10 LEGIT Jobs for a Work From Home Mom
More and more people are looking for jobs that can be done from home. Many of those people are moms who are looking for a way to make money during naptime, nighttime, and on their own schedule. it is no surprise that work-from-home rates are going up and people are becoming more and more creative about how they make money. Stay-at-home moms make up a big chunk of the work from home community. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom by choice or by circumstance, you may want to still have a way to have your own income or identity in a type of work. Here we will discuss work from home mom opportunities that are legitimate and describe what each one is and requires.
(And if you don't, listen, being a SAHM is hella hard and rewarding as it is... there is NO pressure here to work if you do not want/need it!)
Things to consider when looking for a work from home mom job
If you are looking for a way to make money from home while also raising your kids, you want to make sure you find something that fits your needs, goals, and lifestyle. You also want to make sure your work has legitimate opportunities to bring in an income without the huge overhead, time constraints, etc.
What are you good at or what can you easily learn?
Chances are, you already have a skill set that you can consider when looking for work-from-home opportunities. Take time to write down the skills you have from your previous work, education, and life experience. Highlight the skills you believe would be most transferable to a work-from-home opportunity. Also, consider what you can easily learn to build your skillset.
What are your lifestyle needs?
There is no sugar-coating it, working from home with kids around can be very challenging. Taking care of the child(ren) is already more than a full-time job, so adding in outside work needs careful intention. Get realistic about your schedule and what time you have available. Look at what kind of money you want or need to make to be sustainable. Think about what kind of work would be enjoyable and not drain you.
What do you miss about your previous work?
Workplaces are a huge social construct in our lives. They provide community, feedback, purpose, identity, etc. If you are like me, you may miss some of the aspects of a workplace and be looking to fill that space in your life. Do you miss teamwork? Take that into consideration when looking at work-from-home jobs. Do you need gratification and a "thank you" from others? Do you like to lead and facilitate? All of these can help you narrow down what opportunities are right for you.
12 Work From Home Mom Jobs
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant is someone who helps another business virtually. You may be responsible for a number of things based on the needs of the business and the agreement you come up with. As a virtual assistant, you usually have time flexibility as long as your projects are completed by the deadline. A virtual assistant does tasks from managing and sending emails, creating organization systems, content creation, etc.
A VA is one of our favorite work-from-home mom jobs because it is flexible and there is a lot of room to grow. If you have a good relationship with the business owner you work for, that can be a great perk if you crave interaction and feedback.
Related Workshop: Case Study: Inside The 3 Core Discoveries I Made That Launched My Path to Career Freedom+ Allowed Me To Put In My 2 Weeks With Confidence!
Consultant
Do (or did) you work in an industry where you were a thought leader? Do you have a specific skill that benefits businesses or individuals? Continue to use your skills as a consultant. Consultants help a business in their area of expertise without being a hired employee, but instead usually a contractor. You might be a business development consultant, HR consultant, diversity & inclusion consultant, marketing consultant, etc. If a job paid you to do it full-time, there may be opportunities to continue to use that skill but on your time clock.
Another way moms find consulting is through things like lactation, nutrition, and sleep consulting. If you have gone through your own experience and want to help other moms, you may pursue a consulting business. Regulations and training differ for each type of work so you will start by researching requirements. (Ex: IBCLC certification or sleep consultant certification)
Related: Know you want to help but need clarity to start a business?
Online Teaching
If you have a knack for kids and can be enthusiastic in the early morning hours, online teaching can be great for you. There are a variety of platforms and types of online teaching. Personally, as a new mom, I worked for VIPKID and taught ESL. The hours were early, but it was a time I could do before my husband left for work. I liked VIPKID because the scheduling was easy and the content was already created for me. There are other options like Outschool where you make your own course content and teach a variety of topics.
Travel Agent
A travel agent works with companies and individuals to create awesome travel experiences. Some moms that I know work to build Disney vacations for others. As a travel agent, you will keep up with discounts and opportunities and build a base of travel-desiring families you can serve.
Online Selling- Things You Create
Online selling is broken into two categories because they are quite different. If you are selling things you create, you are making something new to meet a need of a customer. This might be handmade crafts, digital downloads, or another creation that you offer directly to a consumer. This is a great way to use a skill and talent.
Online Selling-Reselling
Dropshipping is when you promote a third-party product and it is sent directly to the consumer. The product does not touch your hands, but you market it, gain interest from consumers, and arrange for it to be shipped to them. As a dropshipper, you may curate shops on Amazon, Instagram, or other places to lead people to products.
Transcribing
Transcribing is taking audio and making it text that your client can utilize. While there are some AI options for transcription, many people need a human to accurately reflect the audio into text. Many times these are used to make a podcast into a blog post or to add captions to a Youtube video.
Book Keeper
Are you organized and numbers-oriented? A bookkeeper is an important part of a business. As a bookkeeper, you keep the numbers organized and report to the owner. A bookkeeper often works on her own schedule and can take on more or fewer clients based on your time and capacity.
Social Media Manager
If captions and hashtags are your jam, you may thrive as a social media manager. Many businesses know the importance of being present on social media but may not have the skills or employees. As a social media manager, you may create content, schedule and post content, and/or interact with the audience.
Related: Getting started as a freelancer (Free guide)
Influencer and Affiliate Marketing
Many companies are ditching billboards and bench ads and turning to influencers to share their products and services. Much of this happens on social media platforms and blogs. In order to do this, you will need an audience to share with. You also will want to explore influencer networks or go directly to the brands you want to promote and work with.
Stay True to YOU!
Two factors of success that go hand-in-hand:
1. Find something that is true to you.
Whether it is a skill you already have or it is something you are genuinely interested in learning. If you feel like you have to portray something that is not truly you, it is time to back away! (I see this most often with influencer and blog marketing. Authenticity is king!)
2. Have and grow your business knowledge.
Being good at or enjoying something does not guarantee the money will come in. If you are putting in time and energy, you must have a plan for being compensated. This is when getting extra support from someone who has been there come in handy. Two resources we trust for learning to build and grow a business:
Micala Quinn's Overwhelmed to Overbooked (Specifically good for VAs, bookkeepers, social media managers, other freelancers)
Momma Biz Academy (Specifically good for doulas, coaches, lactation or sleep consultants, etc.)
Remember, as a mom you are already doing enough and are worthy. If you are looking to use your skills, add income, and/or have the personal gratification of work these options are a great place to start for work from home mom jobs.