Hellobee Boards

I don't have good ideas for you, but I'm glad you're getting out of there!

Teacher!

Bank teller?

I don't make much but I like what I do and the conditions are great for a mom!

I work in a clinic doing medical records and patient scheduling. I work in a cubicle. My supervisors are awesome and they are amazing about pumping, stepping away for personal calls, leaving early if your kid is sick, calling in sick etc.. It makes my job so enjoyable. Everyone is really positive and willing to help each other. I love the environment.

Both Wagon Sr. and I chose jobs that are family-friendly! Our job functions exist at many different kinds of companies, but we both work for companies that place emphasis on work/life balance and we both have bosses who are sensitive to our needs as parents. We both make significantly less than what we COULD make at other companies, but we take the less pay for the quality of life that our jobs guarantee.

We both work for non-profits. I work for a museum and he works in academia (higher education). I used to work for a marketing agency and hours there are quite different (as is the pay!). Wagon Sr. has always worked in academia.

Ditto what @Weagle: said - what's your background/work/school history?

@cmomma17: I know you work in higher ed, can you find a position that would have you join a union? When I worked for a city university (like a state school) I was a member of a union, and although salaried, I worked 9 to 5 most times.

Or can you work for your city/state? I'm looking for a union job myself!

@cmomma17: It pays well for me - considering I didn't have any experience in healthcare and just a two year AA degree... but to someone who has had a career for awhile, it probably wouldn't seem all that great. But pay is also DOE! Just check some open positions as hospitals and clinics around you. One of the main reasons I did take this position is because of how many opportunities there are to move forward- and not just in my department. One lady who started where I am just got promoted to managing TWO clinics!

Oh and I'm sure a huge part of family-friendliness on the job depends on your supervisors! Considering you have experience in colleges - I would imagine you could find a school position that would treat you well! My husband is a teacher at a private business college and he works set amount of hours and treat him well.

@cmomma17: I know, it's tough to judge a job or boss (I've been burned in the past!). We both got lucky with our current bosses, but if I interview in the future I know I'll ask the hiring manager about their family and talk extensively about mine. You can tell a lot by someone's demeanor when talking about family! If it's someone who can't deal with the idea of having to leave early to pick up a sick kid from daycare, then I know I can't work for that person because they'd probably fire me.

Wagon Sr. isn't a professor-- he has always worked in administration at medical schools. Right now he works for a small drug development research department at a large medical school.

If I were you I would comb the HR sites for any local universities as well as other non-profits like museums, public television, hospitals, charities... it's where a lot of people who have worked in the corporate world end up after they burn out. From your experience it sounds like you could fit in at any kind of department of any of those kinds of companies, in the administration. Perhaps running their website, or their social media (that's a whole new position that has been born in the past 5 years!). Or helping to produce marketing materials or their newsletter.

I was a communications major too! With a concentration in graphic design. I'm a web producer now. If you can find a company that's hiring an internal web producer or a project manager for their digital media group, that's where you would probably fit in! Especially if it's a company that employs an agency to do the actual design and development work. Then it's basically your job to go between the decision makers of the company and the agency.

@cmomma17: What about a different field within higher ed? I too work in higher ed in a position that has night/weekend responsibilities and am considering moving out of my specialty and into another area. I think from your thread you stated that you work in academic support. What about advising? Registrar's? Bursar's? Those areas tend to be much more 9 to 5 positions. Generally, higher ed is family friendly but I find that the positions like ours with the extra time requirements aren't as flexible.

@cmomma17: I'd like to stay in a similar field. I've been looking at local universities and other non-profits. My degree is in advertising and public relations and previously I was a graphic designer. My supervisor is kind of why I want to change. I spend a lot of my time not being able to do my actual job because I keep having random tasks thrown at me.

@cmomma17: in my experience it's hard to get into healthcare without healthcare experience. I got in through a friend's referral. If not for her, I don't think I would have been called for an interview.

@cmomma17: I've never gotten a job through applying alone. Always through networking!

Look for online editor positions!

Good luck!

I'm a school based SLP. I work school hours with all the holidays and vacation time. Very schoolaged kid friendly. Even though my job is flexible, I don't plan to go back to it full time after our kids reach school ages. Part time, maybe but I can see loving being a SAHM. Husband is in law enforcement. While his shifts are 10 hours, he only works 4 days a week. Once he gets retired, he's going to go into nursing for the flexible hours. 3-12s with 4 days off isn't too bad.

We have friends who have a LO and mom is a nurse part time (2 12.5 hour days) and dad is a cop. They have their schedule worked out to where LO doesn't go to daycare. It takes some finagling but they make it work.

@cmomma17: i'm in project management and this job can be found in all fields/industries. it's the type of job that would allow you to be able to work from home some of the time since you don't have to be in an office to do the job well.

if i were you, i'd probably look at the fortune 500 list of companies and start there - go on their actual websites, most have a "career" section, and see if there are any postings that fit your skill set. i prefer to work for large corporations because in order to stay competitive and attract the best talent, they tend to offer more attractive benefits packages, including ways to increase work/life balance. there is also a lot more at stake for them so in order to cover their butts, a lot of them have policies in place to protect the employees.

here's the fortune 500 list for 2013 - a lot of them have offices all over the states, so maybe there's something in VA? http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2013/full_list/index.html?iid=F500_sp_full

good luck!

@cmomma17: i totally agree with you that the type of supervisor you end up with can make or break you! sometimes it is the luck of the draw, unfortunately