Let’s be real here: The best jobs for moms are the jobs that offer flexibility. Whether you are up at night with a newborn or planning a graduation party for your high school child, having flexibility is key for your career.
Sadly too many employers don’t recognize the demands on working mothers. Mothers are expected to leave their personal life at home and be on autopilot at work. It’s tough to find, but there are employers who are progressive when it comes to working moms. It’s scary that it has come to a point where even asking a prospective employee if they are married or have a family is illegal in most states, and most moms cringe if they are asked. In this article, we will share things to look for when considering a career if you have a family, the best jobs for moms and more.
Getting a flexible job as a Mom is competitive. Think about it like this: you’re selling the company on a major investment in you, so you need to do everything you can to get an edge. Investing a little money to have a professional resume writing service polish up your resume can be the edge you need. Check out our guide to the best resume writing services to get started today.
If you are a Mom looking for a job, we recommend ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is the best place to find part-time, full-time or flexible careers. Applying for jobs on ZipRecruiter is free! Get started with ZipRecruiter today!
What Mothers Should Look for from an Employer
Before diving into our top job recommendations for moms, it may be helpful to consider some of the features that you should look for in an employer as a mom.
JOBS THAT OFFER FLEXIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITY
Look for jobs that offer both flexibility and the opportunity for growth. A good position may allow you to work at your own pace and provide opportunities for growth based on your hard work.
Having flexibility is one of the most important benefits for the best jobs for moms. Whether you are a new mother or the mother of a high school age child, there are still demands even though they are different. A new mother may look for jobs that offer a nursing room, which is a big advantage to nursing mothers. Having a quiet room to spread out your equipment and relax while your pump is humming away is invaluable. A mother who has a high school age child may need to be available for a variety of important events. Being a mom isn’t limited to having preschool age children, many moms with older children need flexibility too.
SUBSTANTIAL FAMILY LEAVE
Generous family leave can take the stress out of the huge life transition of having kids. Look for a company that offers some serious fully paid family leave. Unfortunately, a lot of maternity leaves are unpaid or partially paid, and even fewer are extended to dads and new adoptive parents. Having paternity leave in addition to maternity leave is a major bonus for any family.
However, there are companies that offer significant paid time off for new mothers. Do your research and ask questions so you fully understand the leave options that are available for any potential job opportunities.
CHILD CARE OPTIONS
Dependable child care would be at the top of the list for most moms, if an employer offered that. Some employers do have on-site day care centers which allow moms to bring their child to work with them. There are several other options, such as referral day care centers, where most of the employees bring their children. Some companies can offer backup child care options for last minute cancellations for scrambling parents.
Child care is nearly non-existent in the workplace today. However, there are several companies who still offer it today, either free or subsidized on-site child care. Patagonia stands out as a company that offers on-site childcare. The CEO believes it pays for itself because turnover with employees in the on-site child care program is 25% less than the rest of the workforce at the company. Women also make up half of the workforce, including half of the upper management positions at Patagonia. Yahoo is also a big company rumored to offer childcare for free. Other big companies, like Google, offer subsidized child care on-site.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS OPTIONS
More and more companies are starting to recognize the benefits of their employees being active and in good physical condition. Some are having gyms on the premises where others are allowing you to pop out during the day provided you make up the time on the other end. This is another stress reliever for working moms to be able to get a workout in without having to try to squeeze it in after work.
Best Part-Time Jobs For Moms
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT
Median National Salary:$39,680 per year
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
Job Duties: A virtual assistant can be a freelance job or a traditional one. Virtual assistants assist in the day-to-day activities of whoever is enlisting their help. The position is remote. Activities can include: responding to emails, editing documents, responding to business and media inquiries, maintaining and scheduling a calendar, or social media management. The list is almost endless, and what you would be doing depends on the company and industry that you’d be working for.
Virtual assistant work could be either part-time or full-time work. Check out our guide to learn where to find virtual assistant jobs.
Related: How To Become A Freelancer
REALTOR
Median National Salary: $48,770 per year
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
Job Duties: Real estate agents help clients buy, sell and rent properties. Real estate is an excellent choice for moms. You can have the ability to juggle appointments that coordinate with your children's schedules. Some realtors work in teams, providing even more flexibility, covering for each other as needed. Many realtors work late in the evening and early in the morning researching homes for people. Much of the work that you need to do can be done right from your home. The upside of being a realtor is that you can do very well in a limited amount of time.
Venus Morris Griffin is a single-mother was drowning in debt and forced to re-enter the workforce in order to keep the bills paid and her children fed. She obtained her real estate license in 2008 and has become Augusta’s premier realtor. This is a great example of a single Mom who juggled caring for her children alone while working as a realtor.
TUTOR
Median National Salary: $51,985
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Job Duties: A tutor who gives individual attention to a student in need of assistance with a particular academic subject or in preparation for an exam.
If you were a good student or had a teaching background, tutoring is a good option for you. There are a lot of companies out there looking for tutors, this makes a great choice for part-time moms.
Driver
Median National Salary: $82,763
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
Job Duties: As a driver for a rideshare company, you use your personal vehicle to transport people and groups of people from one place to another. Being a driver could be a great lucrative part-time gig as a mom!
Related: Best Sites To Find Gig Work
Freelance
Median National Salary: varies depending on type of freelance work
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
Job Duties: As a freelancer, your duties will vary depending on the type of freelance work you do. 43% of women leave the workforce after having a child. Wouldn’t it make more sense to try to stay in the workforce by using your skillset to work flexible hours as a freelancer? Once the family is more manageable, you can return to your full potential without feeling you’ve been out of the workforce too long.
As a freelancer you could write, edit, design, edit videos, etc. The options are endless! To learn more about becoming a freelancer, check out our guide to the best freelancing courses.
The Best Full-Time Jobs for Moms
Recruiter
Median National Salary: $62,290
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Job Duties: Recruiters are in charge of finding, screening and interviewing applicants for job openings in an organization. They often search for applicants by posting listings, attending career fairs and visiting college campuses. You will need to identify skills needed to fill vacancies. You will need to gain an understanding of business objectives, operations, and work environments. You’ll screen candidate for basic qualifications and connect right candidates to the right roles.
Dental Hygienist
Median National Salary: $77,810
Education Required: Associate’s degree
Job Duties: Dental hygienists check patients for oral diseases and provide preventive care, such as teeth cleanings. Often, they will also educate patients about oral health.
A dental hygienist can work part-time hours and still earn a decent income. This could be a full-time or par-time role.
Massage Therapists
Median National Salary: $46,910
Education Required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Job Duties: Massage therapists treat clients with their hands to massage muscles. Massage therapists can help with pain, help with injuries, reduce stress and help with relaxation.
Sonographer
Median National Salary: $75,380
Education Required: Associate’s degree
Job Duties: Sonographers specialize in getting images of the body’s organs and tissues. The images that sonographers collect are called sonograms.
Healthcare is a great field for moms. Many of the jobs in the industry operate around the clock leaving a lot of flexibility for when you choose to work.
Fitness Trainer
Median National Salary: $40,700
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
Job Duties: Work with individuals to help them achieve their health and fitness goals. Fitness trainers can work as independent contractors or be associated with a gym. As a fitness trainer, you will help create workout plans and help your clients reach their goals.
Being a fitness trainer is a great way to stay in shape while helping others. If you have the ability to motivate and elevate people, this is a good job for you. The hours are very flexible and can be done on evenings and weekends if needed. You could even work with moms coming off their pregnancy.
Elementary Teacher
Median National Salary: $61,350
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Job Duties: Educate and instruct children in a classroom setting.
Elementary Teacher you would have basically the same hours as your children with the same days off. If you are a creative person and you enjoy being around children, this may be a good option for you. Having summers off is a nice touch, but the maternity leave isn’t all that great, especially if you have a baby at the end of the summer.
Nurse
Median National Salary: $77,600
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Job Duties: Nurses provide patient care, care for patients, provide emotional support to patients and their families, administer medications and operate medical equipment.
Women like to care for people by nature, so it comes as no surprise that many mothers are drawn to this type of occupation.
Childcare Provider
Median National Salary: $27,490
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
Job Duties: Care for and look after children. This involves diapering, feeding, ensuring safety, playing, doing crafts and maybe even teaching educational materials.
Childcare can be a great option for moms because you may be able to be with your own kiddo all day!
Where To Find Jobs For Moms
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is our top recommendation for anyone looking for a job. ZipRecruiter helps you apply for jobs with a single click! You can also upload your resume to their resume database so that recruiters and employers who use ZipRecruiter can find you.
For more detailed information, check out our ZipRecruiter review.
The Mom Project
The Mom Project is a platform that helps to support women throughout their working motherhood journey. You can search for career opportunities on their platform from vetted, family-friendly employers.
reacHIRE
reacHIRE is a job search platform that helps you have a successful return-to-work experience. If you are a mom that took time away from your career to raise your kiddos, reacHIRE has job opportunities and resources that may be able to help you.
Resources For Working Moms
Resume Writing Services
If you’re looking for a new career as a mom, or if you are returning to the workforce, you may need help with your resume. Resume writing services are an affordable way to get professional help with your resume. Check out our guide to the best resume writing services to learn more.
Bottom Line
Now that you know some of the top jobs for Moms, you can get started on your job search. If you are ready to start your job hunt today, get started with ZipRecruiter.