4 Caregivers Who Found Flexible Jobs to Support Themselves

There are no shortage of reasons why someone would need a flexible job. But one of the biggest reasons that we see at FlexJobs is from caregivers who need a schedule that can adapt to their caregiving needs. These four caregivers used FlexJobs to find flexible jobs to support themselves. Read their stories, and then learn how you can find flexible work to help you in your caregiving position, too!

4 Caregivers Who Found Flexible Jobs to Support Themselves

1. “Desiring a work-from-home position that would enable to me to also care for my aging father, I came to FlexJobs. FlexJobs made the process of searching and applying for positions, simple. I was able to apply to several companies whose openings required skills and experience similar to mine. In my case, I was contacted by an employer who found me on FlexJobs and after one week of interviewing, I was offered a position! This position as an independent contractor, works perfectly for me as it is part-time, no commute, the pay is perfect, and fits with my need to be available for family. Thank you to FlexJobs for making this resource available!”

Monica D. from Flower Mound, Texas
Practice Growth Specialist with DVMelite

2. “Being a mother of seven special needs children and a therapist I thought it would be impossible to find a job that would meet my demands. However, I signed up for a free trial with FlexJobs and within 10 minutes I found the perfect online position. I cannot thank you enough for being here.”

Janelle S. from Coventry, Rhode Island
Therapist with Talkspace

3. “FlexJobs is a great service, and though is reasonably priced for what I get, I just have to cut costs right now. I will be back later in the year. Thanks, FlexJobs. I left my full-time position as a quality engineer in order to pursue a work-from-home position. I needed more flexibility to care for an elderly parent, as well as to have time to travel to see my children and grandchild. However, I wasn’t ready for retirement. FlexJobs was a fabulous resource for my job search. I was impressed with the professionalism of the webinars and job-search tools. I was able to find a job within a couple of weeks. I love my new job as a freelance scientific editor because I can work from anywhere and I can work as little or as much as I want. Thank you!”

Catherine M. from Stillwater, Minnesota
Freelance Editing Specialist with Cactus Communications

4. “FlexJobs provided many more remote work listings than I could find through LinkedIn. I need to live near my parents due to some aging-related health issues. Unfortunately, they live out in the woods in rural Virginia, so finding a remote job was a big deal for me. I responded to a number of listings that I found through FlexJobs and finally found a great new job that lets me live close to home. Thanks for the help!”

Phil G. from Richmond, Virginia
Solution Architect with Motorola Solutions

If you’re a caregiver, how can you find a flexible job to support you and your responsibilities?

Be realistic.

Caregiving can be quite time-consuming. So before you determine to look for full-time telecommuting jobs, take an honest look at how much time you can truly devote to a job. While you might want to work 40 hours a week, the demands on your time might mean that you’ll only be able to work a part-time job instead.

Know your own needs.

Whether you’re caring for an aging parent or small children (or in some cases, both), it can be draining. That’s why you need to be good to yourself during your flexible job search. Take time out do things that will make you happy and restore your spirit. Meet with friends for lunch or do something special, like indulging in a yummy treat. Caring for yourself will only help you to care for others, and make your job search smoother and more successful.

Consider a (career) change.

When you have a life-changing event happen to you, it can help put things in perspective. Just because you’re primarily a caregiver doesn’t mean you have to accept any old job that comes your way. If you had a career prior to caregiving that you didn’t necessarily love, why look for more jobs in that same career field? Instead, consider other career options that will make you happier. If you’re short on ideas, look to your hobbies and see how you can translate those elements that bring you joy into a flexible job.

Caregivers are one of the biggest segments of job seekers who can benefit from flexible work. Use these stories from caregivers like yourselves to inspire your search, and remember to always care for the most important person—yourself.

Readers, are you caregivers looking for flexible jobs to support yourself? Let us know what type of flexible job would fit the bill for you in the comments below!

Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto.com

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