5 Growing Careers for Work-at-Home Moms

By Linsey Knerl (Editor, 1099Mom.com)

Working from home isn't new, but some of the fields we are working in are.... In fact, many of the professions of my best work-at-home friends didn't exist 7 years ago!  My income, for example, is largely made up of consulting, teaching, and coaching in services that weren't very in-demand before the likes of Facebook and Blogger.  But now that they are, there is literally an unlimited amount of potential for a mom (or a dad) to earn a living from home.

Here are the top jobs I see with growth coming over the next 5 years.

1.  Virtual Assistant.  As long as there are busy professionals, there will need to be a sidekick to help them out.  As an executive assistant, I sat long hours in a dark cubicle, ready and able to take notes, reply to emails, and screen calls for my boss.  With remote employment even more common now, you can do the majority of those tasks from your home office.

We have covered this job field quite a bit here on the blog.  Pay ranges from $12 - 30 an hour, but getting started is less complicated than some other jobs.  You may benefit from checking out guides on this job niche, or our interview with an expert!

2.  Blogger/Online Content Writer.  While there is technically a difference between being a blogger and an online writer, but line is blurring more each day.  Most bloggers I know also write freelance online content for other businesses in addition to their own blogs.  Some of them also maintain blogs for businesses at a competitive rate.  The written word is here to stay in digital form, however, so getting versed in the ins and outs of writing for the web is a good idea for anyone looking to make a living at it.

Pay ranges for this career at a per word rate of $.03 - $.50 on average.  Many get paid a flat rate for their work at $20 - $150 per 500-word article.  The more influence a blogger has (not numbers of followers but ACTUAL influence), the more they can ask for their work.  See the breakdown of how a blogger gets paid for more information.

3.  Teacher/Tutor.  With the rise of homeschooling and online access to both public and private school classes, teachers no longer need to check into a formal classroom to do their work.  With the right set up (including high-speed internet, video, and possible whiteboard technology), teachers of all subjects can share their knowledge remotely to classrooms for a decent living.  Many of these jobs are freelance (see our explanation of a 1099 worker for more info) and don't include the benefit packages many full-time teachers see; for the mom who is trying to help bring home the bacon, however, the flexibility is a blessing that keeps her doing what she loves!

Pay ranges from $10 an hour to a full salaried pay.  Teachers with experience in administration or with a Master's Degree can expect to receive far more. (Our weekly job listings usually list at least a few of these type of jobs.)

4.  Programmer and Web Designers.  For girls in tech, the future couldn't be brighter.  With all the apps and web sites being developed each day, talented programmers are the only way to keep this fast-paced niche going strong.  For many top companies, remote workers are their bread and butter, and the perks offered to their at-home teams are amazing.  Be prepared for longer hours, which is common for the tech field.

Pay ranges from $20 an hour to $100,000 annually, and tech start-ups are more likely to offer complete benefits packages than other employers.  Turnover is high at these jobs, however, so expect to be working with new team members when the project is over or companies get sold or merge.

5.  Social Media Manager.  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, G+... the list gets longer and longer, and all of them are necessary for a legit business to reach their customers.  For the woman with a knack for learning new technologies and speaking the language of consumers, there is an opportunity to either train businesses on how to use social media or to simply do it for them.  Interns were typically employed in this position at the onset, but many companies are learning that paid experts really are the way to go.

A social media professional can earn anywhere from $15 - $80 an hour, depending on their credentials.  While there are degrees offering concentrations in "social media", the technology changes too quickly for much of the class skills to stay relevant, and most companies want to see experience over a "formal" social media education.

Notice a trend? Tech is really where it's at for now (and for the near future.)  Which of these jobs do you see yourself making a living doing?