Well paid remote job?

[fao]

I am at the end of my maternity leave (I've even extended it by a few months of unpaid leave) and I am really struggling with the idea of returning to work. Turns out all the pushing my start date back is because I just can't justify 3hr round commute everyday on top of a ~8hr working day. I feel like now I'm a mum, I've made a decision that means I owe my baby quality time with her parent rather than 12hours a day in childcare.

Before mat leave, the job I was working was a bit of a career switch (from academia to finance). I was determined to earn a better salary for working the same hours. My job means I need to be in the office regularly but also because I was in the middle of a career switch, I'm also really junior.

And so, I'm back to the drawing board now and hoping to take some time to upskill. (I'm thinking of resigning because I just can't justify leaving the house when DC is asleep and returning when she's asleep!) I'd like to do a course which will hopefully mean I can get a job working a well paid remote job.

If anyone has a job that means they can very easily work remotely, I would love to hear from you. I am genuinely floored by motherhood and how much a woman changes (I think I have been so naive!) The going back to work part has been such a learning curve for me, I really am no longer the same person I used to be.

Your best chance of something well paid is a sideways move that uses the experience you already have, rather than starting again.

What were your academia and finance roles?

Thanks @minipie
Academia role was a research scientist in cancer stem cells and then the finance role was research analyst for the science sector

@fao sorry to hear what you’re going through. I have two children and going back to work after maternity leave was gut wrenching for me.

Your experience sounds fantastic! How long have you been at your current company?

I’m also a scientist and work in regulatory (registration of products but a different sector than you). A lot of companies now allow working from home (I’m currently interviewing and every job has been WFH). Could you look at roles within the pharmaceuticals industry? Medical devices? Medical writer (I’ve seen a few of those advertised)? A lot of companies will take you for your experience and transferable skills.

I’ve recently been in a panic to find a new job (for various reasons) and I found LinkedIn to be a godsend. Lots of jobs advertised there and I connected with a lot of recruiters in my field, set my status to “open to work” (selected visible to recruiters only) and began messaging them asking if they had any roles appropriate.

Good luck!

I should add that with some experience my sector pays very well. The authorities in my sector also deliver training programmes (at a cost).

I have a friend who worked as a medical writer, was paid well and was trying to persuade me (with no experience in that field) to switch. A scientific background and experience of any scientific writing was enough apparently.