Jobs and Moms

FlexJobs: Your Work, Your Life, Your Way!

 Click here to learn more about our exclusive 40-page instantly downloadable guide to flexible work.

Back-to-Work-Toolkit: A Guide for Comeback Moms

Are you a Mom thinking of returning to work who wonders... 

Will I be able to find a job or business opportunity in line with my experience? 

What is the best way to position myself on my resume and during the job interview? 

How do I find flexible or family-friendly jobs?

Is it feasible to work at home as a professional? 

I've been talking about this forever -- why is it taking me so long to do something about it?

Sound familiar? 

For more than a decade, through my private consulting, group presentations and as the online career expert for some of the biggest sites on the Internet (like Oprah Winfrey's Oxygen.com and Clubmom.com), I’ve had the privilege of interacting with thousands of women, just like you, who are eager to find meaningful work options after staying home with children. 

Thanks to the success of my clients, I've learned what works and what doesn't, the best ways to navigate around the "landmines" of the job search, and the most important things you need to know to jumpstart your "I'm ready to start earning money again" plans out of neutral and into fast-forward. 

I've enjoyed sharing my success strategies in loads of the big national magazines (see the bottom of this page for links to some of those stories). But, until recently, the only way you could access the full range of my "back-to-work" expertise was through my private coaching services. 

Now, you can take advantage of this invaluable information! Whether you're a mom just beginning to consider your options, a woman looking for quality flexible work, or a mom who is returning to work in the next few months, this toolkit is for you! 

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!

Flexible Work Options: Resources and Advice

   

Special Report: FlexJobs: Your Work, Your Life, Your Way!

Whether you're a Mom facing the reality of leaving your newborn infant for the first time, a stay-at-home mom interested in finding a way to return to work on a family-friendly schedule, or a full-time working mom eager to regain balance in your life -- help is on it's way! 

In this 40-page instantly downloadable guide, written by career consultant Nancy Collamer, you'll learn answers to questions like: 

• What are my options for flexible work? 
• How do I know which flexible option is best for me? 
• What types of jobs are most flex-friendly? 
• How should I approach my employer about flexible work? 
• How do I put together a flexible job proposal? 
• What types of companies are most likely to offer flexible work? 
• Where do I go to find flexible job openings? 
• What suggestions do you have for figuring out if an employer really is family-friendly? 

And much, much more. 

From part-time to flextime, telecommuting to job sharing, you'll learn tips on how to find your best options and triumph in your quest for family-friendly employment. 

Instant Digital Delivery:  When you order online with your credit card, you'll get this report as a PDF file, ready to read within minutes. You can either leave it on your computer so you can easily access the resources highlighted in this report or print it out for future reference. 

Easy to Purchase:   We accept Google Checkout, Paypal and all major credit cards.  To purchase for just $14.95, and start reading in minutes, click below: 

 

  

Negotiate a Flexible Work Arrangement

Without a doubt, my favorite proposal templates for people looking to secure a flexible work arrangement (job share, telecommuting, part time, etc.) can be found at Workoptions.com.   Here are links to three of their excellent planning templates:

   
 

Flex-Friendly Companies

People are always asking me if there is a list of companies that offer family friendly benefits. While there is no one comprehensive list, you can piece together some good information through a variety of publications. Here are some worth checking out: 

100 Best Companies to Work for in America (Go to rankings section on the FORTUNE tab) 

The 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers:  New winners are announced each October.  

Forbes - The 200 Best Small Companies: Features growing small companies. 

While these lists are helpful, I believe that one of the best ways to find a flexible employer is to target small employers. While small companies can’t offer the same level of benefit offerings as their corporate counterparts (e.g. health insurance, retirement plans), they can offer more flexibility than many of the larger and more bureaucratic corporations. Small business owners have discovered that flexible scheduling is a relatively low cost benefit that helps them to recruit and retain top-level talent. 

Here are some tips for finding employment with small businesses: 

• Networking is the best way to find job leads. Speak with friends, alumni groups, volunteer contacts and business associates for leads. Ask your local Chamber of Commerce or small business advocacy group for a membership directory and then contact target businesses directly. 
• The local newspapers often feature stories about “up and coming” businesses. Go online or to the library and do some research about local companies. Peruse the classifieds to see who is hiring. Even if a company doesn’t have a current opening in your field of expertise, use the information in the ad as a way to learn about small business employers in your area. 
• Craigslist.com is an excellent source of part-time classifieds.  

Other Flexible Work Opportunities

Sometimes the best way to get a flexible work situation is to pursue options outside of the “one-employer, one-paycheck model.” While these options are not traditional “jobs” since you will be paid as an independent contractor, they can provide favorable working solutions for some moms. 

Direct Sales: Many women want to work from home, but they don't want to create their own companies. Direct Sales Companies provide infrastructure, support and training -- thereby eliminating many of the stumbling blocks involved with starting your own business.  And, if you think selling from home translates in mere "pin money" think again. 

•  Success Stories- Direct selling is a $30+ billion dollar industry in the U.S.alone and many of the people sharing in that money are women.  In recent years, I've met Moms who are making excellent work-from-home incomes in direct sales.  They are genuinely enthused about their jobs and clearly have found a good answer to their work-life balance needs.
•  Direct Sales Companies Provide Structure - Many women want to work from home, but they don't want to create their own companies.  Direct sales companies provide infrastructure, support and training -- thereby eliminating many of the stumbling blocks involved with starting your own business.
• Variety of Opportunities - Gone are the days when direct selling meant selling for just a handful of companies like Avon or Tupperware.  In today's economy, there are an ever-expanding variety of products and services that are being marketed through direct selling channels.

If you’ve been mulling over the possibility of working with a direct sales or multi-level marketing company, here are five important points to consider:

Choose a Solid Company:  You’ll want to associate with a company that provides an outstanding product, a rewarding compensation plan, ongoing training, and opportunities for growth.  Just like in the corporate world, if you have a supportive boss and a reliable management team, you’ll find it much easier to succeed long-term.  To get a feel for the variety of direct sales companies, go to www.dsa.org, the national trade association for that industry. You’ll be connected to more than 150 companies, including many well-known brand names.     

Evaluate the compensation plan:  Depending upon the company, the sales person (you) will be compensated either for the products or services you sell and/or if the company offers a multilevel (MLM) compensation plan, you will also be compensated both for your own product sales, and on the product sales of your downline.  A downline is the chain of people you have brought into the business, and in turn, those people that they have brought into the business. 

So, when shopping around, think about whether you’d prefer working for a MLM that compensates you primarily for recruiting people into your business or those that compensate you only for your sales efforts, without requiring you to get involved with recruitment. Go with what feels right.  In order to find a work situation that will be productive for you long term it’s important to be true to your personal strengths and comfort zone.  

Find the Right Product:  Without a doubt, one of the most vital components to success in direct sales is finding a product that you are really excited about – something that you enjoy and believe in.  In addition to finding a product you like, it’s helpful to find a product that you can easily sell in your community, or one that you can effectively market online.  When you evaluate the types of products you’ll be selling, think about how frequently people might purchase the product. Consumables, such as nutritional supplements, can be sold through an automatic renewal system, thereby enabling you to quickly build up your customer base without having to continually source out new customers.  On the other hand, items such as high end clothing or jewelry will be bought less frequently but can be sold for a higher-price point per purchase.

Evaluate Start-Up Costs:  Direct sales companies will require you to purchase a start-up kit.  The cost of the start-up kits is generally modest – sometimes even less than one hundred dollars. In some rare instances, the cost of the start-up kits can be significantly more.  Higher than average start-up costs should not necessarily be a cause for alarm, but you do want to make sure that you understand what you are being charged for, why you need to purchase the materials, and what the company policy is for refunding any unused inventory.

Be realistic about your income potential:  Most people who work in direct sales do not earn large amounts of money nearly as quickly or easily as some would have you believe!  Just like in corporate jobs, there are people who earn small salaries and others who generate six-figure incomes.  But also like corporate jobs, the number of people earning the big dollars is far fewer than those who earn smaller amounts.  Do not be swayed by representatives who promise you “instant riches” – it takes consistent effort and commitment to build up your business with any company. 

Before you sign-up to work for one of these companies as an independent contractor, try to collect information from at least a few companies so that you can compare and contrast their relative merits.  Ask lots of questions, test out their products and do a thorough background check before you invest your time, energy and money into this new venture. 

To learn more about this option, Download Nancy's Free Guide to the Direct Sales Industry

Other  Helpful Organizations: 

 

Families and Work Institute is a non-profit organization that addresses the changing nature of work and family life. 

Work and Family Connection Home Page: Extensive on-line resource - highly recommended!

Job Boards

Our Jobs Board:  This is the place to connect with thousand of quality jobs.  Click here to go to the job board.

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Other Useful Job Boards:  If you are looking for a way to connect with a large database of jobs, check out these three sites.  Be sure to register on these sites, so you can post your resume and be automatically notified via their "job agents" about suitable openings.

Beyond.com: is part of an extensive community of over 11,000 national, general, local, and regional niche sites.  

WorkTree.com:  A unique job portal linking you to over 50,000+ jobsites and career resources on the internet.

HotJobs.com:  A good comprehensive site with thousands of jobs.

PharmaDiversityJobBoard: Connects minorities and women with pharmaceutical, biotech and health care listings.

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Need Help Keeping your Job Search on Track?

SuccessHawk.com is a fabulous new web based tool that features a complete job search system that helps job-seekers organize and manage the day-to-day activities of their job search. 

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Are you Looking for a $100K+ Job?:  

  

6FigureJobs.com has one of the  largest databases of $100K+ jobs from the leading companies on the Internet.  If you earn over $100k+ a year and have at least six years of industry experience, this is the place to post your resume.   

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Looking for an Executive Recruiter?  

The best way to find an executive recruiter is to network with other professionals in your industry and then contact those recruiters directly.  After you've done that, then you should consult the Kennedy's Guides to identify other recruiters you specialize in your area of expertise.  

Fortunately, Kennedy's now has a new service, Resume Agent that allows you to instantly and confidentially distribute your resume - in its existing format - directly to a customized group of executive search firms throughout North America. This is a very cost-effective service for contacting recruiters that will save you hours of research and administrative effort.    

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Placement/Temp Agencies/Career Fairs for Moms

On Ramps.com connects highly skilled professionals with employers who recognize the value in shifting away from a traditional workforce model to one that makes more economic sense—and creates more satisfaction—for both groups.  NY metro region

Mom Corps is a matchmaker between companies looking to recruit and retain top talent and experienced professionals looking for flexibility.  Not only can you stay in or re-enter the workforce, but you can do it on your own terms. You choose when you want to work, how many hours per week you work, and how much time you want between projects.  Based in Atlanta with other offices in Washington DC, New York and other locations.

Employmoms is a new professional staffing firm located in Hanover, NH that provides mothers with part-time, contract, and flexible work options. If you are a mother who is located in a small to midsized city in the Hanover area (more locations coming soon) then Employmoms will help to make that connection with the numerous companies, large and small, that are looking for highly qualified candidates to fill positions within their companies. 

Welcome from Nancy Collamer

Hi, I’m Nancy Collamer, M.S., career coach, author, speaker and most importantly, very proud mom of two daughters. As a result of my telephone coaching work, and the experience I gained advising millions of women online as the "Jobs and Moms Pro" for Oxygen Media, I've helped hundreds of women create more family-friendly careers paths -- often outside the 9-5 corporate box. 

The advice on Jobsandmoms.com has been quoted in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, Better Homes and Gardens, Fortune, Working Mother, MORE, The New York Times, CNN, Time, Money and Redbook. But, as nice as the press coverage has been, nothing has been more satisfying than knowing I’ve helped so many women find novel ways to combine their professional skills and personal interests. Now, I’d like to help you find your best career solutions. So grab a cup of tea, settle in and enjoy all of our resources. I'm so glad you found us! 

With my best wishes for career success,

 

Please stay in touch with us via our sister site MyLifestyleCareer.com.  Subscribe to our blog or follow us on Twitter or Facebook by clicking below:

    

 
Enjoy these recent posts from our blog: 

Work From Home: Biz Ideas for Moms

 Of all the questions I am asked by Moms, the most popular one is, "How do I find work that I can do from home?" As a work-from-home mom myself, I can personally attest to the joys of being your own boss. No commute, no nagging boss, and best of all, I can arrange my work schedule around my family and personal needs (well, at least most of the time). 

Guides to Help You Start Your Own Business:   

If you are thinking about starting your own business, but you need help with all the nuts-and-bolts information on how to get started (Where do I order supplies wholesale? Do I need to incorporate? How do I figure out pricing?) these guides are a lifesaver. They are the best resource that I know of for learning in-depth "how-to" information about lifestyle friendly entrepreneurial careers. Instantly downloadable (also available in print or CD format), reasonably priced and filled with detailed information about a wide variety of interesting career options, this is one of the very few affiliates I offer on my site. My clients have used them for years. Here is just a sampling of titles covered:

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Cake Decorator

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Caterer or Personal Chef

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Chocolate Shop Owner

Click Here to Discover How to Become an Image Consultant

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Fashion Stylist

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Landscape Company Owner

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Makeup Artist

Click Here to Discover How to Become a Professional Organizer

CLICK HERE FOR  A FULL LISTING OF GUIDES:

Home-based Business Idea Generator: 25 Ideas

Looking for a business that will take advantage of your hard-earned professional skills, but still allow you the flexibility you need to balance work and family? I’ve put together snapshots of 25 home-based business ideas (along with great resources for doing further exploration) that might be just the perfect match for you. 

Start clicking your way to a new business:

1. Bookkeeper
2. Career Coach
3. College Coach
4. Crafts or Artisan
5. Event or Wedding Planner
6. Financial Planner
7. Fitness Pro
8. Geriatric Care Manager
9. Grant Writer
10. Home Staging/Interior Designer
11. Inventor
12. Life Coach
13. Management Consultant
14. Mortgage Broker
15. Mystery Shopper
16. Personal Chef
17. Pet Care Services and Products
18. Professional Organizer
19. Public Relations Pro
20. Real Estate Agent
21. Sell on the Internet
22. Resume Writer
23. Technical Writer
24. Virtual Assistant
25. Writer

Can You Afford to Work Part Time (Part One)

More time to spend with the children…extra hours to devote to gardening…less stress in the morning.  Sounds delightful, no?  If you’ve been daydreaming about cutting your work hours back, a part-time schedule may be just what the doctor ordered.  Impossible, you say?  Well, once you factor in the expenses associated with working, especially if you’re paying a significant portion of your income towards childcare, you might discover that you can afford to cut back your working hours- - even if only for a short period of time.  Filling out the following worksheet should help you make sense (and cents!) of the dollars involved.  Who knows…the results may just surprise you! STEP ONE – Calculate the effects of a reduction of hours on income. Going part-time will involve a reduction in income, typically prorated according to the total number of hours you work.  Therefore, if you decide to work a 3/5 schedule your salary will be reduced by forty percent (i.e., if you presently earn $50,000 and decide to work three days a week, your new salary will be $30,000).  Be aware that your employer may also prorate (or even eliminate) your compensation for time off due to vacation, personal, sick days, holidays, etc., so factor that into your financial planning as well.   INCOME CURRENT PROPOSED       BASE PAY     BONUS     COMPANY 401-K     TOTAL     My projected total income when I go part-time is ____________________. STEP TWO – Calculate the costs of benefits replacement Some companies reduce or eliminate benefits for part-time employees.  If you wish to continue these benefits you may need to increase your contributions to the company’s plan or go to an outside provider to secure private coverage.   BENEFITS CURRENT COST REPLACEMENT COST       MEDICAL     DENTAL     LIFE INSURANCE     DISABILITY     VISION     TOTAL     The cost to replace my benefits is ____________________  STEP THREE – Calculate the savings created by a reduction in work hours Here comes the fun part - - figuring out how much you can save by working less! How much of a reduction depends on a number of factors including how willing you are to exchange certain luxuries, like having a cleaning lady or eating out three times a week, in order to reduce your expenses.  Be wary of slashing childcare expenses until you have a real handle on exactly how much coverage you’ll need to maintain without having to constantly juggle makeshift arrangements.  Remember, the objective is to simplify your life, not make it more complicated by completely eliminating your support system!  WORK RELATED EXPENSES CURRENT PROPOSED       CHILDCARE     EMPLOYMENT TAXES     COMMUTATION     WARDROBE     DRY CLEANING     EATING MEALS OUT     HOUSEHOLD HELP     OTHER     TOTAL     *  For two career couples, the second income is taxed on top of your spouse’s income, resulting in a higher proportion of your total income being taxed.  This can significantly impact the value of the second income.  My projected work related expenses are______________________ STEP FOUR- Add it up! My projected total income when I go part-time ____________________ MINUS The cost to replace my benefits __________________ MINUS  My projected work related expenses ______________________ EQUALS Net Part-Time Income after expenses   _____________________

Juggling Eldercare and Childcare?

How do you care for your children, your parents and your career at the same time? It's a challenge that millions of Americans who are part of the "Sandwich Generation" are needing to address.

To help you better manage your job as a caretaker, whether for your children, parent or pet, I've put together a list of helpful resources for your files:

ElderCare Online Whether you are caring for a spouse, parent, relative or neighbor, this site provdies an online community where supportive peers and professionals help you improve quality of life for yourself and your elder.

Child Care Aware is a non-profit initiative committed to helping parents find the best information on locating quality child care resources in their community.

Find Care Now is an excellent resource for both childcare and eldercare help. The site includes 90,000 childcare facilities and 70,000 eldercare facilities by city and state

360 Financial Literacy helps you with all the many financial aspects of caregiving -- from saving for college to helping your elderly parent pay for nursing care.

Sittercity is a great resource to know about whether you need a sitter for a Saturday night or a dog-sitter for your summer vacation. Named by Time magazine as one of their fifty coolest web sites.

 

Can You Afford to Work Part-Time? (Part Two)

What if you crunched the numbers in the first installment of Can Your Afford to Work Part-Time?, but you remain uncertain that you can afford to take the part-time plunge.  Well, don’t give up yet!  Let’s take a closer look at some ways to increase your income and tighten your expenses while still gaining the flexibility you so badly need: 

1. Increase your income by adjusting (slightly) the total number of hours you work – As much as you’d like to work as few hours as possible, if your expenses are still more than your income, you might want to consider a less drastic reduction in hours.  For example, instead of cutting back to ¾ time, try to see if the numbers are more favorable if you work 4/5 time instead.  Or, you might be able to still work ¾  time in the office, but agree to work one afternoon from home as well.  By working slightly more hours (i.e. 30 hours per week) you might also remain eligible for company reimbursed benefits.

2. Make yourself more valuable at the office – If you’re willing to assume a higher percentage of “value added” job duties you might be able to negotiate for a higher part-time salary.  Seek out tasks that management has identified as being critical to the success and mission of the company. Consider attending some courses to help improve your marketability in the workplace.

3. Track your spending and plug the holes in your budget – Do you really know where your money goes?  Keep a monthly journal of your spending habits and you might be surprised to discover how much money you waste on incidentals, like coffee from Starbucks or mid-afternoon snack breaks. Over the course of the year, those three and four dollar expenditures can really add up.  Some of your “stress related to working” expenses such as take-out food bills, might be reduced when you decide to work part-time. Examine your credit card payments and develop a plan for paying them off so you can save you significant amounts of money in interest costs. Investigate ways to reduce your monthly mortgage payment.  Getting tough on the budget might just allow you to cut back on your hours more than you originally thought possible!

4. Ask yourself, “How long do I plan to work a reduced hour schedule?” It’s possible that you’ll only need to work part-time for a few years and then you’ll be ready to return to work full-time.  If this is a relatively short-term arrangement, living on a reduced income might become a feasible option if you are willing to do some serious financial belt-tightening for a few years.

Finally, if you do all of the above and still can’t see your way clear to cutting back your hours, consider other flextime alternatives such as telecommuting or home-based business options.  Increasing your flexibility and gaining the ability to work from home may be as effective at reducing stress as a reduction in hours, without the financial hardships involved with going part-time.

Tips for Telecommuting

Just beginning a telecommuting arrangement? Here are some suggestions for teleworkers reprinted with permission from Work & Family Connection's e-course, Making Telecommuting Successful: A Guide for Employees, created with telework expert Gil Gordon.

1. Ask for a volunteer “office buddy” to take responsibility for e-mailing you office news weekly, in return for a monthly invitation to lunch.

2. Request weekly feedback from your supervisor for the first few weeks at least, on how the telecommuting arrangement is working.

3. Make calls, send memos, and don’t let people forget you. If there’s a meeting or review planned at which your work will be discussed, be sure you’re invited. Volunteer to make presentations or write reports that make your deliverables more visible.

4. If you suspect you’re falling out of touch, decide who you need to contact to maintain your relationships. It’s up to you to make sure you don’t miss out on anything. Even though you may only be out for one or two days at a time, you may want to check with friends to see what went on.

5. To keep your office colleagues from picturing you sacked out on the couch, reading novels and watching TV, send out e-mail updates of where your projects stand and lists of what you’ve accomplished

6. Be flexible. People won’t always be able to work around your schedule, so you may have to come in on some days you ordinarily work from home.

7. Establish “office hours,” and encourage those in the office to contact you when you're at home. Make sure anyone who might need you knows exactly when they can get you, what to do if they feel it’s urgent, and how long it will be before you return their voicemail or email message.

8. Keep checking out the perceptions of your in- office colleagues. Telecommuters tell of suddenly noticing relationships cooling with no warning, perhaps the result of a perceived slight, a little jealousy on the part of someone who had been wanting to telecommute, or the sense that the telecommuter just didn’t care any more.

9. Know their schedules. Just as your in-office colleagues need to know when and where to contact you, you need to find them when you need them. Ask team members and others to copy you when they work out their weekly schedule.

10. Take credit where credit is due. Your goal isn’t to be seen as a single-handed superstar (even if you are one) but as a contributing member of the department. Make sure you get the credit that’s due you, but no end-runs around your manager. Keep the boss on your side, and don’t alienate him/her.