Career

The job market is changing, and changing quickly. More and more people are moving away from the 9-5 job and into the gig economy or entrepreneurship. In fact, freelance workers make up 35 percent of the U.S. workforce, according to a study by Freelancers Union and Upwork.

This growing trend doesn't mean it's an easy career path however. If your significant other is making a big career decision, here are a few ways you can support them:

Before they found fame, or found each other, what did celebrity couples like Dr. Phil and Robin McGraw do in their first jobs?

In the latest in Reuters' monthly 'First Jobs' series, we talked to couples who work as TV personalities, actors, models or authors about their first gigs and found their starts were often humble.

Dr. Phil & Robin McGraw

Dr. Phil: Back in Oklahoma City, I had several jobs at one time, when I was around 13 years old. I had a paper route, worked at an A&W root beer stand, and at also a local chain called Pizza Planet.

Statistics show there has never been a better time to be a woman. As of 2014, there were almost 9.1 million female-owned businesses in the United States, generating more than $1.4 trillion (yes, with a “T”) in revenue. The percentage of women who are household breadwinners is rising. Young American women are 33 percent more likely than their male peers to have earned a college degree by age 27. And around the world, women hold several of the highest offices in the land.

Whether you both work at home, own a business together or are colleagues in the same company, working alongside your spouse offers great advantages and some unique challenges too.

On the one hand, you get to see your beloved throughout the day. When you talk about what’s going on at work, the other person knows exactly what you’re talking about. You even have a built-in carpool buddy.

Why do I find it so hard to balance my family and work?

We are led to believe that to succeed in our careers we must put in long hours and take time away from our families and personal growth activities. In fact, time spent on family activities, sports and personal interests can make you more creative, healthier and productive than struggling to the point of burnout and resentment. You can make more energy and time available for your personal life by learning to work more efficiently and easily on your job.

Many people have recently found themselves in the position of looking for a new job. The following are a few tips to assist you in your job search.

1. Don’t waste the interviewer’s time.Before sending your resume to a company, make sure you qualify and your skills are compatible with the job post.

2. Be prepared to answer three standard questions.
a. "Why did you leave your last job?"

Unfortunately, our bosses don’t tend to consult family schedules before assigning our hours. And when you and your partner’s schedules don’t mesh—especially over a long period of time—it can wear on your relationship. Fatigue, loneliness and miscommunication can all take their toll, but there are plenty of couples making it work, including some who have chosen opposite schedules for childcare purposes.

Day Shift vs. Evening Shift
Mary Ellen, a PR writer, works 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Her husband, Craig, is an autoworker who works 4:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., Monday to Friday. They have been married for 15 years, have no children and live in Lebanon, Indiana. Mary Ellen shares their story.