- Finance
If crunching numbers is your calling, becoming an accountant is a great option. Small businesses need accountants to prepare taxes, maintain financial records and offer investment advice. Becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) requires a bachelor’s degree, additional training and you’ll need to pass the CPA exam. But once you are certified, you control your schedule and the number of clients.
- Sales
There might be travel involved and a goal/quota, but you just might get to set your own hours.
- Health and Nutrition
From dietitians to physical therapists, jobs in the health industry offer flexible hours and give you some face time with other adults. Becoming a fitness instructor can be a faster way, sans-degree, to fit in flexible hours during the day while getting paid to exercise.
- Medicine
Working in a hospital can mean flexible schedules and an array of shifts: 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Certain types of doctors can set up private practices with partners and create their own hours, nurses can choose certain shifts and personal health aides can only apply for jobs that meet their schedule.
- Technology
Web developers, many of whom can work from home as independent contractors, can earn great money. Startup tech companies often look for content managers to translate techy-speak into layman’s terms. A basic knowledge of WordPress is usually all that’s required and the hourly rate can be more than $40. If you have a deeper understanding of coding and web design, market yourself as a freelance graphic designer, which might require some face time with clients, but most of the work can be done from home.
- Education
Curriculum developers, online adjunct professors and substitute teacher positions are excellent part-time jobs. If you have a bachelor’s degree, or in some cases an associate’s degree, you can pick up substitute teaching jobs when it’s convenient. Plus, any career in education offers a rewarding opportunity to positively impact many lives.
- Law
Whether you do freelance law research or set up client office hours, your knowledge is in high demand.
- Managerial Positions
The skills you cultivate being a parent translate well to management roles — delegation, prioritization and working under pressure come naturally to you. When Kate Attea decided to it was time to return to the workforce, the mother of four looked for a part-time job that was challenging and flexible. She found her perfect fit as a managing director of a Chicago non-profit organization. She says, “it was important to contribute to the company at a level that was highly influential … at the same time, I needed to be able to arrange my work calendar around my kids’ schedule.” Executive-level and managerial positions often give you the ability to choose the best people to run parts of the business, giving you the flexibility to set your own hours and work from home when needed.
- Consulting/Advising Jobs
The skills and expertise you have might just be something you could contract for at an hourly or project-based rate. Take on one to two small projects or clients at a time, and grow your business from there.
- Entrepreneur/Owner
Have an idea? Why not start your own part-time business? With the ease of creating a basic website or selling goods on a site like Etsy, you can take a small idea and make big money — setting your own hours along the way.
Whether cutting back your hours or starting the job search up again, going part-time might just give you more of the balance you’ve been craving, especially once you have your hours and schedule straightened out. Just remember that you will still need to create a village of support, including friends, parents, a partner and babysitters to step in when you physically can’t. Above all, remember to keep a positive attitude and remember the objectives that started this process in the first place.
Want more ideas? Check out these 12 Best Part-Time Jobs and How to Find Them.
Molly Blake is a freelance writer. The mother of two works from home part time and writes about the military, business, parenting, technology and lifestyle.
