20 Best Jobs for Housewives in Malaysia
Being a housewife is a full-time job in itself. Maintaining an efficient household while tending to one important task after another can be grueling. But for women who thrive on challenges and are looking to enter or re-enter the workforce on a full or part-time basis, the employment opportunities are promising. Outside of the home, women in Malaysia represent 52% of the working population––an impressive number considering the country’s 33 million+ population. And, given Malaysia’s relatively low cost of living, having an additional income can really bring a family to a higher level of financial security.
In this article, we’ll show you the top housewife jobs in Malaysia, plus salaries, required skills, and education––and how you can find them.
20 Best Jobs in Malaysia for Housewives
JOB TITLE | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY |
Graphic Designer | |
Barista | |
Real Estate Agent | |
UX/UI Designer | |
Proofreader | |
Customer Service Representative | |
Data Entry Specialist | |
Receptionist | |
Retail Sales Associate | |
Translator | |
Beauty Advisor | |
Recruitment Coordinator | |
Caterer | |
Telemarketer | |
Event Planner | |
Content Creator | |
Transcriptionist | |
Bookkeeper | |
Call Center Specialist | |
Flight Attendant |
Job description: There is always a high demand for creative artists in Malaysia, but those with specialized computer and design abilities are particularly popular. Graphic design work is a highly selective skill that not many people can perform without a creative eye and solid experience working with the latest online digital design programs. But if you are a housewife in Malaysia with artistic flair, finding work as a graphic designer should be very easy.
Salary range: RM 60,000 – 75,000
Skills required: Creative; Technical; Time Management; Communication
Education required: University (usually); online training available (freelance)
Job description: Baristas are crucial hospitality players in that they are responsible for the quick and efficient preparation of coffee and caffeinated beverages that keep Malaysians operating at their highest energy level possible. Not only do they work in extremely fast-paced environments, but they also clean, open, and close cash registers and order products.
Salary range: RM 18,000 – 30,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Teamwork; Observation
Education required: None
Job description: An effective real estate agent is someone who can assist clients in selling and/or buying their dream property by establishing a solid asking price, advertising the property, listing the property, and hosting open houses for prospective buyers. These types of customer service-based positions are always in demand in Malaysia–– and great for housewives with flexible schedules.
Salary range: RM 40,000 – 65,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Sales; Observation
Education required: None (specialized training)
Job description: UX/UI designer jobs have witnessed a steady increase in demand throughout Malaysia –– especially in major cities, given the multi-discipline talents required across various industries. Housewives with flexible, or even remote, schedules who possess specialized skills set can expect to find attractive jobs that pay particularly well.
Salary range: RM 80,000 – 100,000
Skills required: Communication; Creative/Design; Computing; Time management
Education required: University
Job description: A highly skilled and versatile career option in just about any industry, proofreaders are responsible for identifying and correcting inaccuracies and issues in internal and consumer-facing documents. Because housewives often have flexible schedules, proofreading is a popular and well-paying position that can be performed as often as needed.
Salary range: RM 45,000 – 70,000
Skills required: Administrative; Editing; Observation; Communication
Education required: Secondary school (training courses are available online)
Job description: Resolving customer issues and complaints takes a strong amount of analytical and communication skills––not to mention being a dedicated people-person. Malaysia has countless customer support roles to be filled.
Salary range: RM 25,000 – 30,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Analytical
Education required: Secondary school; training often provided
Job description: Companies in Malaysia rely on data more than ever before –– and collecting and parsing that data can be very strenuous and time-consuming. This is why data entry positions are in high demand. These roles require attention to detail, strong typing abilities, and a basic understanding of many online organizational tools and software
Salary range: RM 32,000 – 48,000
Skills required: Administrative; Observation; Communication
Education required: Secondary school (training courses are available online)
Job description: Receptionist jobs are some of the most popular and in-demand in Malaysia, mainly because so much of the role is comprised of answering telephones and using organizational tools like Microsoft Office –– skills with which many housewives are already familiar. Receptionist jobs are great for building relationships in the business industry and working with people.
Salary range: RM 30,000 – 47,000
Skills required: Administrative; Teamwork; Communication
Education required: Secondary school (usually)
Job description: Retail sales is the perfect job for housewives re-entering the workforce because they are readily available in Malaysia and expose candidates to a variety of learned skills. Stores are in constant need of motivated and energetic people to welcome and assist customers, stock merchandise, clean, and organize. Working as a retail assistant often comes with a staff discount, which is a great perk.
Salary range: RM 35,000 – 48,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Teamwork
Education required: Secondary school graduate (usually)
Job description: A popular job in many Asian-speaking countries, translator roles are in high demand due to the increase in foreign investment opportunities in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding areas. Translating Malay, Tamil, or Mandarin to English, French, and German is a skill that will take any candidate far. If you are a housewife and you speak more than one language, companies will often look past a lack of education or experience.
Salary range: RM 50,000 – 55,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Observation
Education required: University graduate
Job description: Always a popular position –– especially for housewives––the South Asian beauty industry continues to experience incredible growth, with beauty advisors landing high-paying, flexible jobs in many of Malaysia’s largest cities.
Salary range: RM 45,000 – 50,000
Skills required: Creative; Time Management; Communication
Education required: None (usually)
Job description: Recruiting coordinators are a valuable part of any companies hiring and HR departments. They can typically be relied upon to help members of the Human Resources department review resumes, filter ideal job candidates, execute background checks, participate in interviews, and perform onboarding responsibilities with new employees. They are often entry-level positions, making them ideal for housewives.
Salary range: RM 45,000 – 60,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Observation
Education required: Secondary school; training provided
Job description: Chances are, if you are a housewife, you’re probably used to preparing food several times each day. Why not turn those skills into a new career? Events like weddings, anniversaries, and holidays are celebrated frequently, and opulently, across the country. And such events require a caterer. The benefit of working as a caterer (as opposed to a chef in a restaurant) is that you don’t often need a hefty resume and an education to get booked. Just the talent, skills, and patience.
Salary range: RM 25,000 – 40,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Teamwork; Culinary
Education required: None
Job description: Companies across Malaysia need skilled candidates to help with sales and support. These jobs are perfect for housewives because all you need is a telephone and some patience (which moms already have). If you’ve got the time and skills required to track contact lists while calling prospective customers to sell the benefits of a company’s particular products or services, then you can expect to earn good, steady pay on your flexible terms.
Salary range: RM 35,000 – 53,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Observation
Education required: Secondary school; training provided
Job description: If you love to plan parties, then working as a professional event planner can be incredibly rewarding –– and well-paying. Housewives with a creative flair can set up a business for themselves online or via social media, meet with clients, agree upon budgets, and put together the greatest get-together imaginable. The more clients you acquire, the more you can charge for your unique services.
Salary range: RM 40,000 – 60,000
Skills required: Observation; Time management
Education required: Secondary school; training provided
Job description: Content creators are performers, editors, and writers who usually have SEO experience and just happen to be very sought after based on a particular point of interest. Whether you are creating shoppable videos on TikTok and YouTube, posting valuable live streams on Instagram, or hosting your own podcast, if you can attract an audience and encourage them to engage with you, you can make good money.
Salary range: RM 50,000 – 60,000
Skills required: Communication; Administrative; Observation
Education required: None
Job description: Transcription jobs are becoming more and more popular everywhere––mainly because anybody can do them from just about anywhere. You can even work transcription jobs around your life as a housewife. If you happen to be good at typing out audio or video recordings into presentable, written documents, you can find an abundance of work online and throughout Malaysia.
Salary range: RM 30,000 – 45,000
Skills required: Observation; Time management; Administrative
Education required: None
Job description: Bookkeeping jobs are some of the most straightforward and easy-to-learn jobs in Malaysia, which makes them ideal for housewives returning to work. All you need is some basic mathematics knowledge and great organizational skills. You can usually find small local businesses in need of bookkeepers nearby. Once you’ve taken on one client, you can grow your network based on your availability.
Salary range: RM 32,000 – 50,000
Skills required: Administrative; Mathematics/Calculation; Observation
Education required: None (training courses are available online)
Job description: Some people (and especially housewives) have a natural gift for connecting with others and know just the right words to say to sway their decision-making. If this sounds like you, an urgent-hire job in a call center could be a good fit. In Malaysia, many companies let employees perform these jobs from home, completely remote.
Salary range: RM 45,000 – 50,000
Skills required: Communication; Negotiation; Time management
Education required: None (often); secondary school (sometimes)
Job description: Flight Attendants are responsible for ensuring the safety, comfort, and security of passengers before, during, and after flight take-off. They not only provide customer service when dispensing meals and refreshments, but they also assist flyers with immigration questions and destination tips –– all while creating a sound environment aboard the airplane.
Salary range: RM 75,000 – 90,000
Skills required: Communication; Time management; Teamwork, Observation
Education required: Secondary school; training provided
How to Find a Job for Housewives in Malaysia
1. Online Job Sites
Using an online job board is one of the most effective tools for sourcing any kind of job in Malaysia. And there are plenty of options available for housewives looking to return to past careers –– or start from the very beginning.
Some great online job boards in Malaysia include:
2. Recruitment Agencies
Sometimes, when you are returning to work after years spent as a housewife, you need a bit of help getting your foot in the door. Recruitment agencies in Malaysia are readily available to assist candidates.
Some of the top recruitment agencies servicing all parts of Malaysia include:
There are plenty of other options for finding a job in Malaysia, including social media platforms like Facebook––especially Facebook Groups––as well as LinkedIn, even by word of mouth.
Start Searching for the Best Jobs in Malaysia for Housewives
There you have it! Some of the most popular career options for housewives in Malaysia. Now that you have a solid understanding of what to expect when applying for jobs after spending years outside of the workforce, you can start planning your future. Know where to search! Living outside of Malaysia? Check out GrabJobs for opportunities in your country.
Photo by Microsoft 365 on Unsplash
