Best No-Degree Jobs For Working Parents

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Which Jobs Are Great for Parents and Don't Require a Degree?
Prepping Your Resume as a Parent With No Degree

Being a parent is hard work! Even if it isn't as formal and structured as the workplace, you hone important skills. But how can you put your skills to work without a college degree or a clear career trajectory? We'll help you enter or reenter the workforce with twelve of the best no-degree jobs for parents.

We've chosen these jobs based on their flexibility, lack of a higher education requirement, and tendency to work well with the kinds of skills that parents develop. Remote work, flexible work schedules, compensation, and healthcare benefits are critical to consider when looking for a no-degree job as a parent. Our list features 12 potential options that balance each of these factors well.

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Which Jobs Are Great for Parents and Don't Require a Degree?

Whether you've spent some time as a stay-at-home mom or you're currently employed but looking for a role that gives you more flexibility to spend time with your kids, parents without college degrees should consider one of these no-degree roles as a place to get started.

Check out these 12 options and their average pay rate from PayScale.

Client services

Pay: $52,808/year

Client services combines sales management and customer service skills. Tasks include helping clients with complex issues and identifying other areas of opportunity to help keep their business. Being a client services professional means being able to work as a liaison between the company and the client to ensure that projects run smoothly and on schedule.

Customer service

Pay: $44,779/year

Customer service workers are employed by many types of companies to serve as the direct point of contact for customers, providing them with an adequate level of service or help with their questions or concerns. Customer service representatives interact with customers to provide information and support in response to inquiries about products or services and to handle and resolve complaints. They may communicate with customers by telephone, email, chat, or mail. A parent with strong communication and conflict-resolution skills may excel in a customer service role.

Data entry

Pay: $45,447/year

Data entry professionals enter data into a computer or secure file system, which may include other clerical activities. It is a general requirement that data entry workers be able to read and type quickly. Data entry jobs are very telecommuting-friendly, as they can be done remotely from a home computer.

Graphic designer

Pay: $51,821/year

Graphic designers produce visual solutions for their clients' communications needs through a variety of creative skills. They are creative people who have a flair for what appeals to consumers, are aware of upcoming trends, and can convert their ideas into visually pleasing images. Experience with graphic design software, such as Photoshop or InDesign, is usually required.

Online tutor

Pay: $39,303/year

Tutors provide one-on-one learning support for students of all ages, from K-12 to adult learning environments. They help reinforce subject material that students may have trouble comprehending. Tutors are generally experts in one or more subject areas and can share their insights and different ways of looking at a subject to help students learn more effectively. As a parent, your experience teaching your children and communicating new ideas with them empowers you to help other students grow.

Project manager

Pay: $80,868/year

Project managers develop requirements, budgets, and schedules for a company's projects. They coordinate projects from development through implementation, working with internal and external clients, vendors, consultants, and computer specialists. Typically, project managers hold a college degree, but a no-degree project management career is possible. Parents looking to enter this field should research certifications that they can add to their resumes.

Social media coordinator

Pay: $45,985/year

If you are an active member of any type of online community or social website and you like coming up with and discussing interesting news, current events, hobbies, or other topics, social media may hold some job potential. Social media coordinators utilize social networking websites and communities to introduce topics or promote products and ideas online. They engage people in lively conversation and provide interesting links to articles, videos, and other media to attract website visitors to their home page or company. This is a flexible role that can often be performed from anywhere.

Transcriptionist

Pay: $34,925/year

Transcriptionists are part of the growing need for information processing professionals as organizations need to process large amounts of information. By converting audio files created by business and medical professionals into written text for use in secure files and records, these workers help organizations keep up with the rapid changes that are characteristic of today's Information Age.

Translator

Pay: $55,146/year

If you are bilingual or multilingual, working as a translator can be a great job for moms without a degree. Translators will translate information from one language to another. Fast typing skills and editing skills are often needed. Although no degree is required, strong comprehension and communication skills in both languages are essential. Make sure to showcase your language proficiency on your resume.

Travel agent

Pay: $48,076/year

Scheduling and planning are vital skills for full-time parents. If you love travel or tourism and enjoy helping people, you may enjoy putting these skills to work with a career as a remote travel agent. Common tasks include booking airfare, hotels, and cruises, and interacting with customers. A travel agent needs strong organizational skills and attention to detail, but the work is often flexible, allowing for the work-life balance that parents need.

Writer

Pay: $62,995/year

Writers produce a wide variety of written materials delivered to an audience in various ways. They develop content using several multimedia formats for readers, listeners, or viewers. Most writers have at least a basic familiarity with technology and can list computer skills on their resumes.

Virtual assistant

Pay: $50,393/year

Virtual admins provide administrative support to companies, agencies, or even individuals, either on a freelance contract basis or as telecommuting employees. They can perform many of the traditional back-office administrative roles that office managers, customer service managers, or sales support staff can provide.

Prepping Your Resume as a Parent With No Degree

Writing a resume without a degree can feel challenging, but you're not alone. And, in fact, showcasing your knowledge and skills on a resume without a degree is easier than you might think. Let's dive into it!

How to write your resume education section with no degree

What's the point of an education section if you can't list degrees? Don't worry! Your education section can still contribute to your resume. Here's how to do it:

List your highest level of education, whether it's your high school diploma or even an unfinished college degree.
Supplement your education section with relevant coursework. If you didn't finish your college degree but still took courses relevant to your professional skills, describe them in your education section using brief bullet points.
Add certifications, development courses, webinars, and extracurriculars. A college degree isn't the only way to fill an education section. If you don't have any alternative education to list, consider researching a relevant certification in your field and pursuing it. This will show your expertise and commitment to developing your career.

How to make your skills and experience shine without a degree

No degree? No problem! In many cases, employers will be looking more closely at your job history and skills to understand the abilities that you bring to the table. To make a strong resume without a degree, you must ensure these sections stand out. Try doing the following:

Tell your career story in reverse-chronological order, allowing your progress to shine.
Focus on specific outcomes and use numbers to support them. Your experience will be more powerful if employers can visualize the real-world impact of your work.
If you lack experience, use strong transferable skills, soft skills, and extracurriculars like volunteer work and personal projects to make sure that your resume leaves a lasting impression.
Don't shy away from career gaps. If your resume includes an employment gap due to your role as a parent or any other reason, give context and emphasize how you used this time to develop your skills.

Where should you put your education section on a resume with no degree?

Without a degree to showcase, your education section can feel like a burden, but it still belongs on your resume. You should include it, but the good news is that you don't have to place it front and center. Feel free to place your education at the bottom of your resume so that potential employers can read through your impressive skills and experience before they reach it.

Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.