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5 Top Jobs for Work-Life Balance

By U.S. News & World Report

Is work-life balance an impossible dream? It feels like we are all working longer hours and taking on a greater share of the work in this post-recession era. Unfortunately, this seems to be the new normal, resulting in employees seeking the elusive balance between work and personal life.

Since the recession, employers have demanded more from employees, but you can only get so much blood from a stone. As the war for talent begins, employers are beginning to look for ways to retain disengaged and dissatisfied employees. And these same employees have begun to shop around for greener pastures where they can leave work behind at the end of a normal workday.

It isn’t easy to provide a universal definition of work-life balance. In general, it has to do with how easily you can draw a line between your personal and professional life. It is uniquely defined by your values and how well you can integrate these two areas to meet your expectations.

If you crave a role that doesn’t require 24/7 attention, you aren’t alone. Over the past three years, there has been a steady decline in how employees rate satisfaction with work-life balance. In 2009, the average satisfaction was 3.5 out of a five-point scale where five equals very satisfied. In 2015, satisfaction dropped to 3.2 as tracked by Glassdoor.

Some jobs seem to rank higher in work-life balance satisfaction than others, according to Glassdoor’s study released in October. It’s interesting to note that of the 25 jobs profiled, only a few existed 10 or more years ago. Here is a glimpse of the top five:

Data scientist. With an average 4.2 satisfaction rating, Glassdoor reports this as a top work-life balance role. So what exactly does a data scientist do? This job analyzes data and produces insights used to enhance operations, products and services. Data scientists use statistics, predictive modeling and other methodology to quickly interpret piles of data and present a summary of findings. You’ll come across data scientists in many different industries, from retail to education.

SEO manager. Second in satisfaction at 4.1 out of five is a position that involves managing search engine optimization. These employees know how to collect and analyze website data, like visits and time on a site. SEO managers also understand how to optimize the website for optimal traffic and visibility. Any organization with a website needs someone, in house or outsourced, to monitor and manage how its website ranks in search results.

Talent acquisition specialist. You used to call them recruiters or HR specialists. The main responsibility for talent acquisition specialists is to find, screen, interview and determine the best candidate for a position. This role ranks third, with a work-life balance satisfaction of 4.0. You will find these jobs in larger organizations that need dedicated resources to fill openings. Smaller companies may either outsource this to a recruiting agency or try to wing it themselves.

Social media manager. Ten years ago, this role didn’t exist. Today, it ranks fourth for work-life balance satisfaction at 4.0. This role requires creativity and diverse skills, including strong communication and relationship-building skills. It is part content creator, part customer service, part marketing and requires interaction and familiarity with many other business units. This is an ideal role for someone who likes a day filled with variety. Social media manager roles can be found in any organization that has jumped on the social media bandwagon.

Substitute teacher. While you may recall playing pranks on your sub during school, this doesn’t seem to bother those who ranked it fifth in work-life balance satisfaction. Substitute teaching can be rewarding work, and no two days would ever be the same managing all the responsibilities in a classroom. You might not need to grade papers as a substitute, which makes it fairly easy to leave your job behind at the end of the day.

If you are looking for a change of pace and a role that could potentially fit better with your lifestyle, check out these and the other 20 jobs listed in Glassdoor’s report.

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5 Top Jobs for Work-Life Balance originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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