Did anyone change their job/career after having children and if so, what from...to..?

[Bobsmyaunty]

I'm being nosy because I'm considering changing mine. My pre-baby career was long office hours and doesn't feel very compatible with having kids. I was good at it but not wedded to it and I've struggled to find part time options. I've got one 1 year old DD and plan to have another soon-ish so keen to find something I love more and that has flex in it ( if it exists!!)

I'd love to know if anyone decided to change and how they found it!

[Hoppinggreen]

Before children I was a regional sales manager for a large multinational.
Now I'm a freelance business consultant. I work 9-3 when I choose and I love it!
I thought I would struggle to find clients but I haven't at all.

[PigeonPie]

My last job before maternity leave was a PA. Eight years later I'm a Parish Clerk to three small village parishes (this is the secular local government, not the ecclesiastical side).

Love it and it fits in well with the children and school holidays.

[Nonotthatagain]

Before children I was a Nursery Nurse, while tjeu were little I did lots of jobs eg office work, ta cover etc when they were all at school I got a job in a library and am now a Library Manager

[stinkingbishop]

I was in advertising (v long hours and London biased). Now retraining as a Neuropsychologist. Hopefully will be able to choose my appointments and see clients at home, wherever home is!

[bryonywhisker]

pre-kids I wrote interesting things for a living, now I work part time as a receptionist in a high street shop :)

[AntoinetteCosway]

I was a teacher and now I'm a tutor. So not very different, but minus the school!

[steppingintothecanineunknown]

Hopping would love to hear more about that. Are your clients big or small companies and do you specialise in a particular area?

[Bobsmyaunty]

Ditto stepping, hopping. Did you have a long break before you returned as a freelancer and were your first clients already known to you or did you advertise to get them iyswim?

So interesting to hear about all your career changes. Thank you for sharing them. Really given me lots of food for thought.

bryon what sort of interesting things did you write, were you an author?

pigeon pie, love the sound of a parish clerk, do you get to get involved in all the community stuff? I'd love that.

[supafish]

Teaching assistant to nurse !!!!!

[PigeonPie]

bobs - I have quite a bit to do with the community, but often it's what others might think of as the boring tedious bits like making sure the pot holes are fixed or having an emergency plan (I'm working on this at the moment).

I also work with other groups so in one of my parishes the village hall needs a lot of refurbishment / re-building so I'm working with the committee on funding etc and in one of my other parishes we're working on replacing the playground equipment and surface.

However, I have connections in all three of my villages (I don't live in any of them as I think it better to be outside the local politics which always happen in rural villages), and know lots of people living there.

There's all sorts of other jobs that you have to do like attending evening meetings, writing minutes, actioning the minutes, writing letters, keeping accounts and doing the year end.

It's great for me though because it's flexible. I can be at home for the DSs before and after school, in the holidays and when they're ill as I can now get on and work while they're at home (although I know that as soon as I pick up the telephone all hell will break loose!) and I enjoy the community aspect too.

The Society of Local Council Clerks (our professional body) has a bit of information about what a Clerk is here

[Bobsmyaunty]

Thanks pigeon! Brilliant. It sounds like a fab job.

suppa fish that's quite a change!

[cuggles]

antoinettecosway...teacher here too and i currently do some tutoring. Would love to do more but is all yours after school hours as that is difficult for me to do lots of? Do you have any daytime clients??

[cuggles]

sorry message is blunt
..on crap phone!

[AntoinetteCosway]

cuggles I have my DD most days but she goes to nursery once a week and on that day I do see a couple of tutees during 'work' hours-one is a university student and the other is retaking his A levels so not in school anymore. It's hard as I'd love to fill that day with tutees but the vast majority of enquiries I get are from school age children who can only do after school, and I can't do 4-6.30ish as it's DD's tea, bath, bed etc. I only tutor from home so I can fit more into each evening and generally see people from 7-9 or 7-8 and then another from 8.15-9.15.

[cuggles]

Thanks for the reply Antoinette..there is certainly alot of interest from parents for tutors! Hadnt thought about tutoring from home but certainly makes sense! Food for thought as I have really enjoyed tutoring so far. Thanks again

[Hoppinggreen]

Sorry just seen the threads from people asking about my post.
I had a break of 3 years and then did some consultancy for a friends company, only 1 day a week though.
Then I properly set up my own company 18 months ago with 2 clients and I now have 3 different ones who contract me for a regular number of days a month and then I do the odd ad hoc job. I specialise in sales coaching but do a few other things as well. I charge around £300 per day and am actually not looking for any more work now as I don't want to work full time and don't need to.
Also, I'm based in The North but there is Plenty of work. I think that I have found a kind of niche - companies can't afford a full time resource but they can just use me as they need me.
I thought it would be a bit of a hobby job and I can't believe how it's taken off.

[Tiredemma]

I was a travel agent- but then trained as a mental health nurse.