A typical travel nursing assignment is 13 weeks long. Unfortunately, many jobs won’t bother to spend a month training an employee who’s only going to stick around for two more months. Travel nursing is an exciting and rewarding career opportunity that offers a wide range of benefits, including the ability to travel while earning a great salary. Married nurses or nurses in committed relationships often use this opportunity to travel the country with their loved ones. But that amount of travel may be hard on other careers, making it difficult for significant others to find stable work. If you and your partner are considering hitting the road together, here are some job ideas for spouses of traveling nurses.
Start and Maintain a Blog
Because you can work online from practically anywhere, one option is to create your own blog as a source of income. With the help of software like WordPress, it’s very inexpensive and easy to start your own blog. You should be able to get a domain name and hosting for less than $70 a year, which will allow you to start publishing your own content and work toward establishing an audience. If you’re able to gain decent traffic, you can even start to make money by selling ads on your blog.
Do Some Freelance Work
Another great option for those who are able to work from home is to find some freelance work online. With digital careers increasing rapidly, freelance work has become more common. In fact, some people are able to make their entire living by only doing freelance work. There are several websites that help freelancers find clients all around the world, including Upwork and Fiverr. This option is viable for a wide range of professions, including programmers, designers, writers, editors, artists, and more.
Work for Temporary Services
If you’d rather work in a physical office, consider looking for jobs through staffing agencies. It won’t be easy to find a typical job when you’re only going to be around for about 13 weeks, but temporary jobs are perfect for your situation. Most cities have agencies that specialize in placing people in a wide range of jobs on a short-term basis. Also, you could try to find a staffing agency that has offices and contacts across the country so you can work with a single recruiter no matter where your spouse’s assignments take you.
Find a Place to Volunteer
If you’re simply looking for a reason to get out of the house instead of a way to bring in some additional income, volunteering may be the perfect solution. In many cases, a traveling nurse can earn enough money for two people to live comfortably, especially when you include housing benefits. If you and your partner decide that you don’t need the additional money from a second job, volunteering is a great way to spend your time that allows for socialization and a greater sense of purpose.
Do Some Seasonal Work
Since you’ll only be in each city for 13 weeks for your spouse’s assignment, it doesn’t make much sense to find a permanent job. There are many industries that need seasonal work to get through busy seasons. Retailers often need additional help during holiday seasons, so if the timing lines up, that could be one option. Other industries, like those tied to tourism, may need help during various times of the year as well. Do some research to see if there are any businesses that have a seasonal influx of customers in your area. Places like ski lodges, park departments, and more may need additional staff.
Drive for Uber or Lyft
It doesn’t take much more than an eligible car, vehicle insurance, and a driver’s license to start earning money these days. With ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft, you can become a driver in no time at all and start earning money wherever you are. Plus, you’ll be free to set your own schedule and earn as much money as you need. This solution would allow you to easily work a similar schedule as your spouse so you can spend more time with each other.
Be a Bartender
Bartending can be a fun part-time job capable of bringing in a decent income. Since licensing is pretty simple in most states, it’s a great option for spouses of traveling nurses who move around frequently. Going this route will require a bit more research for finding the best job opportunities, but it could work out well for couples who both work night shifts.
