When exploring jobs for stay-at-home mums; stability, autonomy, and (most of all), flexibility are crucial factors often accounted for. With increasing adoption of remote work practices among companies, such roles are more in-demand and accessible than ever.
All that’s required is a quality laptop (or desktop computer) and a reliable internet connection – helping one balance their parental responsibilities and grow a successful career, all from the comfort of their home.
Below, we explore some of the most popular and profitable jobs among stay-at-home mums, and how to build your skills for employment.
Here are the best jobs for stay-at-home mums:
- Social media manager.
- Online consultant.
- Programmer.
- Data entry professional.
- Web designer.
- Digital marketer.
- Recruitment assistant.
Social media manager
Job description
Social media managers are responsible for coordinating activities, content, and communication with customers on social media. They typically work within a team, assisting media professionals and content creators through digital marketing campaigns; and assessing online performance and data to improve their social media strategies as necessary.
Salary
According to PayScale Australia, the average social media manager currently earns an average of $62,455 AUD a year.
Training
Experience and a high-level expertise across various social media platforms is crucial to this role. An online course, such as the 10904NAT - Diploma of Social Media Marketing, can be helpful in refining one’s social media knowledge – as well as equip them with basic marketing skills (i.e. personal branding, interpreting industry trends, etc.) in an online environment.
With social media management a digital role by nature, its tasks can be easily done among remote workers, including stay-at-home mums.
Online consultant
Job description
Mums with a knack for solving problems and helping others may well fit the role of an online consultant.
Those in this industry give professional advice on a specific industry or niche, offering one the flexibility of choosing their area of interest and expertise. It’s a field that’s currently booming in Australia (as the country expects an extra 4,500 professionals in next few years), with IT and business management consultancy among the highest-paid sectors.
Salary
According to PayScale Australia, the general consultant currently earns an average of $54,344 AUD a year; though this can change depending on your specialty. Business consultants, for example, currently earn an average of $73,978 a year, with IT consultants earning $85,177.
Training
Those seeking employment in this field can sharpen their expertise through online training in their industry of choice. Short courses that build on your soft skills can also help in attracting and retaining new clients.
Programmer
![female programmer working from home]()
Job description
Often touted as one of the most lucrative, in-demand, and flexible occupations to date – programming is ideal for both remote work and the opportunity to build a stable, secure, and opportune career.
Programmers are skilled experts in computer software; typically tasked to write, design, troubleshoot, and maintain the code of various programs and applications. Those interested in IT and software development; with an ability to keep pace with the latest industry trends, developments, and coding languages are best suited to the field.
Salary
According to PayScale, the average computer programmer currently earns $70,632 AUD a year in Australia, with potential to earn more through specialisation or built experience.
Training
Aspiring programmers can find plenty of online courses to develop their coding expertise, such as the ICT40120 - Certificate IV in Information Technology (Programming) – a qualification that touches on the fundamental concepts of creating digital apps, ensuring cybersecurity, and basic programming languages.
Data entry professional
Job description
Pride yourself in your organisational skills? Got the Excel expertise to boot? The role of a data entry professional optimises both, as individuals are tasked with managing, organising, and preparing company information and data into proper documentation. This could include entering paper-based information into a spreadsheet, or transcribing phone calls and online meetings.
Salary
Being efficient and proficient with Microsoft Office is pertinent to the role. On average, these individuals earn $22.99 AUD an hour, or $46,260 AUD per year. With most of their tasks done on a computer, the job makes for an ideal work-from-home opportunity.
Training
Training for the field can be self-taught or sought through certificate-level qualifications, such as a ICT30120 - Certificate III in Information Technology – a program that explores the basics of working in an ICT environment, including related practices, software, and services.
Web designer
Job description
Those who enjoy the creative, visual side of IT may find fulfilling work as a web designer or developer. Such professionals are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining the code of a business’ public webpage. These include both the graphical (front-end) aspects of the site, along with technical back-end elements such as security, database, and server information.
Salary
According to PayScale, the average Australian web designer currently earns $56,710 AUD per year.
Training
The field is also highly dynamic one, with consumer needs and industry trends often rapidly evolving. Individuals must thus keep pace with constantly changing skills, needs and specialties. Online training can, once again, ensure one’s competencies are up-to-date – equipping one with the latest coding languages, techniques, and social technologies.
The ICT40120 - Certificate IV in Information Technology (Web Development) is a course that does just this; exploring the latest web development software and processes.
Digital marketer
![woman using laptop, digital marketing concept]()
Job description
Similarly to social media managers, digital marketers spend much of their time building a company’s brand presence online. Their daily tasks may include the creation or distribution of social media and blog content, coordinating e-mail campaigns, and analysing the statistics and data behind a business’ online performance.
While a social media manager’s role is concentrated on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, digital marketers supervise and maintain the broader online activities of a business (such as optimising their website and online ad campaigns).
Salary
The average digital marketer currently earns an average of $64,742 AUD a year in Australia, according to PayScale.
Training
Aspiring digital marketers can opt for general training in the marketing field, such as a BSB50620 - Diploma of Marketing and Communication. For a more competitive skillset, social media training is also valuable – helping them leverage such platforms for more effective, relevant marketing strategies.
Recruitment assistant
Job description
Like online consultants, those seeking a people-centric career while working from home may find fulfilling, stable employment as an online recruitment assistant.
These professionals assist a business’ human resources department, helping them create and distribute job ads online. They then organise and coordinate interviews with potential candidates, preparing the appropriate documents required (such as interview questions and screen tests).
Recruitment assistants may also be responsible for explaining a job role’s requirements and duties to potential employees, assisting with screening candidates during the final interview stages.
Salary
According to PayScale, the average recruitment assistant currently earns $50,666 AUD a year in Australia.
Training
Training for this role can range from short, introductory courses in human resources to more intensive qualifications in the field. A certificate-level program (such as the BSB40420 - Certificate IV in Human Resources) can equip one with the basic skills necessary to select, recruit, and induct new employees.
Seeking new career paths as a stay-at-home mum?
Balancing a career and parenthood may prove a challenge, but with telecommuting on the rise – the remote work opportunities run aplenty.
As mentioned, Upskilled currently offers a wide range of courses across Australia’s top industries, helping one build the skills they need to land stable, work-from-home employment. Among various other fields, you can brush up on your coding skills through our selection of IT courses, or improve your entrepreneurial knowledge through our business programs.
Best of all, our training is delivered online – helping you balance your work, parental commitments, and education at a pace and setting that suits you best.