Having a child can be exciting, joyful and exhilarating, as well as overwhelming, stressful and terrifying. Although there are plenty of unknowns about becoming a parent, one thing’s for certain; your priorities will change.
Whilst your career may have been your main focus pre-parenthood, you’ll take on another important role when you have a child. Many working parents struggle to find the right balance. When you’re at home, you may be worried about your growing workload and, when you’re in the office, you may feel guilty that you’re not with your children.
Fortunately, flexible job roles are enabling parents to enjoy a rewarding career alongside family life. Instead of feeling consistently torn between competing duties, parents can now devote themselves to raising their children and excelling in their chosen careers.
If you want to create the perfect balance between career and parenting, take a look at these top flexible job roles now…
Working in the legal profession might seem like a difficult choice for a parent but that’s no longer the case. New working styles are transforming the legal industry and making it a viable option for working parents.
Innovative law firms and organisations, such as Passion for Law, are creating a dynamic, flexible working environment for lawyers, which means you can combine your legal career with family life. As a consultant solicitor, you’ll be able to choose your own caseload, set your own fee structure and handpick your clients but you’ll also have the benefits of working within a professional team environment.
This unique approach ensures working parents aren’t restricted from reaching the top of the profession and gives experienced lawyers a range of options if they choose to diversify and switch to a more flexible way of working.
If you’re analytical, organised and have a good head for maths, accountancy may be the perfect career choice. However, working in a traditional accountancy firm may not offer you the working patterns you need. Like the legal professional, the accounting industry is characterised by long hours and high pressure, particularly as the end of the financial year looms.
When you opt to work as a consultant or an independent accountant, however, you can be free of the constraints associated with working in a traditional firm. Instead of having fixed hours and minimal control over your workload, you can choose which hours you work and where you operate from.
In addition to this, accountancy gives you the opportunity to increase flexibility by using the latest technology to enhance your professional services. With cloud computing and bespoke software, for example, you can access client data in real-time and perform your duties from any location.
The internet has changed the way the world works, so it’s no surprise that web consultants are in consistently high demand. Whether you’re proficient in programming languages, skilled at web design or a quick-thinking trouble-shooter, you can use your talents to create a flexible career.
Working in the tech industry can be fun, fast-paced and flexible, particularly if you develop a career as a consultant. Many web experts enjoy the freedom of working on their own terms, particularly if they’re raising a family. When you take advantage of the flexibility a career as a web consultant offers, you can spend as much time with your children as you like and fit your work duties around school hours and childcare arrangements.
With the option to reduce your hours during school holidays, take a spontaneous day off if your child’s unwell or book a holiday at short-notice, web consultancy can be a great way to incorporate flexibility into your career.
What does being a consultant involve?
When you develop a career as a consultant, you can choose how much independence you would like. Whilst some consultants choose to operate on a self-employed basis without the support of a team around them, there are other options available too.
In many instances, you can establish yourself as a consultant and still benefit from being a key team player. With support staff around you, an optional office base and support with marketing, for example, you can combine the benefits of working in a traditional working environment with the flexibility a role as a consultant offers.
Ultimately, your career as a consultant can be as flexible as you choose. From complete independence to a little more autonomy; being a consultant can offer the freedom you’ve been looking for.