Get a Job/Change Jobs

After you separate from your partner, you will no longer be combining your incomes to pay for your expenses. Even if you will be receiving both child support and spousal support, you might need more income. Or you might need to have extra money so that you can pay support to your former spouse. Your kids might need more of your time than they did before while they work through this stressful time of change.

If you are a stay-at-home Mom or Dad:

What kind of job would work with your kids’ schedules that you are qualified for? A Mom I know went back to school to become an EA so that she could work school hours. Another one worked as a house cleaner during school hours and then later became certified as a personal trainer and started her own business. A Dad I know got a part-time job at Home Depot so that he could continue to help his son in his classroom three days a week, and to work on the weekends while his wife had parenting time with their son. Another one started a business as a house painter and didn’t work on the days that his daughter stayed with him.

If you work long hours or have a long commute and want 50% parenting time:

Would it make sense to switch to a job with less hours or that is closer to home? Who will look after your kids while you are at work?

It might make sense to go back to school for a year or two:

If your previous employment is not a good fit for you now, consider whether you should train in another field. To pay for the education, you might be able to negotiate that as part of your divorce settlement, use proceeds of the sale of your home, or get a student loan. The government also has a program that will pay for part or all of education for a career change under some circumstances – more information on this is available at Work BC centres.

If you’d like help deciding what to do next, consider a Discovery Session with me in my capacity as an Intuitive Career and Business Coach with Reach Your Potential.