One question that inevitably crops up is what my job is. I am a full-time tutor. This is all I do. Very few tutors work full-time, and I have a feeling that many other tutors (or anyone else reading this) may have some questions about what it means to be a full-time tutor. Thus, here we are.

Obviously, in order to be a full-time tutor, one must first have a love for tutoring. Tutoring is a very mentally straining job, and if you do not have a love for it, tutoring will wear you out fast. One thing that might not be so obvious is that one must also love driving. About a third of the time that I am "working", I am just driving to meet my next student. Having a good sense of direction and being able to read maps is also handy of course.

Another thing that a newcomer to full-time tutoring may not realize is the high time commitment. I was an analyst before being a tutor, and in order to make what I would have been earning, I work seven days a week, each day working 4-6 hour block times of tutoring (or more). To this end, be sure your family is in support of your full-time tutoring before you begin. It will strain relations with them. You will be working when they are home and vice-versa. Time spent together will take a drastic drop unless you first carve out some time for your family. There are no "weekends" when tutoring, unless you decide to keep Fridays free (the least-desired tutoring day). Vacations also go by the wayside as those you are helping depend on you more than coworkers would at a job. Even when you are not tutoring, there are still other job-related tasks to be done: advertising, doing write-ups (like for WyzAnt), researching how to pay your taxes/finding insurance, answering phone calls and emails, and more. Full-time tutoring isn't just a career decision; it becomes your life.

The last major thing I would note is that the initial push to becoming a full-time tutor is very difficult. I have four years of experience, certified in more subjects than I care to count, and had several returning families who wanted me, and the initial setup was still very taxing. One or two sites will not be enough to get your name out to gather enough students. You need to be the first one listed when you Google "tutor + your area code," or better yet, fill up the first page. That takes a lot of advertising skill. I managed to get several first page mentions (three of which were the absolute first) due to my variety and that I tutor in ACT preparation. If you only tutor one subject, the road will be even more difficult. At the minimum, I would suggest having at least science & mathematics through the high school level and preferably higher. You will want college students as well as they can often meet weekday mornings.

If, after reading this blog, you still think you would be a good candidate for becoming a full-time tutor, I would suggest you start advertising and see if you can get at least part of the initial push before you end your current job (if employed). Also, realize that many sites require long processes before you can work for them; I have spent months on some of my applications. If you would like further advice into how to become a full-time tutor, feel free to email me and ask your questions.

Being a full-time tutor is a very large commitment. But, if you have an understanding family and can get over the initial uphill climb, it is one of the most rewarding careers you can pick. :)

(If you have learned some from this blog, please leave a comment. I plan on writing more blogs, but it helps to know that someone is indeed reading them and is enjoying them. Thank you.)

Certified, Full-Time Tutor of Most Subjects

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• ACT 4
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• Other 4
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• SAT Math 3
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• Algebra 2 2
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• American History 2
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