Po Wong ⋅ Orlando, FL Johnson & Johnson (retired) ⋅ 40 years experience

Hi Paul,
Lots of good advices stated. It all depends on your career interest (field), financial situation (can you live reasonably well on a lower paying job but can stay home with your children) and job level expectation.
With today’s web conference tool, virtual global team concept, there are many good/global companies now has flexible jobs from medical devices custom service (phone calls connects to your house) to leading global teams and projects. ( Ex. For my job, I am/can work 100% at home in sunny CA. to avoid the cold Antarctic vortex). So assess what is best for you, pursue your dream and don’t limit your possibilities.

Anita Smith ⋅ San Antonio, TX Agency for Aged ⋅ 7 years experience

Hi Paul
Flexjobs.com

Alejandra Barquero ⋅ Houston, TX Hewlett Packard ⋅ 4 years experience

Hi Paul, not sure if you have found an opportunity already, but I would recommend HP also; they have very good jobs opportunities that will help you balance your life very good. You will be working with virtual teams around the world, with different cultures and with your background I think you will find several opportunities. Is a very good experience and I think the most important thing here is that you will be able to share more time with you baby. All the best!!!

Bob Theroux ⋅ Hudson, NH ⋅ 30 years experience

Paul. I agree with Suzanne there are many base from home jobs avaiable. Many sales and IT troubleshooting jobs can be home based due to companies reducing overhead cost of the old brick and morter buildings. This will give you the flexability you are looking for while being able to spend your time with your son. Good Luck

Susanne Scholz ⋅ Conway, AR Hewlett Packard ⋅ 8 years experience

Depending on what your degrees are in, HP allows employees to work from home. Go to their website and see if you fit any of the open positions.

Greg Brett ⋅ Webster, NY Hewlett Packard ⋅ 20 years experience

Paul:

It may not be ideal but my wife started working in a credit union / bank part time as a Custom Service Representative. She had flexible hours and it turned into a full time position later on. Just an idea.

Joe Soto ⋅ Los Angeles, CA U.S. Army, Master Sergeant ⋅ 20 years served

Hi Paul,
With your background have you ever looked into a company called PFS Investments? Not well known but has been a round since 1977 and is on the S&P 400. This company allows you to make your own schedule and can bring in some very good income. If you want, lets trade numbers and I will set up an interview for you in your area. I know of two offices in Minneapolis.

Paul Riedner ⋅ Minneapolis, MN U.S. Army, Sergeant ⋅ 4 years served

Thanks Ron. I absolutely agree about your comment on the "magic job". I am pursuing some creative endeavors now, regardless of the type of work that I find or choose, so I am ok not strictly applying my degrees to a job. And although I am under forty years old, I still roll in an old school fashion, by preferring to speak with somebody in person or on the telephone, which is why I like this forum and ACP in general, so I don't have to trawl millions of websites to get experienced insights or fresh ideas. I have been networking fairly intensely over the last two months and do appreciate every interaction that I have, regardless of what the outcome is or could be.

Scott, Thanks for the tip about remote/telecommuting posts. And by the way, I am not treating this forum like a job application. Otherwise I would do as you suggest and spin some convincing argument about how awesome I am and how well I can do a job that I probably don't even understand yet. ;) I'm being facetious, but the point is, I don't want to leave any areas unexplored or any question unasked. My priority is my son. If I can find a line of work that allows me to be with him more and allows me to pursue my writing and music, then I'll worry about how I approach the opportunity.

Thanks for you insights gentlemen!

Ron Kane ⋅ Newton, IA Hewlett Packard ⋅ 6 years experience

HI Paul...

What are the main things that you like doing that would involve (to the extent) your BA and MBA... i find that there are no magic jobs that specifically *match* your exact degree but there are involving getting the qualification need to get that interview of course. My experience for me has been that even though I got degrees in programming and networking, my real passion with using my degree involves web building and HTML coding and help desk work which involve various aspects of my degree.

Have you checked online for places involving work at home projects? Even through traditional temp agencies maybe? There is one site out there involving freelance work called www.guru.com. This is at least one avenue to try. Have you also thought of just calling up some small/medium companies seeing if they have job openings in areas that interest you and to see if those companies would be close to your residency maybe?

I find that in all our technological advancements in communicating.. it just seems people forgot at times how to use a phone and call people up to ask about possible job opportunities. I think we still need at times to be able to call and do face to face at some point. But that's just been my experience as of the last few years.

I would at least try that one lead but also see if there are local companies that might have need in the areas that interest you. It never hurts to just ask. What have you got to lose? 8)

Ron