Jobs and Moms

Start Your Own Business Workshop: NYC

My friend and colleague, Jeff Williams, Founder of Bizstarters.com, will be hosting a one day workshop in Manhattan geared for individuals who have a pre-existing business idea and who want to be well on their way to launching their business at the end of the one day workshop.

When:
Saturday, June 7, 2008 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Where:
The Cornell Club, 6 East 44th Street in Manhattan

Presenters:
Jeff Williams, CEO of Bizstarters.com and a nationally known expert on starting a business after 50.

Louise Holmes is CEO of Nine Work Lives LLC and author of an upcoming book on inspirational life changes by Boomer individuals.

Cost:
Early Bird discounted price of $249 until May 18, 2008.

Registration:
Online registration is available at www.bizstarters.com, with a discounted workshop fee of $249 available until May 18, 2008.

Career Reinventions: Fun Questions to Ponder

As a career coach, I have the honor of helping my clients discover their inner passions, motivating values and lifestyle needs. Part of that discovery process involves asking key questions to help clarify and expand their world of possibilities.

I hope to have the opportunity to work with many of you in the near future to help craft your new career, but in the meantime, here is a sampling of questions for you to ponder on your own:

1) If you could make a documentary about any subject, what topic would you choose? Think about what your response reveals about your core values, areas of interest and personal belief system. Does your answer provide any insights into specific areas of interest that you should study further?

2) Who are the three people you admire most? As you think about the people you selected, analyze your choices to see if there are any personal traits, values or job characteristics that these three people share in common. Examine the common threads in their profiles for clues to the attributes you would like to replicate in your own life.

3) What would you like your obituary to say? While it is never pleasant to think about your own demise, writing your obituary can be a life-affirming experience. What does your fictitious obituary say about your personal relationships, work achievements, community contributions or personal triumphs? If you're not happy with how your obituary reads today, what steps do you need to take to ensure your actual obituary will reflect a life and a legacy that you will be proud to call your own?

4) Describe your ideal work day: Write about what time you would get up, if you would exercise, the types of people you would work around and the assortment of activities you would complete during the course of the day. Be thorough and include detail about the clothes you would wear, the work environment you'd prefer, and even the food you'd like to eat during the course of the day. Think about how what you wrote compares to the realities of your current life and decide on action steps to better align your life with your "perfect" vision.

5) What did you love to do as a child and why did you love it? Okay, so this is really two questions, but it is important to answer both. Did you enjoy performing at your parent's parties? Play beautician with your friends? Read books about horses? Make a list of your favorite activities and then write down why you loved doing each one. After you've completed both lists, analyze your responses to see if any consistent themes emerge.

Do you have some insightful questions to add to this list? Add your favorites to the list on our blog.

Child Care Challenges

Choosing a nanny is one of the most important parenting tasks you'll ever undertake. To help you better understand what to look out for when selecting a nanny, I asked Deborah Smith, a former nanny, mother of "two terrific" boys and the owner of several online nanny services including NannyClassifieds.com, 4EverythingNanny.com, and BestNannyCam.com to share her thoughts on this subject:

Tip # 1 - Do not fall in love with your nanny based on what she looks like on paper: I had a family once contact me who had found a British nanny online and wanted to know if she was legitimate. After checking out some of the claims she made in her online profile, I told the family that I thought she was a fake. They still sent her $700 for plane fare. The foreseeable end to this tale? The nanny never had any intention of flying to the US. (Actually, nanny was probably not a nanny at all). But, she looked great on virtual paper and the family was so blinded by their need for a nanny that they refused to see the writing on the wall.

Tip #2 - While interviewing a nanny is important, interviewing her references is far more important: Be sure to verify all information provided by the prospective nanny. Ask references how long the nanny worked for them, the ages of their children, what nanny's responsibilities were, why did nanny leave, and so on. If your prospective nanny has never worked as a nanny before, interview her former employers. Ask them if they think she would make a good nanny and why they think so.

Tip #3 - Run a thorough background check: Do not rely on "National Databases" that give you results in 24 hours. The sad truth about criminal records in our country is that there is no central database as many records are still kept on local files in County Courts. A reputable background screening service will have agents who physically visit the county(s) where your nanny has lived and will look her up personally. It's more expensive and a little more time consuming, but it is the only way to get credible results.

Tip #4 - Conduct a working interview: Have the nanny come in for a paid, trial run. Spend some time getting her acquainted with the house and the children. Then remove yourself from the room but still stay within ear shot. Does nanny know what to do to occupy your toddler or sooth your infant? Does she seem comfortable and self-assured or nervous and clueless? The more days you can dedicate to this phase of the "interview" the better.

Tip #5 - Hire an agency to help with screening: If you are uncomfortable taking the reigns of the interview process, invest the $200 to $300 to hire a nanny agency that can interview your nanny and her references. Many nanny agencies offer this service as an a la carte option.

Tip #6 - Bonus: Okay, I know I said 5 tips, but here's a bonus. Put together a written job description/work agreement that both you and your nanny agree to and sign. Revisit this agreement periodically over coffee with your nanny to see how things are going and to get her input on how she is doing. Keeping the lines of communication open with your nanny will make the whole employment experience a much happier one for everyone involved. For a sample work agreement, visit 4EverythingNanny.com.

Other Helpful Child Care Resources:

Child Care Aware is a non-profit organization committed to helping parents find the best information on locating quality child care and child care resources in their community by connecting parents with the local agencies best equipped to serve their needs.

Sitter City enables you to find babysitters, nannies and pet sitters in your local community. Use the promo code "JAM" and receive 10% off your order at checkout.

Downloadable 38 point Child Care Check List is very useful for any parent scouting out a new daycare facility or child care provider.

Your Taxes, Your Career

The US Government provides some of the most extensive sources of career information available on the internet. Whether you are looking to make a career change, want information about starting your own business or need assistance with growing your small business, there is a site for you. Below I have listed some of my favorite resources:

CAREER CHANGE

America’s CareerInfoNet

This is an extraordinarily comprehensive site where you can research wages and employment trends, occupational requirements, state by state labor market conditions, millions of employer contacts nationwide, and peruse the most extensive career resource library online.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

Updated every two years by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Occupational Outlook Handbook details job responsibilities, educational requirements, and outlook information for a wide range of occupations.

Occupational Outlook Quarterly

Besides providing occupational outlook predictions, the Quarterly has several very useful article archives, including a section called, You’re a What?, that provides information about unusual occupations and career paths.

START/GROW YOUR OWN BUSINESS

US Small Business Administration

A mega site filled with resources for both the novice and seasoned entrepreneur.

The Online Women's Business Center

Created through a public-private partnership between the US Small Business Administration and private corporations, this site offers everything from individual counseling by e-mail to the most comprehensive information on how to secure financing, contracts and grants for your business. Tremendously useful site.

Sick Child - Working Mom

I recently received an e-mail from a single mom who is worried about losing her job as a result of her excessive absences from work. First, this poor woman endured a series of personal health issues (pneumonia, ruptured spinal disk, etc.) which resulted in her missing three weeks of work. Since August, her 12 year-old daughter has taken sick with a variety of illnesses, ranging from strep to bronchitis to ear infections.

To date, her boss has been remarkably understanding, but my reader is understandably concerned that her boss will soon run out of patience.

She writes, "I don't how much longer they are going to put up with me not being there. I’m sure there are other single moms that have sickly children and have gone through this. Do you know if there is anything I can do to insure I won’t lose my job, because my daughter keeps getting sick?"

Nancy's reply: I wish I could give you a fail-safe solution that would "ensure" you don't lose your job, but unfortunately there is no magic bullet for dealing with this issue. Employers pay you to work and excessive absenteeism can eventually lead to termination.

But all is not hopeless and you have a number of things working in your favor that could limit the impact of your absetneeism. Your personal absences were due to conditions that have now been resolved, so presumbably that should limit your absenteeism in the futurre. Even more important, your boss has demonstrated a willingness to work with you and clearly values you as a hard-working employee.

Hopefully, your daughter's health issues will soon be behind her as well. But, since sore throats and the like are inevitable, now is a good time to discuss possible "sick-day solutions" with your employer.

Thank your employer for their understanding and let them know how much you appreciate their support. Emphasize that while you don't expect to have excessive absence in the future, that you'd like to have a plan in place that will help minimize work disruptions in the event of any absences in the future. Perhaps you can arrange to work from home when needed with a company laptop or home computer. Alternatively, you could suggest working extra hours during evenings and weekends. Your employer might have some suggestions as well as to the best way to manage this situation going forward.

Readers, what say you? How have you handled the working mom - sick child dilemma at your job?

Hot Careers

In my work with clients to help develop more fulfilling career paths, I am always on the lookout for new sources of information about emerging market trends and exciting homebased business opportunities. Whether you are a budding entrepreneur or looking for a new corporate career direction, these resources can help you identify exciting pockets of opportunity in our ever-changing economy. Here are five very useful online guides:

1) Occupational Outlook Handbook: The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. The Handbook, which is based on data compiled by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is revised every two years.

2) Entrepreneur Magazine: At the start of each year, Entrepreneur magazine publishes an article about hot new business ideas for the upcoming year. For 2007, some of the ideas include niche gyms, nonmedical health care and transition services for seniors, eco-friendly products and dessert-only restaurants.

3) Career Voyages: Another useful resource funded by our tax dollars, this site is designed to provide information on high growth, in-demand occupations along with the skills and education needed to attain those jobs. An excellent resource for both parents and students alike.

4) Hot Health Care Careers: Without a doubt, health care is one of the hottest fields in our economy. There are literally hundreds of rewarding careers in medicine and healthcare. This site provides very comprehensive information about an array of health professions.

5) America's Hottest Jobs: Money magazine publishes articles on different aspects of this topic several times a year. Articles included in this collection include The New, New Careers, The Hottest Spots for Knowledge Workers and The Hottest Salaries.

Best Companies for Working Mothers

People are always asking me if there is a complete list of "mom-friendly" companies. While there is no one comprehensive list, you can piece together some good information about quality employers through a variety of publications.

I caution you to interpret these lists with a healthy dose of skepticism (click here to read a blog article titled, How Solid is Working Mother's Seal of Approval?). Not every company selected for these lists are uniformly wonderful. Some have great mentoring programs for women (while skimping on flexible work options), some offer on-site daycare (but only at their headquarters locations) and others offer nice extras like concierge services (but still expect their employees to travel at a moments notice).

Even if these lists aren't perfect, they do give you a glimpse into the benefits of working for a variety of firms. Beyond Working Mother's list, here are some other resources to consult:

100 Best Companies to Work for in America: Fortune offers different lists of the most admired companies to work for.

50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work for in the U.S.: Special report from Latina Style identifies companies with special programs and benefits for Hispanic working women.

Forbes - The 200 Best Small Companies: This list features growing small companies.

Employee Ownership 100: By definition, companies that are majority owned by employees are employee-friendly. Check out the list provided by the National Center for Employee Ownership of the largest U. S. companies with over 50% owned by a broad employee ownership plan such as an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) or a stock purchase plan.

In addition to these national lists, local publications (such as The Washingtonian for the Washington D.C. area or Carolina Parenting for Charlotte, NC) periodically run articles about their top picks for family-friendly companies in specific geographic areas. If you're unsure what is available in your local area, just try inputting "family-friendly companies" and the name of your city, into one of the major search engines.

Layoffs via e-mail

Every once in a while I read about a "hot" workplace trend that makes me stand back and shudder. Such was the case this morning when I learned about a a new national survey that revealed that 10% of U.S employees say their company has used email to fire or lay off employees. And 17% indicated their boss used emails to avoid other difficult face-to-face conversations. The national survey of 752 US workers was conducted in May and June 2007 by Harris Interactive for The Marlin Company.

I was an HR Director for almost a decade and during that time I had to deal with laying off employees. It's a nasty job -- one that made my stomach turn and lose sleep at night. But no matter how dreaded the task, I just can't imagine how any company can justify handling this job by e-mail. It is cowardly, irresponsible and immoral.

Through my work on Layoffsurvivalguide.com , I have met hundreds of people who have been laid-off. Until you've been through the experience yourself, it is difficult to understand the fear and uncertainty that accompanies this process.

Companies should be working towards helping these former employees, not adding to their challenges. I certainly hope the public outrage against this dehumanizing corporate action will be strong enough to shame these companies and force them to reconsider their misguided policies.

Career Management for Moms: Targeted Volunteering

A friend of mine has a notepad on her refrigerator that reads, "Stop Me Before I Volunteer Again!" Indeed, that is a familiar sentiment to many moms at this time of year. We like to be of service, but our time is so limited.

If you've been feeling conflicted about your volunteer obligations, consider "targeted volunteering." Instead of waiting for people to approach you about chairing the bake sale committee, think proactively and seek out challenging assignments with organizations that really interest you.

You'll be happier -- they'll benefit from your hard work -- and in the process, you'll gain new skills, contacts and experiences to help bolster your resume:

1. Chair a committee for your professional association: One of my clients did this when she was trying to break into the field of training and development and within two years she was elected president of her local chapter of ASTD -- a great credential to mention when pitching new business.

2. Accept volunteer assignments with organizations that are aligned with your career interests: Thinking about becoming a teacher? Volunteer at your child's school and learn more about the day-to-day challenges of being a teacher. Interested in grant-writing? Seek out opportunities to write a grant for a local community agency.

3. Run for President: As president of a volunteer organization you'll have opportunities to polish your management, public-speaking and long-range planning skills. This is a smart way to add relevant leadership skills to your resume, without having to wait for your boss to promote you.

4. Join a Board: Volunteer to serve on the board of directors of a high-profile organization. The people you'll meet will help broaden your sphere of knowledge and influence and you'll enhance your management skills at the same time.

5. Be a role-model for your child: I can still remember the pride I felt when my mom served as the PTA president and spoke in front of the whole school at assembly time. Even if you can only spare a few hours during the school year, your children are bound to love having your presence in the classroom or on a field trip -- and you'll be teaching them an important lesson about the value of volunteering in the process.

Back-to-Work, Back-to-School!

As many of you know, I am an enormous fan of "going back to school." When you go back to school you ensure that your skills are fresh, you expand your network of business associates, and you give a big boost to your resume. Particularly for Comeback Moms, having up-to-date education noted on your resume can make the critical difference between being viewed as an "also-ran" or a "hot commodity" when looking for a new job.

Please keep in mind that "going back to school" does not mean that you have to sign up for a full-fledged degree program (given that over half my private clients are MBA's, I'm assuming most of you don't want to enroll in yet another graduate program). Sometimes, all you need to refresh your resume is to enroll in a certificate program.

A certificate is a credential issued by an institution in recognition of the completion of a curriculum other than one leading to a degree. Certificate programs allow you to concentrate on pursuing a specific subject within a field of interest, thereby providing you with a tool-kit of expertise and enhanced employment opportunities without the cost or time commitment associated with a full- fledged degree program.

What types of certificate programs are out there? I did a quick review of programs in my neck-of-the-woods and came up with a wide array of options. Here is just a sampling:

Certificate Program in Early Childhood Development (16 credits including a practicum of actual work experience offered through Purchase College in NY)

Certificate in Arts Management (Purchase College- for professionals interested in management options with the Arts World).

Certificate in Appraisal of Investment Properties (NYU, School of Continuing Education)

Certificate in Online Course Creation and Instruction (NYU, 3 courses, does have some pre- requisites)

Here is how can you find a program that is just the right solution to your needs:

First, call all the schools that are within a commutable distance of your home and ask for their catalog (be sure to tell them you are intererested in certificate programs). Don't overlook community colleges -- they actually have some of the more innovative programs out there. If you are uncertain about which schools are around you, use Petersons.com (outstanding site) to do a search by location and area of interest.

Once you've identified some programs, call the school and make an appointment to meet with the head of that department. Find out if there any prerequisites to enrollment and ask questions about the career paths of recent graduates. Even though these programs are a relatively small investment compared to grad school, you don't want to waste your time or money.

Finally, don't delay. Now is the time to do your research if you're interested in enrolling in a program for the summer or this coming fall.