Whether you're hoping to make some extra cash during the summer months or looking for a way to turn your teaching expertise into a home-based full-time income, more than a few possibilities exist. Since you're reading this, I'm guessing you are in the teaching profession. You probably noticed that I avoided including any reference to a part-time income in your 'spare-time' after school. Those actually teaching know that being a teacher is never a 7-3 Monday through Friday job; spare-time, well can that even be included in the same sentence with the word teacher? In my experience, the two words simply don't fit together. Teaching is a wonderfully rewarding profession and I count it as a blessing to be in the teaching profession but the time commitment does go far beyond the school day.
Part-time Income Opportunities for Teachers:
Some teachers choose part-time jobs that have nothing to do with teaching, just for a change of pace and atmosphere. If you want to completely switch gears outside the classroom, I recommend the retail or sales industry. You might enjoy working for a major retailer or a small shop specializing in items of interest to you may be more enjoyable. I can think of one particular retail shop I would love to get a discount with, my long, hot baths would certainly be cheaper and I'd probably own a bottle of every shower gel fragrance they make if I could receive a percentage discount! Speaking of discounts, you might consider this when seeking a job since the discount will often be a major piece of the puzzle in choosing the best job to maximize your time and efforts.
If you would rather do something more closely related to your profession, you might pursue a job as a tutor at an established learning center. Companies offering tutoring services are popping up in most communities across the nation. Just do your homework (no pun intended) and make sure the educational philosophy and reputation meet your expectations. Online public schools also hire teachers and other educational staff as do colleges and universities with online programs.
You might also choose to work in a summer program or day care center during vacation breaks. Some companies want teachers to fill in while employees take vacation and others hire seasonal help to meet the demand of more students attending for the full day program when school is out for the summer. This may be an excellent way to establish a relationship with the center and work with them year after year during your breaks from your own classroom when the school is closed for summer, spring and winter breaks.
Home-Based Income Opportunities for Teachers:
There are so many ways to earn income from home, you should probably do some soul-searching and decide exactly what type of business or work you would enjoy. Ask yourself the following two questions for starters:
- Do I want to start my own business or just work for another company?
- Does the opportunity have to be related to the field of education or do I want to shake things up a bit and try something new?
If you want to start your own business, consider wickless candles, cosmetics, books/educational supplies, network marketing companies. Most businesses allow you to do home parties or just direct sales, depending on the company. Others, will be home-based and you will work using your computer and telephone for most of your work. You can type in 'home party plan businesses' or 'network marketing businesses' to begin your research in these areas and find a business that best suits your individual interests and needs. Most true home businesses will require some investment for start-up ($10 and up) but also offer great tax incentives, especially if operated solely from your home. Do your research before commiting!
If you prefer to work for a company from home, try searching for 'work at home' positions in job search engines. Many companies hire people to work as independent contractors. Some examples would be inbound telephone representatives, transcriptionists, contributing writer, editor, online teacher (public online schools do exist), online college faculty/staff and the list really goes on and on.
So, take a moment to write down your goals. Decide how much money you hope to earn and how many hours per week you can devote. Then, decide if you want a home business or a home job and whether it needs to be directly related to education. Now, update your resume and finally- do your research and a full-blown job search and application campaign. Consistent effort in your research and application process should result in income opportunities that meet your needs!
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