How do you find a job you love.....that also pays the bills?

[Ottakee]

My interests and heart are in areas that are very low paying......special Ed substitute teacher, supporter of families in crisis, advocate/parent helper in medical areas for special needs kids, teaching esl classes to immigrants, teaching reading to kids/adults, working with single parents, housing for developmentally disabled adults, etc.

Most of these things are either volunteer or very low paying.....or require another 2-4 years of going back to school full time.

I need to find a job I love that pays the modest bills.

[Bambam]

Maybe take some of the online career planning/cluster tests and see what comes up?

There are several threads linking them in this post (the fifth one) - keep scrolling, it is the last topic that Lori lists in that post. 

 

[HomeAgain]

The idea is a mistaken one.  You find a job that you can find satisfaction in.

You sound like your idea of a satisfactory job is caring for others and working with people.  You can expand that to many other jobs in your scope to see what is out there.

[Bluegoat]

Yes, love is a high bar to set, I think.  

I also tend to be interested in roles that are not high paying, or paying at all. I almost prefer a job that is ok but which doesn't impinge on my non-work hours, so that I am really free to do what I want at other times.

[Wheres Toto]

I agree with the PPs.  When I needed to work for income, especially a full time, support myself income, I had to go with something I was good at and found tolerable (which usually had more to do with the people than the work).  Lucky for me I ended up being good at the skills needed to be an Executive Assistant so I never had a hard time finding a position, and most of them were very predictable schedules where I went in, did my job for the day, went home and could forget about it until the next day.

I did the stuff I love in volunteer positions, and it's only been recently that I've been able to look into doing what I love for pay.  But it's only possible because at this point in time I don't "need" to work.

[almondbutterandjelly]

Federal job?  The pay is pretty decent (at least for my area).  Go to usajobs.gov and do some search term like "children" or "social work" or whatever.  (I am assuming you are in the US)

[livetoread]

One way to make money in low paying fields is to market yourself as an expert in a particular area, preferably one that challenges the status quo in some way. Articles, books, internet presence, workshops, etc. Then, of course, the nature of your work is different, but it is still related. It seems to me actual expertise can often be loosely defined - what matters is the marketing.

[gardenmom5]

1dd is a classic major- she used to get angry every time I asked her what she was going to do with it (there is no money in pure classics).  she loves the subject - but she switched to something she never would have thought of doing, which she enjoys very much-  and is able to comfortably pay her bills.   didn't require another degree, just some additional training that took about six months.

 

iow: you can find things you would enjoy doing, that you may never have supposed yourself every doing - that you can enjoy.

[Carol in Cal.]

Even the book "Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow" concedes that the 'following' part may take a long time, AND that the money part can be independent of doing what you love.  If I were you I would try to find a job that you don't absolutely hate that will make you proudly able to pay your bills consistently, and then build your life from there.  Think of it as a 'hierarchy of needs' play.

[Tap]

Depends on how much money you need to live on. Have you looked into being an in home aide for families with SN children? It usually pays a bit over minimum, but not much (unfortunately).  Where I live, min wage is $11.50, so not horrible but not great either. The problem will be benefits.  Does your foster system offer any options for employment?  Since they know you, they may be willing to tell you about jobs that are coming up.

[bzymom]

I don’t know what income is a sustainable level for you,but with your interests and experience you might consider becoming a Registered Behavior Technician for ABA therapy.  It pays well, and most employers will pay for your training,which can be as minimal as a 40-hour course if you have some experience with SN.

[Katy]

My advice to my kids is always to "Find the highest paying job you think will suit your personality (your ability to do it long term without causing psychological pain), and then volunteer & donate money to a cause you love."

There are a few dozen jobs that have a starting salary higher than $60k in most areas.   One of them will suit you.

[Liz CA]

2 hours ago, perkybunch said:

Federal job?  The pay is pretty decent (at least for my area).  Go to usajobs.gov and do some search term like "children" or "social work" or whatever.  (I am assuming you are in the US)

 

Most of those require a Master's degree. Not sure if you can do those with a BA but you may be able to get in at this level as an assistant to a social worker or similar. It really depends a lot on state and county needs.

[Ottakee]

I will have to look at these ideas.  I have a BS in psychology, elementary Ed K-8 and special Ed k-12 for cognitively impaired and emotionally impaired.  My certificate though has lapsed.  I have quite a bit of experience with kids on the austistic spectrum as well as those with severe multiple disabilities.

[Liz CA]

35 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

I will have to look at these ideas.  I have a BS in psychology, elementary Ed K-8 and special Ed k-12 for cognitively impaired and emotionally impaired.  My certificate though has lapsed.  I have quite a bit of experience with kids on the austistic spectrum as well as those with severe multiple disabilities.

 

You did mention you were not really interested in more schooling but there are specific courses for ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis). Perhaps it would not take a complete graduate program since you can build on your Psych degree?

[PeterPan]

46 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

I will have to look at these ideas.  I have a BS in psychology, elementary Ed K-8 and special Ed k-12 for cognitively impaired and emotionally impaired.  My certificate though has lapsed.  I have quite a bit of experience with kids on the austistic spectrum as well as those with severe multiple disabilities.

You need to connect with a BCBA. At the very least, they could train you as an RBT. Around here, RBTs bill at $50 an hour. I don't know what they take home, but they bill to the provider at $50. I'm guessing they're taking home at least $25 an hour. No benefits, but reasonable pay, flexible hours, way more than minimum wage. 

In our state, someone in your position could bill at $80 an hour doing tutoring through the state scholarship system. Seriously. Like you would BILL people at $80 an hour. You might need your certification back, but that might be within reach or worth doing. Totally flexible hours. For that price, people like that are tutoring math, doing Verbalizing/Visualing, doing basic reading tutoring (not necessarily OG), etc. with ASD2/3 population. And billing at $80 an hour.

[scholastica]

You have gotten some great ideas. I doubt most people love their jobs. Some people  just happen to have passions that also pay well. It’s rare, though, that those two align. 

[Liz CA]

59 minutes ago, scholastica said:

You have gotten some great ideas. I doubt most people love their jobs. Some people  just happen to have passions that also pay well. It’s rare, though, that those two align. 

 

I just wanted to say that I do love my job but it does not mean that there are not components of it that I don't love. Issues crop up that I would rather not have to deal with, never-ending paperwork and much more. The core of it, I like very much but not 100% of time can ever be spent on just one part and most jobs require some tiresome work along with the fun stuff. Unless you need a job by this week, I would look around and check into possible certificate programs that can build on your BA and vast prior knowledge in the field. If you need something to generate income quickly, then going for a job that will work toward that end is good while you perhaps do some "side work" to gain the certs or knowledge needed for a job well suited to you.

[Daria]

I am going to disagree with the idea that finding a job you love and pays the bills isn't realistic.  I happen to be someone who loves the same things you do, and I do love my job.  I've been a special ed teacher for 25 years now, and I still love it.  Are there elements that I don't love?  Yes, but they are a relatively small part of what I do.  The day in and day out part of being with the kids, forming relationships with the kids, figuring out the puzzles that are the kids, planning for the kids, teaching the kids, seeing the kids learn and grow . . . I love those things today.  

I'm also someone who would argue that teachers are underpaid relative to other professionals with similar education requirements and longevity (although not compared to special ed paras, who are IMO the most underpaid people in this country).  But I still make a salary that is enough for me to live on one income and raise a kid in a middle class community in one the most expensive areas of the country.  

I would encourage you to look into emergency certification, and recertification options.  You might find that getting back in the classroom is more feasible than you think. 

If that doesn't work, I'd also think about childcare, particularly after school childcare for children with disabilities.  In most communities that's an enormous need, and many communities will reimburse it at a significantly higher rate than they do other forms of childcare.  I know that when my kid was in special needs childcare 18 years ago, the center got $3,000 a month for him.  Summer camps for kids with complex needs run up to $1,000 a week.  I know a family near us who seems to have made a decent living running an aftercare program out of their home for kids with I/DD.  

If you're in a middle class or affluent area of the country, or if you're in an area where there are state programs that reimburse for tutoring, I'd also think about tutoring.  Tutoring rates vary enormously depending on the community.  I tutor about $10 a week, at $85/hour, but I could easily charge $100 and fill more hours than that.  The key to tutoring, and getting good rates, is to find a niche in your community that isn't filled and develop expertise.  For me that's AAC, CVI, and literacy for kids with ID.  For someone else it might be DIR, or RDI, or something else.  

I'd also look into whether you could get a supervisory position in residential care.  Direct care doesn't pay well at all, but the people who supervise a group home or ICF, or several group homes or ICF can do a little better.  

[Ravin]

When I was faced with this, I went back to school.

[katilac]

21 minutes ago, Daria said:

I am going to disagree with the idea that finding a job you love and pays the bills isn't realistic.   

 

 

I don't think it's unrealistic for some people to find jobs that they love and also pay the bills, but I do think it's unrealistic to think that everyone is able to find such a job. I think that there are usually things you can find to like about most jobs, but many jobs aren't going to evoke a passionate response . . . yet they need to be done. One can take satisfaction in filling a need, but I don't think that's the same as loving your job. But such a job can finance the things you love. 

 

[Daria]

15 minutes ago, katilac said:

 

I don't think it's unrealistic for some people to find jobs that they love and also pay the bills, but I do think it's unrealistic to think that everyone is able to find such a job. I think that there are usually things you can find to like about most jobs, but many jobs aren't going to evoke a passionate response . . . yet they need to be done. One can take satisfaction in filling a need, but I don't think that's the same as loving your job. But such a job can finance the things you love. 

 

 

I totally agree with you here.  But in my post I specifically meant Ottakee.  I don't think it's unrealistic for people whose love is working with children with disabilities, like me and Ottakee, to find jobs that they love that pay the bills.  

I would never make the same statement with a generic you.  

[Daria]

I am so silly, I forgot my own job on that list.  I teach special education in a private religious school.   My specialty is children with I/DD who need a substantially modified curriculum and alternate learning outcomes. 

There is a substantial movement towards inclusion in Catholic, Evangelical Christian, and Orthodox Jewish schools.  Because faith based schools don't generally serve students whose tuition is paid for by the government, there are no rules about certification.  For example, I happen to hold certification in a neighboring state, but not my own.  

I should also add that I teach at a Catholic school, but am not Catholic.  Similarly, I know teachers at our local Orthodox Jewish schools are not all Jewish, much less Orthodox.  Of course, we are expected not to openly contradict the faith, but we don't have to practice it ourselves.   I don't happen to know any special ed teachers in Evangelical Christian schools, so I can't comment on whether they have similar expectations. 

[Ottakee]

More good ideas.  I meed to investigate.  Right now I live in a rural township about 10 miles from the nearest small town.  Our community is mostly working class, lower to middle class with a larger percentage of low income.  There would.be no $85/hour for tutoring, possibly $10-15.  As a substitute teacher I get $90 for special Ed and $75 a day when I am the paraprofessional......so.seriously underpaid.

I do.love subbing special Ed but I don't have a strong desire to go back full time in the same classroom every day.  I love the variety of subbing, just not the pay scale.

[AimeeM]

10 hours ago, bzymom said:

I don’t know what income is a sustainable level for you,but with your interests and experience you might consider becoming a Registered Behavior Technician for ABA therapy.  It pays well, and most employers will pay for your training,which can be as minimal as a 40-hour course if you have some experience with SN.

 

I think "pays well" varies by area. I know I've seen advertisements -- local to me -- that describe it the pay as around $10-12/hour. Heck, we pay our babysitters more (to just sit with our autistic kiddos). 

[TechWife]

10 hours ago, Ottakee said:

I will have to look at these ideas.  I have a BS in psychology, elementary Ed K-8 and special Ed k-12 for cognitively impaired and emotionally impaired.  My certificate though has lapsed.  I have quite a bit of experience with kids on the austistic spectrum as well as those with severe multiple disabilities.

Are you within commuting distance of a hospital? Honestly, you sound like the perfect candidate for a Child Life Specialist. You would eventually need certification, but I don't think you'd have far to go to qualify. They are in the process of changing requirements, so look into that.  Another option would be Patient Liaison (some hospitals call them Patient Advocates) - it requires a lot of problem solving skills, conflict resolution and other communication skills. There is a certification for this, but it is not usually required. They are both "specialist" positions and pay is reasonable, although it does vary according to geography and demand.

[TechWife]

8 minutes ago, Patty Joanna said:

 

I have never ever been so thankful for anyone as I was for the hospital patient relations person who helped us in my dad’s last days. Talk about having a good impact in domeone’s Life!  She advocated for our family and for my dad when everything went sideways because OTHER agencies were not doing their jobs.  I wrote her a glowing letter of recommendation after the fact and although I haven’t seen her for almost three years, I recently wrote her a personal letter thanking her for all she did for us. 

 

Thus us is an especially good job for someone who likes to fight The System to make sure that people are cared for.  

I’m so glad she was there to help! I volunteer in patient relations right now and I’m pursuing my patient experience certification (CPXP). It’s really my passion. 

[prairiewindmomma]

2 hours ago, Ottakee said:

More good ideas.  I meed to investigate.  Right now I live in a rural township about 10 miles from the nearest small town.  Our community is mostly working class, lower to middle class with a larger percentage of low income.  There would.be no $85/hour for tutoring, possibly $10-15.  As a substitute teacher I get $90 for special Ed and $75 a day when I am the paraprofessional......so.seriously underpaid.

I do.love subbing special Ed but I don't have a strong desire to go back full time in the same classroom every day.  I love the variety of subbing, just not the pay scale.

Give some thought to relocation.  I know it'd be another big change, but it is something you've considered in the past.  

[prairiewindmomma]

Child life pays only $40-50k/year....probably less than $20/hr where you're at.  BCBA should be mid to upper 60ks.  Different working environment, but I'd get down into the details about job availability and salary in your area.

[DawnM]

9 hours ago, Daria said:

I am so silly, I forgot my own job on that list.  I teach special education in a private religious school.   My specialty is children with I/DD who need a substantially modified curriculum and alternate learning outcomes. 

There is a substantial movement towards inclusion in Catholic, Evangelical Christian, and Orthodox Jewish schools.  Because faith based schools don't generally serve students whose tuition is paid for by the government, there are no rules about certification.  For example, I happen to hold certification in a neighboring state, but not my own.  

I should also add that I teach at a Catholic school, but am not Catholic.  Similarly, I know teachers at our local Orthodox Jewish schools are not all Jewish, much less Orthodox.  Of course, we are expected not to openly contradict the faith, but we don't have to practice it ourselves.   I don't happen to know any special ed teachers in Evangelical Christian schools, so I can't comment on whether they have similar expectations. 

 

I am a school counselor, with 20 years of experience, in public education.  While there are things I like about it, it isn't the job I started 30 years ago (I took a few years off to raise kids, which is why I am not 30 years in right now), and it certainly would be very difficult to live off of without my DH's income.

30 years go (heck, 20 years ago!) it was a good job.  But salaries have stagnated and no one seems to care.  The public now seems to hate teachers and calls them "greedy" when anything is said about how little they make.  Our local politician said teachers make a great salary (first 5 years here makes $35,000 and many have an MA.)  When the public no longer values you for what you do, and you can't live off the salary they offer (you still have to pay $700/mo for family healthcare), it is no longer a job I consider one to "pay the bills."  If I had known what would happen to this profession 30 year ago, when I started, I would have gone into something else.  

But I digress......

 

OP, I don't know how much you need to make the pay the bills......but I would take a career assessment and find out what you might enjoy and make some money doing.  How much longer would it take to get a BA?

[Hilltopmom]

If you want to re certify but don’t want to be in the same classroom all day, how about preschool special ed- I do SEIT sessions in homes, headstart, preschools, and EI sessions in homes for littler kids.

So I’m all around town, get to work 1:1 with kids and families and get paid a teacher rate. But don’t have to run my own classroom.

our hourly rate is $40ish/hr in my location (rural upstate NY, low COL)- vs subbing around here that pays about what your area pays. Not getting rich but for flexible teaching it’s good

I’m pretty happy I went back to teaching this year- I really am loving it ?