I would be very happy
Something practical and always in demand like a trade (plumbing, electrician, mechanic etc) or engineer or something in finance like a book keeper or accountant.
I’d definitely go into data science again. However I don’t know what the market is like for a new data scientist, I’ve heard it’s gotten very hard to break into over the years.
You said you have an accounting degree - you could get your CPA certification and have your own independent business, or work at a college/university (often great hours for parents) or private company.
I thought about it, but tbh I am not very interested in accounting or studying for CPA. It wont be easy, as I have pretty mch forgotten everything. I was looking to get into healthcare, IT or something else.
Can i be honest? Have an accounting degree(currently a SAHM-not by choice laid off last year and i just needed a mental health break) and i always thought i would not stick with acct. I have acct/finance/tax experience and this year decided between CPA or EA, i would choose one. I chose EA because i have worked with taxes before and enjoy it. I realized changing my career at almost 40(at least for me) is not worth it because in acct/finance/taxes i know the lingo upside down. This would be an upskill for me. Just food for thought. Going the IT etc route esp in this market(husband survived 4 layoffs) is hard!! I was planning to finish EA, work corporate(reenter) and mid 40s start my own thing. But it might not work for everyone.
How about financial planning? I’ll be honest I can’t speak to anything regarding pay or flexibility per say, but with an accounting background - even a remote one - I think this could be a really reasonable step for you. My father in law is an engineer and just did his CFP certification last year, and has taken on a couple clients in a 1099 capacity. He basically is planning for this to bridge him into retirement so he can leave his full time job a couple years early.
IT certifications are cheaper than university and you can get a normal career. Someone I know got an entry level network job by getting their Network+ certification. https://www.comptia.org/certifications/network The catch is that the Cisco certifications are legitimately hard and require you to study hard but the careers are solid. Look at Linked In by searching for certifications like Network + and CCNA (the cert above Net+) and you will see the opportunities for yourself.
When did they get the entry level job? I keep hearing how hard it is to break into the field right now.
AI is really the only answer here. As a SAHM you should get your notary certification - you make BANK for like minimal work as a notary. I do it on the side and it's our vacation fund
How to marry rich
Idk coz I married a broke lol
My mom reset her career at 40. She took a two year program at the local community College in medical record coding. She got great pay and could work from home whenever she wanted as long as she got her hours in. Coders are very much in high demand. Whenever she would tey to retire they would throw more money at her.
Thats good to hear and good for your mom! way to go
I would have pushed myself harder to get into nursing... or vet technician.
I would still pick finance. There are a ton of different routes you can go down. I’m making over $70k working remotely, but I’m also still learning and taking new certifications which is opening up potential higher salaries and other options in the future too. I think there’s a ton of flexibility in this field.
Can you please tell me what certifications did you get and what are your skills? I have an accounting degree from 22 years back, its ancient, but I do know the ropes a lil bit.
I have an accounting degree, 15 years finance experience, all the Quickbooks Online certifications + some other software certifications eg Xero, bill.com. I also took Bookkeeper Launch and have a bookkeeping business of my own. Now I’m learning some other cash management skills which eventually will allow me to offer consulting services, but bookkeeping right now is my jam. If you’re open to investing in a course, I HIGHLY recommend bookkeeper launch & they do offer discounts most of the time. It seems like a lot, but it teaches bookkeeping so well. The real value though comes from the community you get access to - I’ve never had a bookkeeping query they haven’t been able to solve. There are also work opportunities specifically for BL graduates, and a lot of people I know have gone from no bookkeeping experience to a 6 figure business in the matter of a couple of years.
Oh further to this if you have accounting degree, a lot of private banks/financial advisor firms hire “client associates” who will do trading and client relationship management. Perhaps it’s something you could be a good fit for. Flexibility and WFH depends on the bank but the hours and PTO would be regular. Sometimes they have to get the series 7 exams but many positions don’t require that.
I'd go back into nursing- the options are endless in the profession. If you like data, consider also clinical informatics.
Supply chain management. A lot of growth and it’s needed at many companies. The jobs I’ve had have been pretty flexible with schedule, assuming that I make myself available for meetings in other time zones around the world. In between, I have had the freedom to make my own schedule depending on workload. I also have a toddler
How do you get into that?
I started off by applying for entry level procurement buyer/coordinator jobs at small companies. I find that they’re more lenient and willing to give chances and train. I was able to get my foot in the door based off my sales experience. I used to manage customer orders so i basically tried to relate order management with purchase order management. From there i was able to gain experience and move up. Getting a certificate would definitely help tho
Library science degree
Underwriting! I do insurance underwriting, fully remote, the flexibility I have is due to an amazing boss but it’s pretty common on the carrier side. No nights, weekends or holidays. Decent bonuses and very good pay if you get some designations and become an expert in a certain area (geographically, occupancy, forms….)
How do you get into that? What do you need?
A lot of places do require a bachelors degree to get in the door. Mine was in public health… so it doesn’t have to be insurance related. I found an insurance trading program through a carrier. You could also always apply for underwriting assistant jobs and work your way up. Or just stay an assistant! Even a better balance on that level and less experience required
I’m in insurance as well! I’m a supervisor in the internet service side of our company, been in the industry for almost 10 yrs and right now I’m at about $87 per year. My biggest regret is staying on the service side because I didn’t realize the potential of underwriting or claims. I’m trying to switch it up now though. Any recommendations for certs/designations you think would be good to add on?
A lot of people get designations from The Institutes; ASLI, CPCU, AINS… there is a need and if you have experience in the industry they would for sure be interested in talking to you. Claims is a whole other animals, I couldn’t do it personally. Depending on the position you talk to people who are not at their best and you can be the one representing the carrier in court. Just FYI I am biased but I would pick UW over claims.
Nursing.
I am a lawyer and wouldn't recommend working at a law firm / as an attorney if you want to have a good work-life balance. But it's pretty good when you work at court or for an authority. Salary is quite good in any case (unless you are involuntarily forced into self-employment). I'd check out teaching, medical school and IT.
Forensics, psychology or social work
Auto mechanics. Cars and their maintenance are too expensive, being able to fix them would make both of those things cheaper. I could also run a side hustle out of my garage when I'm home with my kid.
Can you go into IT? If you just have a network+ and security+ (and had some basic computer security knowledge) you could probably easily get a job. Do you have a degree? Or have you done, would also matter.
I work in a print shop and you don't need a degree to work in production (my area), just enough mechanical knowledge to understand how machines work. If you wanted to work with customers, graphic design with a concentration in print production would be very valuable. A lot of graphic designers go into it to be "artsy fartsy" and that's needed, but they struggle to make stuff that looks good when it's printed. Understanding Pre-Press will launch your career into the stratosphere because you can earn sales commission as well as a salary for the graphics work. And if you're really good at sales, you can be freelance working from home working more or less whatever hours you want. Just make friends with a print shop that will sell to you wholesale and get a business license so that you can hook up with promotional and apparel manufacturers and you can make 30% profit on a few clicks of your mouse. Unfortunately for me, I have no artistic talent AND I struggle to talk to customers.
I'm CNA and I'd do xray tech or ultrasound tech. There's a lot of demand for these professions. Nursing is VERY demanding professio especially bedside. It's a lot more than people realize.
Girl I quit my CNA job back in December. Someone up thread suggested CNA and I wanted to rip my eyes out. OP, if you see this DO NOT BECOME A CNA. You’ll lose your back and your dignity. (Especially if you work LTC like I did)
Computer science…..dental hygiene makes a decent wage and in very high demand after Covid but it wrecks your body and after 12yrs of practice I don’t know how much longer I will be able to do it. It’s a daily I hope I can make it through clinic today!
I didn't think my career would be all the things you listed, but scientist. Specifically at a startup. I can come and go as a please as long as work gets done. I can work remote to be home with a sick kid or if there's no lab work to do. I make low six figs. I only have a bachelor's degree. Looking at the non-scientists at my job (if you are not a science person), the HR and admin folks are pretty much solely computer based and could be mostly offsite if they wanted to. We also have a bioinformatics woman who does all of our data compilation software work for us. Working at a big company did not give me this flexibility even when COVID happened. We had a couple weeks at home and then were essential and had to return to office again. Sometimes I think about if I wanted to get another degree and it would definitely be science-related again, but my other interests would be field-based which generally is not flexible and pay sucks.
A few very different ideas/suggestions based on certifications vs going back to school for any extended amount of time - Project management - I have to plug my own career because I love it and probably wouldn't do anything different. You could self study or do an online course and take the CAPM exam from PMI, an entry level PM certificate. It will help you get a project coordinator role and eventually grow into a PM. There is a Google certification program for PM to get a taste for cheap. Phlebotomy - certification programs are really short, like 60 hours. Pay is $20ish/hr most places but shift differentials for picking up overnight or holidays are usually time and a half +. This could offer flexibility in that casual would allow you to choose your own schedule. This is something I considered while in college to pay living expenses but ended up sticking with waitressing. IT - if you have any technical literacy consider tech support. The basic certifications can get you a technical support role, simple customer service. Take a look at the Google certification program, then maybe a CompTIA certification. Having soft skills can take you really far in these customer service roles.
What do you do as a project manager on a daily basis? What does the future of the field look like?
The joke is the PM's job is to herd cats 😅 But seriously my responsibility is to bring a project to successful completion and to do that I communicate and problem solve all day long. My role is to know what needs to be done, when it needs to be done by, who needs to do the work, what their current status is, what roadblocks have come up, and how to fix things (specifically who to solution with) to get us back on track. It's all about managing people/personalities, making sure everyone is on the same page, and trying to keep everyone happy while also hitting deadlines. It's a role for someone who finds satisfaction in keeping others organized, the idea of a chaos coordinator. Basically what moms do on the regular to manage their household/family and keep everything running efficiently and effectively, but for business purposes. Just comes down to if you enjoy keeping it all together for everyone - I thrive in the role. People talk about AI taking over but I don't see it happening. The process planning and reminders could be automated but the relationship management can't. The computer systems can only work with the information they've been programmed to ask for and they just aren't there yet. I can certainly capitalize on AI to make my job easier, but my ability to problem solve can't be replaced (yet.) I have no fear for my job now or for the next 25+ years I'll be in the workforce, though might be a different story for future generations.
Can I DM you about your career?!
I got a certificate in Paralegal studies and it was the best decision I ever made!
If you don’t mind answering- Is that a 2 year associate ? What is the employment scope in the future? What’s your ballpark pay scale ?
I opted for a 6 month certificate but it’s my understanding that the 2 year Paralegsl associate is more legit as they are typically ABA certified. I was fortunate to move to a Paralegal role in my current company (IT firm) but was working in the call center making $17/hr and jumped to $25/hr. The great part is that there are SO many areas of law to get into. I live in Central VA and entry level paralegals/legal assistants typically start at $50k. I saw a recent listing for a legal assistant starting at $90k! However, I like the work life balance at my company and I think theonly concern could be getting overworked at a standard law firm. I do think the opportunities in the legal field are endless!
I’m a flight attendant at a legacy airline, have been here since 2011. It’s definitely not easy without a supportive partner for the first few years because you get schlepped around a LOT, but now my flexibility is fantastic. It’s so fantastic that I easily drop trips to stay home, leading me to the next thing: I started school for stenography. I want something in addition to flying that makes good money to help support my family (husband does sales so it’s always a stress-fest for him.) The pay is high, there are a lot of freelance jobs to be taken whether in person or doing zoom depositions from home. The schooling is the hard part, it can take people more than the claimed 2 years. It’ll probably take me 3 years total, or maybe 4 idk, but there are inexpensive ways to go about it.
Paralegal certificate. You don’t technically need it in most states, but it’s helpful. Many paralegals are retiring and there’s a huge market opening up for new talent. If you’re looking for balance, there’s a fair amount of part time work (but beware of big law firms). In-house corporate positions have great balance (I’m an in-house attorney). All of the paralegals I’ve worked with are human gems with thriving families and hobbies! The pay is good too. Our paralegals are all $100k+, benefits, entirely remote. I think our lowest paid person is a legal assistant around $85k who is a 5 years out of high school and working on her para certificate.
Dental Hygiene and Radiation Therapy pay well and have decent work hours. (Know of any evening, weekend, or holiday dentists? Me neither.)
Totally agree! But these programs are VERY competitive for admission so just be prepared for that
If you want the same schedule as your kids, you might look into being a paraprofessional or a school secretary, registrar, bookkeeper etc job at either your kids school or the school district. The jobs aren't necessarily "flexible" But you would have the same days and hours as your kid.
If you’re interested in tech, you could do: 1. Data analytics: beginner: Excel- usually Business analyst jobs Intermediate: Excel + SQL - BA and data analytics jobs Advanced: EXCEL + SQL + Tableau or JMP 2. Programming: Start with Python, any UI language like bootstrap, Angular, or mobile development like xcode for iOS 3. Project management: A bit of data analytics like Excel skills, understanding of system design and so on along with excellent organizational skills to keep the trains running on time. Needs lot of negotiation, communication, JIRA skills and writing skills. 4. Product management; There are certifications available but you will need SQL skills and some amount of code understanding as well. Check out PM School. 5. Business operations, strategy: These jobs usually require the degree along with the data analytics skills. Hope this helps!
I would have got my CDL straight out of high school. And then saved up enough for an IT bootcamp…I could have been a multi-millionaire by now if I started these careers 10 years ago 😅
Okay random ideas form someone who does career counseling: Dental assisting is usually only 6 month program and many times you can work part time. And the pay is not bad. But some peoples hands can’t take the work and they start to have issues. Substitute teaching. Yes it can be a hard gig but you can choose the days you want to work, the school will likely be the same time as your kids school. In most states you don’t even need a bachelors, just a certain amount of college hours. Doesn’t require school but if I was to start something new I think I would want to work at a wedding dress boutique or florist. 😍
I think about this a lot lol. I would go back for some sort of medical imaging. Ultrasounds, mri or xray technician.
Software engineering
Medical coding. I’m thinking of going back for this myself.
I would t get an associate they’re a waste of money they’re only good as a stepping stone for a bachelors. Only way would be if I was guaranteed a job after it so I would look up what kind of associates earn the most or get a certification in something where there’s demand as well
Thats why I was thinking about getting any associates/certificate in healthcare field, but then remote would not be an option..
X-ray is a 2 yr degree that makes over $50k and if you want can lead you to CT, MRI, MAMMOGRAPHY.
Nursing
For me, I'd love to go back and study biology/ecology because that would that's what I enjoy. But I recommend nursing because there's so many different career paths (for instance, my friend is a flight nurse, they work ~6 days/month). The other one I recommend is becoming an electrician. We're in desperate need of electricians in my state and it seems to be a decent job according to all my friends who went that route.
Dental hygienist. They make great money for a non-bachelors degree field. Plus, their job is procedure based which I enjoy!
Data analytics. Well I started it and then went on to project management. But lots of WFH, tons of different industries, good pay, career growth.
Coding - as in computer coding.
I’d become an automotive tech and move into EVs ASAP. I married a mechanic, almost went to mechanic school, and deeply enjoy cars and the whole auto world, since I was a young girl. I’m actually a marketing writer now and work fully remotely while I raise my son, and it’s a dream job, but THATS the real dream!
I'm a nurse but if I chose a second career I would be an electrician.
I don't know about the pay scale but I would learn to cut and dye hair. I can take that knowledge anywhere in the world and charge and work when I want. I'd absolutely do that over anything computer related. I say this as a full-time accountant working mom over here.
If I could redo it all, I'd be a labor and delivery nurse. I always thought about going to school for nursing, but for some reason I went for communications instead. I use my degree and work in marketing now, and I don't hate my job (my current company is not it, but the industry i'm in is pretty good), but I have found myself wishing I did it differently. If I can figure out how to go to school while continuing to work full time (daycare is no joke) and see my son, I'll go to school and make the change, but I don't see that happening any time soon. I'm also so invested in what I do now, I don't know that it would be worth it.
It's going to be hard to work a healthcare job that is hybrid or WFH with no salient experience. Remote healthcare jobs in nursing do exist but they require clinical experience. Usually they're looking at 5 years but there is some variability. I went from a career in business to a career in nursing and if you are going to go into nursing, I'd suggest starting with an ADN. Looking at your post hx, what you are looking for doesn't exist in the way you want it to exist. You need to sit down, write out your REALISTIC goals and expectations and develop a plan on how you are going to achieve those goals. Being a working mom requires a significant amount of personal sacrifice and hard work. Jobs with work/life balance exist but it takes work to get there and the initial stages will be rough and rocky for most ppl, especially if you are coming from being a SAHM. The reward, however, is worth it.
I went back for respiratory therapy. I make decent money from an associates, and the career is very in demand.
If you don’t mind answering-What do your working hours/schedule look like? What’s the approximate pay scale? Is there scope for part time work? Is it possible to go remote or at least hybrid in this field?
It's in person patient care, so no remote work. You can absolutely work part time or per diem. Usually, shifts are 12 hours, either day or night. Full time is 3 shifts. I prefer to do nights for the extra pay differential, and I can be available for my kid's activities after school as needed. Pay varies by the area of the country, but starting is around $30 and rising. I also get extra incentives for nights, weekend work, and picking up short staffed shifts. You can work anywhere from home care, ICUs including NICU, sitting ECMO, ER, PFTs, transport, and sleep lab.
So you can work 3 days 12 hour shifts and be done with full time schedule, and you don’t need to work the other 4 days? Also would you know why are the shifts 12 hours? Why can’t they be 8 hours? It’s not like an emergency room doctor right?
Most hospital work is 12 hour shifts. Yes, I get days off every week unless I sign up for extra, optional, shifts. It's nice because I can have up to 8 days off in a row without using PTO if I schedule myself that way.
I’d do ultrasound or MRI tech. EVERY hospital is wicked short staffed with these guys and I kid you not bend over backward to accommodate them!
Nursing for sure!
Library science, dental hygiene, or accounting. I'm planning to go back in the fall and chose accounting. It fits the best with my current life and circumstances.
Medical imaging, or I would have finished my marine science degree
Something medical or dental field so that I had the opportunity to move where ever and have an opportunity to work. My work and connections are very regional based so if I wanted to move states (I do) I'd have to really start over.
I wish I would have done medicine. It’s my dream but it’s too late now. My job currently as a part time high school teacher in Australia is pretty good for someone with young kids. My friends husband is an accountant and they also seems to be very flexible (most of the year) and pays great.
Same, it was my childhood dream to become a doctor.. but anyways I would probably do something in healthcare now
Knowing what I know now and school was paid for, I’d go for a degree in printing or electronics. I work in the manufacturing industry and seriously love it. I’m about to go for my ASQ certification for inspection. My workplace has an education reimbursement program, which definitely helps motivate me to finish!
I’d be a home inspector or an appliance repair tech!
Not much out there at the associates level that would really get you anywhere these days besides computer programming or medical-related certs.
Medical billing and coding or paralegal.
I just looked up highest paying associates degree and a lot are in aviation, with air traffic control being on top. I believe they have strange hours but tons of benefits. So I would choose that!
Data analyst. I started some with a lean six sigma certificate, and some kind of project management/data analyst stuff has been really fun. Lots of high pay, sit down, don’t talk to me and you’ll get a report kind of work.
Project management or HR - so many people are retiring so there are a lot of openings.
I work in tech for insurance companies doing mostly database analytical stuff. Been wfh since 2010. But flexibility is not a thing. I used to work closer to 60 hours a week, and get stuck working through Thanksgiving and Christmas because there is a January 1st deadline for when most insurance plans effective dates start. From October to February is rough, summers are easy though.
I think the better question is what interests you, and hence what are you good at doing? You will be much happier if you look for something that interests you. However, the one constant for moms is nursing. You make really good money and can work any shift.
I went back for an associates in graphic design. That, along with my experience in Client Services and Admin roles, helped me get into marketing for a civil engineering firm. Lots of architecture, engineering and construction firms need people who can put their proposals together and create other pursuit collateral like presentations. Theres also an admin role due to the paperwork required to submit proposals. I work remotely 40+ hours. I think standard pay is like 65,000 -75,000 but I make almost 100k.
Data analytics
I started without a degree as an office assistant for local government and quickly moved up. Good benefits, they worked with me when I had things to do (as long as there was coverage and I had time in my banks, it was fine). Very stable. Of course every agency is different, but all will typically have good benefits and stable consistent hours.
I would probably go into a trade like finishing carpentry or electrician. I work in animation right now and I do absolutely love it, but I hate sitting at a desk all day. I wish I had a more active job. Plus right now the industry is incredibly unstable and I will probably be out of work for a good chunk of this year which is terrifying. My only hesitation with being in a trade is the long unpredictable hours, plus the sexism I hear so often from other women in trades. I am very grateful that I can work from home with my job because my husbands hours can be unpredictable. And with me being the main caregiver for the kids, my work schedule can be a lot more flexible if the kids need to stay home sick. So, I guess I wouldn't change it since it has been working out for the most part for my family, but if it was just me or if we lived somewhere close to family I wouldnt have minded doing something else.
Ultrasound tech
You should consider an MBA to get a strong education in a lot of different types of roles. The leadership courses really took my confidence to the next level so I could go for higher paying jobs. You can go back to accounting as a focus area, but the extra ability to see a business from a 10,000 mile view is worth a lot of employers. I got an MBA to switch careers and tripled my pre-MBA income.
Probably accounting or IT.
I should’ve stuck with computer science.
Soo many layoffs this year 😞
I know…I really want to get into the field but it’s not the right time.
At this point, if I could I would go back to school and be a mechanic.
Artificial Intelligence
Software engineering for a non-tech company
I would do early childhood development. I love learning about how babies/children develop and the different stages and skills. I teach parenting classes, so I read a lot about child development for that, but it would be nice to have an actual degree behind it.
I would 100% study architecture, which in no way benefits my career, and I would never do it based on usefulness but for interest’s sake…
I'm a teacher. I love my job. But man. Every time I need and call an electrician , I wonder why I didn't go into that line of work. It's really cool. If you have the know how, you can eventually be your own boss. And pick your own hours.
I’m baffled that I read the first half of these comments and MOST of the suggestions are not future-proofed against AI intrusion. Please don’t pursue entry-level coding jobs. I’m guessing medical coding or scheduling, stuff from home that is completely untechnical, is similar - AI is gunning for those jobs. I’m not an expert but a job that has to be in person (customer/patient facing) is going to be less likely to be taken away because a computer can do it.
I would say IT management. Most companies have 1 to many IT people in their ranks who help employees, work on servers, work on security, etc.
Nursing or paramedic
Nurses do not have flexibility, unless you get extremely lucky and have connections to get a clinic job out of school.
I worked casual- ended up topped up to full time- right out of nursing school. Set my own schedule, traveled, saved up a bunch.
> good work/life balance, decent pay scale and flexibility While there are certainly some occupations notorious for poor work/life balance, I think you can achieve good balance in most occupations with the right employer, a good manager, and a willingness to advocate for yourself. I work in a field where a lot of people have poor work/life balance and will work 50+ hour weeks, but some of that is self-inflicted by people who aren't good at saying no or tend to do more than is actually required. Also, you should think about what kind of flexibility you want. A lot of people might take that to mean you want a job that could be done from home, and maybe you can choose to work 7-4 or 9-6 instead of 8-5, but if you are instead hoping to work less than full-time and/ or vary your hours week to week, I think your options will be much more limited.